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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian sacred works & liturgy > Sacred texts
Part 1 is a comprehensive study of the Qur'anic data about each
prophet, with a full portrait of every figure and dealing also with
all the major scholarly literature on the subject and with the
Qur'anic concept of prophetology. Part 2 is a history and study of
the general Muslim literature dealing with the prophets.
Auf der Grundlage neu entdeckter Dokumente wird die Biographie des
aus einer Converso-Familie stammenden Kabbalisten Abraham Cohen de
Herrera alias Alonso Nunez de Herrera (gest. 1635 in Amsterdam) im
Kontext seiner spanisch verfassten Neuinterpretation der
lurianischen Kabbala rekonstruiert. Im Mittelpunkt stehen seine
wichtigsten Lebensstationen und die Adaption italienischer
Renaissance-Philosophie, die Herrera in ein eigenes Konzept
humanistischer Bildung integriert, zu der auch die judische
Tradition mit lurianischen Vorstellungen aus der Schule von Israel
Saruq gehoert. Insbesondere wird Herreras Einfuhrung in Logik bzw.
Dialektik berucksichtigt und die These aufgestellt, dass er nicht
nur als Begrunder der metaphorischen Interpretation lurianischer
Symbole gelten, sondern sein spezifischer Zugang auf dem
Hintergrund seiner Lebenserfahrung und Ausbildung als
"humanistische Kabbala" auf den Begriff gebracht werden kann. In
der Geschichte der judischen Mystik ist diese Verhaltnisbestimmung
von Philosophie und Kabbala mit humanistisch-padagogischer
Intention singular. Erstmals wird auch Herreras Einfluss auf die
christliche Geistesgeschichte durch Christian Knorr von Rosenroths
Kabbala denudata in vollem Umfang gewurdigt.
Exegesis and Hermeneutics in the Churches of the East contains the
proceedings of the Bible in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox
Traditions unit of the Society of Biblical Literature's (SBL) 2007
meeting in San Diego, California. Biblical professors and scholars
from the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox traditions (the latter
including Aramaic, Syriac, Armenian, Arabic, Georgian, and Coptic,
among others) gathered to engage in critical study of the role of
the Bible in eastern Christianity, past and present. The collection
of articles in Exegesis and Hermeneutics in the Churches of the
East examines the latest scholarly findings in the field of the
utilization and interpretation of the Bible in the Christian
communities in the East during the first five centuries of
Christianity. They offer critical evaluations of the early church's
hermeneutical and exegerical tools and methodologies.
Traditionally, the Talmud was read as law, that is, as the
authoritative source for Jewish practice and obligations. To this
end, it was studied at the level of its most minute details, with
readers often ignoring the composite whole. Methods of reading have
shifted as more readers have turned to the Talmud for evidence of
rabbinic history, religion, rhetoric, or anthropology; still, few
have employed a genuinely literary approach. In Reading the Rabbis,
Kraemer attempts to fill this gap by developing a method for
reading the Talmud as literature. He draws on the tools developed
in the study of other literatures, particularly rhetorical and
reader-response criticisms, to unearth previously unnoticed levels
of meaning. The result is that readers will gain a new
understanding of the complexity of Rabbinic Judaism, and a new
model of rabbinic piety.
A Critical Study of Classical Religious Texts in Global Contexts:
Challenges of a Changing World challenges toxic stereotypes of
world religions by providing scholarly investigations into classic
sacred texts in global contexts. By engaging more perspectives,
important connections, and more, complex and humanizing "stories"
are developed, inviting the reader to see the face of the "Other"
and, perhaps, to see a bit of oneself in that face. In today's
world of increasing polarization and the rise of nationalism, the
contributors to this volume welcome the reader to join them in a
shared humanity that seeks understanding. A red thread that runs
through each chapter relates to the challenges that globalization
brings to the sacred texts in various contextual settings. The
contributors describe various circumstances related to reading and
interpreting sacred writings-whether historical or more
recent-which continue to have an influence today. The essays in
this volume view these religious texts in relation to four
dichotomies: minority-majority, diaspora-homeland, center-periphery
of the globalized world, and secular-religious. These elements by
no means exhaust the issues, but they serve as a starting point for
a discussion of relevant contexts in which sacred texts are read.
The breadth of research represented stimulates a deeper
understanding that is vital if we are to move beyond stereotypes
and religious illiteracy to meaningfully engage the "Other" with
wisdom and empathy-important virtues in today's world. A Critical
Study of Classical Religious Texts in Global Contexts will appeal
to scholars and graduate students of religious studies, sacred
scriptures, and post-colonial studies, as well as informed and
inquisitive general readers interested in exploring interfaith
dialogue and broadening their religious literacy.
In World of Wonders, Alf Hiltebeitel addresses the Mahabharata and
its supplement, the Harivamsa, as a single literary composition.
Looking at the work through the critical lens of the Indian
aesthetic theory of rasa, "juice, essence, or taste," he argues
that the dominant rasa of these two texts is adbhutarasa, the "mood
of wonder." While the Mahabharata signposts whole units of the text
as "wondrous" in its table of contents, the Harivamsa foregrounds a
stepped-up term for wonder (ascarya) that drives home the point
that Vishnu and Krishna are one. Two scholars of the 9th and 10th
centuries, Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta, identified the
Mahabharata's dominant rasa as santarasa, the "mood of peace." This
has traditionally been received as the only serious contestant for
a rasic interpretation of the epic. Hiltebeitel disputes both the
positive claim that the santarasa interpretation is correct and the
negative claim that adbhutarasa is a frivolous rasa that cannot
sustain a major work. The heart of his argument is that the
Mahabharata and Harivamsa both deploy the terms for "wonder" and
"surprise" (vismaya) in significant numbers that extend into every
facet of these heterogeneous texts, showing how adbhutarasa is at
work in the rich and contrasting textual strategies which are
integral to the structure of the two texts.
Praise for VALUES, PROSPERITY, AND THE TALMUD "The ancient wisdom of the Talmud is as relevant today as it was 1,500 years ago, and its advice about business–both tactical and ethical–is as applicable to our high-tech world as it was to their world of trading mules and buying olives." ––Alan M. Dershowitz Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Harvard Law School "For too long we’ve separated business from religion and in so doing we’ve thrown the baby out with the bath water. Can religion be both relevant and use the accumulated wealth of its wisdom to be of service to business? Yes! There is a gold mine in religion for business. Come savor some of the wonderful nuggets in this book." ––Martin Rutte Coauthor, Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work President, Livelihood "Gaining perspective is essential to learning. Larry Kahaner provides the reader perspective from an ancient tradition that has a surprisingly modern relevance. This well-written and cogently organized book gives the reader access to the ethical foundations of the Judeo-Christian tradition, reminding us that business ethics is not the result of Enron, but a continuing concern about society and the human condition." ––Stuart C. Gilman President, The Ethics Resource Center "At a time of ethical crises and global uncertainty we need leaders who blend the best of business, psychology, and spirituality. Learn the lessons of values-based management from the ancient rabbis in this thoughtful, wise guidebook. Good is good, and evil is evil; the principles still apply today." ––Bob Rosen CEO, Healthy Companies International and bestselling author of Global Literacies "An interesting and useful prescription for modern behavior––personal and corporate––from a very old and, for many, unfamiliar source. The wisdom and ethical guidance of those early rabbis is as relevant today as it was fifteen centuries ago." ––Mike Birck Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tellabs
How the rabbis of the Talmud transformed Jewish law into a way of
thinking and talking about everything Typically translated as
"Jewish law," halakhah is not an easy match for what is usually
thought of as law. This is because the rabbinic legal system has
rarely wielded the political power to enforce its rules, nor has it
ever been the law of any state. Even more idiosyncratically, the
talmudic rabbis claim the study of halakhah is a holy endeavor that
brings a person closer to God-a claim no country makes of its law.
Chaim Saiman traces how generations of rabbis have used concepts
forged in talmudic disputation to do the work that other societies
assign not only to philosophy, political theory, theology, and
ethics but also to art, drama, and literature. Guiding readers
across two millennia of richly illuminating perspectives, this
panoramic book shows how halakhah is not just "law" but an entire
way of thinking, being, and knowing.
This book discusses recent trends and issues in the scholarly study
of the Qur'an and its exegesis. The last few years have witnessed
an unprecedented development in qur'anic studies in terms of both
the number of volumes that have been produced and the wide range of
issues covered. It is not an exaggeration to say that the field of
qur'anic studies today has become the 'crown' of Islamic studies.
In this book, scholars of diverse approaches critically engage with
the Qur'an and its exegesis, including questions about the milieu
in which the Qur'an emerged, the Qur'an's relation to the biblical
tradition, its chronology, textual integrity, and its literary
features. In addition, this volume addresses recent scholarship on
tafsir (qur'anic exegesis), including thematic interpretation,
diacronic and syncronic readings of the Qur'an. Various approaches
to understanding the Muslim scripture with or without tafsir are
also discussed.
The presence in the Bible of texts (i.e. Exo 21; Num 25; Deu 7)
about violence and pointing to God as its direct agent raises many
doubts in the contemporary reader. These texts understood literally
can be read as an encouragement to aggression and hatred. A closer
study of this type of texts based on modern research methods (i.e.
historical criticism) allows a deeper understanding of their
meaning and loosens their relation to God. The study of texts
points that the Bible or any part of it cannot be a pretext for any
kind of aggression or hatred.
The Ashtavakra Gita is a very ancient Sanskrit text, probably
dating back to the classic Vedanta period. It was appreciated and
quoted by Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi, and
Radhakrishnan, as it presents the traditional teachings of Advaita
Vedanta with a clarity and power very rarely matched. It has been
called 'a quantum leap into the absolute'. Its message is that
there is neither existence nor non existence, right nor wrong,
moral nor immoral. In the view of the sage Ashtavakra, the apparent
author of this text, one's true identity can be found by simply
recogniSing oneself as pure existence, or the awareness of all
things. The text is the response to a question posed by King Janaka
to Sage Ashtavakra: "Tell me, O Lord, how can true knowledge be
acquired, renunciation made possible and liberation attained?"
Ashtavakra's answer is a sincere and unhesitating statement of the
ultimate truth. It is said that Janaka posed his question to
Ashtavakra while placing one foot in the saddle to mount his horse.
Ashtavakra told him that by following his instructions, Janaka
could attain liberation by the time he sat astride the horse. With
Ashtavakra's forceful, direct instructions Janaka is emancipated
instantaneously. In this edition, the text is expounded on by Swiss
mystic and therapist, Manuel Schoch.
The ancient Indian Sanskrit tradition produced no text more
intriguing, or more persistently misunderstood or underappreciated,
than the Mahabharata. Its intricacies have waylaid generations of
scholars and ignited dozens of unresolved debates. "In Rethinking
the Mahabharata," Alf Hiltebeitel offers a unique model for
understanding the great epic. Employing a wide range of literary
and narrative theory, Hiltebeitel draws on historical and
comparative research in an attempt to discern the spirit and
techniques behind the epic's composition. He focuses on the
education of Yudhisthira, also known as the Dharma King, and shows
how the relationship of this figure to others-especially his
author-grandfather Vyasa and his wife Draupadi-provides a thread
through the bewildering array of frames and stories embedded within
stories. Hiltebeitel also offers a revisionist theory regarding the
dating and production of the original text and its relation to the
Veda. No ordinary reader's guide, this volume will illuminate many
mysteries of this enigmatic masterpiece.
This work is the fourth volume in Hiltebeitel's study of the
Draupadi cult. Other volumes include "Mythologies: From Gingee to
Kuruksetra" (Volume One), "On Hindu Ritual and the Goddess" (Volume
Two), and "Rethinking India's Oral and Classical Epics" (Volume
Three).
This is a literary and theological study of the Biblical
Antiquities of Pseudo-Philo--a long, well-written reinterpretation
of the Hebrew Bible written by a Palestinian Jew of the first
century C.E. Using the methodologies of redaction and literary
criticism, Murphy provides an analysis of the whole of the Biblical
Antiquities. After a chapter-by-chapter analysis, Murphy addresses
several topics more generally--major characters, major themes, and
the historical context of the work. Full concordances to the Latin
text are provided to assist future research on Pseudo-Philo. This
book will prove an important resource for students of Jewish
interpretation of the Bible at the end of the Second Temple period.
It also sheds light on Jewish thought of the period regarding
covenant, leadership in Israel, women in Israel, relations with
Gentiles, divine providence, divine retribution, eschatology, and
many other subjects. Furnishing a broad interpretive context for
future work on the Biblical Antiquities, this study gives students
of the Bible access to an important literary and religious product
of first-century Judaism.
@lt;DIV@gt;This unique book surveys within the various literary
genres the parallels between the Bible and the literature of the
ancient Near East. Each section begins with a survey of the
available ancient literature, continues with a discussion of the
literature, and concludes with a discussion of cases of alleged
borrowing. The genres covered are - cosmology - laws - historical
literature - wisdom literature - apocalyptic literature - personal
archives and epics - covenants and treaties - hymns, prayers, and
incantations - prophetic literature@lt;/div@gt;
Winner, 2020 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Comparative
Literary Studies, Modern Language Association The novel, the
literary adage has it, reflects a world abandoned by God. Yet the
possibilities of novelistic form and literary exegesis exceed the
secularizing tendencies of contemporary literary criticism. Showing
how the Qur'an itself invites and enacts critical reading, Hoda El
Shakry's Qur'anic model of narratology enriches our understanding
of literary sensibilities and practices in the Maghreb across
Arabophone and Francophone traditions. The Literary Qur'an
mobilizes the Qur'an's formal, narrative, and rhetorical qualities,
alongside embodied and hermeneutical forms of Qur'anic pedagogy, to
theorize modern Maghrebi literature. Challenging the canonization
of secular modes of reading that occlude religious epistemes,
practices, and intertexts, it attends to literature as a site where
the process of entextualization obscures ethical imperatives.
Engaging with the Arab-Islamic tradition of adab-a concept
demarcating the genre of belles lettres, as well as social and
moral comportment-El Shakry demonstrates how the critical pursuit
of knowledge is inseparable from the spiritual cultivation of the
self. Foregrounding form and praxis alike, The Literary Qur'an
stages a series of pairings that invite paratactic readings across
texts, languages, and literary canons. The book places
twentieth-century novels by canonical Francophone writers
(Abdelwahab Meddeb, Assia Djebar, Driss Chraibi) into conversation
with lesser-known Arabophone ones (Mahmud al-Mas'adi, al-Tahir
Wattar, Muhammad Barrada). Theorizing the Qur'an as a literary
object, process, and model, this interdisciplinary study blends
literary and theological methodologies, conceptual vocabularies,
and reading practices.
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