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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > General > Philosophy of religion
Ma?berot Immanuel is a collection of twenty-eight chapters in
Hebrew of rhymed prose and poetry written by the poet and amateur
philosopher Immanuel of Rome during an era of rapid political
change in late medieval Italy. The final chapter, Mah?beret
Ha-Tofet Ve-ha-'Eden (A Tale of Heaven and Hell), like Dante's
Commedia, depicts Immanuel's visits to hell and heaven. Bridging
Worlds focuses on the interrelation of Immanuel's belletristic work
and biblical exegesis to advance a comprehensive and original
reading of this final chapter. By reading Immanuel's philosophical
commentaries and literary works together, Dana Fishkin demonstrates
that Immanuel's narrative made complex philosophical ideas about
the soul's quest for immortality accessible to an educated
populace. Throughout this work, she explains the many ways
Mah?beret Ha-Tofet Ve-ha-'Eden serves as a site of cultural
negotiation and translation. Bridging Worlds broadens our
understanding of the tensions inherent in the world of late
medieval Jewish people who were deeply enmeshed in Italian culture
and literature, negotiating two cultures whose values may have
overlapped but also sometimes clashed. Fishkin puts forth a
valuable and refreshing perspective alongside previously unknown
sources to breathe new life into this extremely rich and culturally
valuable medieval work.
Applying Jewish Ethics: Beyond the Rabbinic Tradition is a
groundbreaking collection that introduces the reader to applied
ethics and examines various social issues from contemporary and
largely under-represented, Jewish ethical perspectives. For
thousands of years, a rich and complex system of Jewish ethics has
provided guidance about which values we should uphold and utilize
to confront concrete problems, create a healthy social fabric, and
inspire meaningful lives. Despite its longevity and richness, many
Judaic and secular scholars have misconstrued this ethical
tradition as a strictly religious and biblically based system that
primarily applies to observant Jews, rather than viewing it as an
ethical system that can provide unique and helpful insights to
anyone, religious or not. This pioneering collection offers a deep,
broad, and inclusive understanding of Jewish ethical ideas that
challenges these misconceptions. The chapters explain and apply
these ethical ideas to contemporary issues connected to racial
justice, immigration, gender justice, queer identity, and economic
and environmental justice in ways that illustrate their relevance
for Jews and non-Jews alike.
KNOWING GOD is one of the most significant and popular Christian
books of our time and has deepened the faith and understanding of
millions of people around the world. 'Dr Packer says we're cruel to
ourselves if we try to live in his world without knowing about the
God whose world it is and who runs it. I'm convinced we're cruel if
we deny ourselves the wisdom contained in this Christian classic.'
Rico Tice
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