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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian sacred works & liturgy > Sacred texts
With over 140 million copies in print, and serving as the principal
proselytizing tool of one of the world's fastest growing faiths,
the Book of Mormon is undoubtedly one of the most influential
religious texts produced in the western world. Written by Terryl
Givens, a leading authority on Mormonism, this compact volume
offers the only concise, accessible introduction to this
extraordinary work.
Givens examines the Book of Mormon first and foremost in terms of
the claims that its narrators make for its historical genesis, its
purpose as a sacred text, and its meaning for an audience which
shifts over the course of the history it unfolds. The author traces
five governing themes in particular--revelation, Christ, Zion,
scripture, and covenant--and analyzes the Book's central doctrines
and teachings. Some of these resonate with familiar
nineteenth-century religious preoccupations; others consist of
radical and unexpected takes on topics from the fall of Man to
Christ's mortal ministries and the meaning of atonement. Givens
also provides samples of a cast of characters that number in the
hundreds, and analyzes representative passages from a work that
encompasses tragedy, poetry, sermons, visions, family histories and
military chronicles. Finally, this introduction surveys the
contested origins and production of a work held by millions to be
scripture, and reviews the scholarly debates that address questions
of the record's historicity.
Here then is an accessible guide to what is, by any measure, an
indispensable key to understanding Mormonism. But it is also an
introduction to a compelling and complex text that is too often
overshadowed by the controversies that surround it.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and
style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of
life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the
newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about
the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from
philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
The Bhagavad Gita opens with a crisis - Prince Arjuna despairs on
the battlefield, unsure if he should fight his kinsmen in a
dreadful war. For Easwaran, the Gita's epic battle represents the
war in our own hearts and Arjuna's anguish reflects the human
condition: torn between opposing forces, confused about how to
live. Sri Krishna's timeless guidance, Easwaran argues, can shed
light on our dilemmas today. Placing the Gita's teachings in a
modern context, Easwaran explores the nature of reality, the
illusion of separateness, the search for identity, the meaning of
yoga, and how to heal the unconscious. The key message of the Gita
is how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep
unity of life, through the practice of meditation and spiritual
disciplines. Sri Krishna doesn't tell Arjuna what to do. He points
out the prince's choices, and then leaves it to Arjuna to decide.
Easwaran shows us clearly how these teachings still apply - and
how, like Arjuna, we must take courage and act wisely if we want
our world to thrive.
Imam Nawawi's commentary on Sahih Muslim is one of the most highly
regarded works in Islamic thought and literature. Accepted by every
sunni school of thought, and foundational in the Shaafi school,
this text, available for the first time in English, is famed
throughout the Muslim world. After the Qur'an, the prophetic
traditions are the most recognised source of wisdom in Islam.
Amongst the collected Hadith, Sahih Muslim is second only to the
the collection of Imam Bukhari. With a commentary by Imam Nawawi,
whose other works are amongst the most widely-read books on Islam,
and translated by Adil Salahi, a modern scholar of great acclaim,
this immense work, finally available to English readers, is an
essential addition to every Muslim library, and for anybody with an
interest in Islamic thought.
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My Rebbe
(Hardcover)
Adin Steinsaltz
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R595
R533
Discovery Miles 5 330
Save R62 (10%)
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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For legendary Talmud scholar and prolific author Rabbi Adin
Even-Israel Steinsaltz, the Lubavitcher Rebbe embodied a lifelong
mission to better the world. Far surpassing the role of teacher,
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was at once a scientific mind and
faithful believer; educational innovator and social activist;
spiritual guide and master network builder.
My Rebbe is Rabbi Steinsaltz's long-awaited personal testament
to the man whose passion and vision transformed Chabad-Lubavitch
from a tiny group of Chassidim into an educational and spiritual
movement that spans the globe. With the admiration of a close
disciple, the astute observation of a scholar and the spiritual
depth of a mystic, Steinsaltz crafts an intimate portrait of a
revolutionary religious leader whose dedication to intellectual,
religious, and spiritual principles impacted generations of
followers.
The first in the Magerman Educational Siddur Series, The Koren
Children's Siddur created for the early elementary grades, combines
stimulating and beautiful illustrations with thought-provoking
educational components on each page to provide teachers and parents
with an educational resource as much as a conventional siddur. The
siddur, for kindergarten, first and second grades, is also
accompanied by a comprehensive Teacher and Parents Guide to
maximize the educational potential of this beginner's siddur.
'An erudite and charming book . . . both a primer and a paean to
one of the central texts of Buddhism, known as the Heart Sutra. . .
Alex Kerr delves into the Japanese soul' Literary Review The
material world is itself emptiness. Emptiness is itself the
material world. Powerful, mystical and concise, the Heart Sutra is
believed to contain the condensed essence of all Buddhist wisdom.
This brief poem on emptiness has exerted immense influence
throughout Asia since the seventh century and is woven into the
fabric of daily life. Yet even though it rivals the teachings of
Laozi and Confucius in importance, this ancient Buddhist scripture
remains barely known in the West. During the many years he has
spent living in Japan, Alex Kerr has been on a quest after the
secrets of the Heart Sutra. Travelling from Japan, Korea, and
China, to India, Mongolia, Tibet and Vietnam, this book brings
together Buddhist teaching, talks with friends and mentors, and
acute cultural insights to probe the universe of thought contained
within this short but intense philosophical work. 'Marvellous ... a
life's work ... a brilliant literary form, weaving reflections of
the sutra with those on Alex's own magical mystery tour' Alexandra
Munroe, Asian Art scholar and curator
The Talmud is a record of about a thousand years of accumulated
Jewish learning and wisdom in all fields of endeavor: law,
religion, ethics, history, science, and folklore. It includes
Fathers of Mishna, the poor, sabbath, passover, atonement, fasting,
childless widows, marriage contracts, adultery, divorces, civil
law, laws of procedure, and oaths. This is the book to go to if you
must know about Jewish history, law, and lore.
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