A fascinating comparative account of sacred languages and their
role in and beyond religion written for a broad, interdisciplinary
audience Sacred languages have been used for foundational texts,
liturgy, and ritual for millennia, and many have remained virtually
unchanged through the centuries. While the vital relationship
between language and religion has been long acknowledged, new
research and thinking across an array of disciplines including
religious studies, sociolinguistics, sociology, linguistics, and
even neurolinguistics has resulted in a renewed interest in the
area. This fascinating and informative book draws on Christian,
Islamic, Hindu, Judaic, and Buddhist traditions to provide a
concise and accessible introduction to the phenomenon of sacred
languages. The book takes a strongly comparative, wide-ranging
approach to exploring ways in which ancient religious languages,
such as Latin, Pali, Church Slavonic, and Hebrew continue to shape
the beliefs and practices of religious communities around the
world. Informed by both comparative religion and sociolinguistics,
it traces the histories of sacred languages, the myths and
doctrines that explain their origin and value, the various ways
they are used, the sectarian debates that shadow them, and the
technological innovations that propel them forward in the
twenty-first century. * A comprehensive but succinct account of the
role and importance of language within religion * Takes an
interdisciplinary approach which will appeal to students and
scholars across an array of disciplines, including religious
studies, sociology of religion, sociolinguistics, and linguistics *
Provides a strongly comparative exploration, drawing on Christian,
Islamic, Hindu, Judaic, and Buddhist traditions * Uses numerous
examples and ties historic debates with contemporary situations *
Satisfies the rapidly growing demand for books on the subject among
both academics and general readers Sacred Languages of the World is
a must-read for students of religion and language, scripture,
religious literacy, education and language, the sociology of
religion, sociolinguistics. It will also have strong appeal among
general readers with an interest comparative religion, history,
cultural criticism, communication studies, and more.
General
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