Spanning thousands of years, this new collection brings together writings and teachings about sex, marriage, and family from the Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions. The volume includes traditional texts as well as contemporary materials showing how the religions have responded to the changing conditions and mores of modern life. It reveals the similarities and differences among the various religions and the development of ideas and teachings within each tradition. Selections shed light on each religion's views on a range of subjects, including sexuality and sexual pleasure, the meaning and purpose of marriage, the role of betrothal, the status of women, the place of romance, grounds for divorce, celibacy, and sexual deviance.

Separate chapters devoted to each religion include introductions by leading scholars that contextualize the readings. The selections are drawn from a variety of genres including ritual, legal, theological, poetic, and mythic texts. The volume contains such diverse examples as the Zohar on conjugal manners, a contemporary Episcopalian liturgy for same-sex unions, Qur'anic passages on the equality of the sexes, the Ka--masu--tra on husbands, wives, and lovers, Buddhist writings on celibacy, and Confucian teachings on filial piety.

Contributors include: Michael S. Berger, Emory University; Azizah Y. al-Hibri, Richmond School of Law; Alan Cole, Lewis and Clark College; Paul B. Courtright, Emory University; Patricia Buckley Ebrey, University of Washington; Raja M. El-Habti, Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights; Luke Timothy Johnson, Emory University; Mark D. Jordan, Emory University

Religions respond to capitalism, democracy, industrialization, feminism, individualism, and the phenomenon of globalization in a variety of ways. Some religions conform to these challenges, if not capitulate to them; some critique or resist them, and some work to transform the modern societies they inhabit.

In this unique collection of critical essays, scholars of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Native American thought explore the tension between modernization and the family, sexuality, and marriage traditions of major religions in America. Contributors examine how various belief systems have confronted changing attitudes regarding the meaning and purpose of sex, the definition of marriage, the responsibility of fathers, and the status of children. They also discuss how family law in America is beginning to acknowledge certain religious traditions and how comparative religious ethics can explain and evaluate diverse family customs.

Studies concerning the impact of religious thought and behavior on American society have never been more timely or important. Recent global events cannot be fully understood without comprehending how belief systems function and the many ways they can be employed to the benefit and detriment of societies. Responding to this critical need, "American Religions and the Family" presents a comprehensive portrait of religious cultures in America and offers secular society a pathway for appreciating religious tradition.

Edited by founder and chairman of the National Fatherhood Initiative Don Eberly, The Faith Factor in Fatherhood addresses the key role that religious institutions can play in reviving what Eberly calls the 'sacred vocation of fatherhood.' In response to the wider debate regarding the increased expectations that are being placed by policy makers on faith-based institutions to serve important public purposes, contributors to this volume guide denominations, places of worship, and religious social agencies to recover the role they once played in reaching and supporting young men with a message of responsible fatherhood. Ecumenical in scope, the book addresses what each faith community can do to recover its particular heritage of engaged, involved fathering, through methods including instruction, rites of passage programs, stories, ceremonies, mentoring, and community outreach.

While children figure prominently in religious traditions, few books have directly explored the complex relationships between children and religion. This is the first book to examine the theme of children in major religions of the world. Each of six chapters, edited by world-class scholars, focuses on one religious tradition and includes an introduction and a selection of primary texts ranging from legal to liturgical and from the ancient to the contemporary. Through both the scholarly introductions and the primary sources, this comprehensive volume addresses a range of topics, from the sanctity of birth to a child's relationship to evil, showing that issues regarding children are central to understanding world religions and raising significant questions about our own conceptions of children today. The religions discussed in this book include: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and, Confucianism.

Globalization is a reality in today's world, and with it comes the universalization of the influence of certain Powers and Authorities. These Authorities--Education, Law, Medicine, Technology--distance people from, and sometimes override the duties of, familial and religious connections and have generated new spheres of loyalty and practice that are touchstones for modern life as a whole.
The contributors claim that the Authorities of modernity depend upon spiritual themes and insights. However, they note, these authorities lack a conscious moral rudder because they are not only ignorant of their roots, but because they have often repudiated them, leaving these professions morally and spiritually vacuous. The essayists claim that theological and ethical resources--Christian in root, public in character, and universal in implication--can re-engage these Authorities and offer them guidance.
Contributors to the volume include: Richard Osmer (Princeton Theological Seminary); John Witte, Jr. (Emory University); Allen Verhey (Hope College); Ronald Cole-Turner (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary); Jurgen Moltmann (University of Tubingen); and Peter Paris (Princeton Theological Seminary). Max L. Stackhouse is the Stephen Colwell Professor of Christian Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary and is the author of "Christian Social Ethics in a Global Era." Don S. Browning teaches at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago and is the author of "Religious Thought and the Modern Psychologies: A Critical Conversation in the Theology of Culture. "

"Almost everyone aspires to marriage something these books go to some lengths to explain, albeit in completely different ways. As the title suggests, I Like Being Married is an unabashed celebration of marriage; it's fluff but enjoyable fluff. Leach, executive director of Orbis Books, and Borchard, author of the children's book series "The Emerald Bible Collection," have collected bits and pieces quotes, stories, traditions, and even top-ten lists that show why people take pleasure in matrimony. The quotes and stories come from both celebrities (e.g., George Bush, Winston Churchill, Celine Dion, Natasha Richardson, C.S. Lewis, and Mel Gibson) and regular Joe and Jane Does. Charming and well edited, it contains just enough variety in length and subject to be interesting, yet it is also cohesive. Public libraries should purchase. The companion book to a PBS documentary that aired Feb. 14, Marriage Just a Piece of Paper? is far more serious in tone and scope. Although it is also a smartly chosen m lange of quotes from different people, it focuses on the societal changes that have led to increased divorce rates, cohabitation, and single motherhood despite the beneficial aspects of marriage. Sociologists, politicians, ministers, and the occasional person on the street are all given a chance to explain whether they think marriage especially as it relates to the raising of children is in decline and, if so, what might be done to stop that decline. Editors Anderson and Brian Boyer worked on the documentary as managing editor/producer and executive producer/ director, respectively, and Don Browning is a professor of ethics at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Given that the effects of divorce on children is a major topic (see, e.g., Judith Wallerstein and others' The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce and E. Mavis Hetherington and John Kelly's For Better or for Worse) and that many patrons probably watched the PBS special..." - Library Journal

Globalization is a reality in today's world, and with it comes the universalization of the influence of certain Powers and Authorities. These Authorities Education, Law, Medicine, Technology distance people from, and sometimes override the duties of, familial and religious connections and have generated new spheres of loyalty and practice that are touchstones for modern life as a whole.
The contributors claim that the Authorities of modernity depend upon spiritual themes and insights. However, they note, these authorities lack a conscious moral rudder because they are not only ignorant of their roots, but because they have often repudiated them, leaving these professions morally and spiritually vacuous. The essayists claim that theological and ethical resources Christian in root, public in character, and universal in implication can re-engage these Authorities and offer them guidance.
Contributors to the volume include: Richard Osmer (Princeton Theological Seminary); John Witte, Jr. (Emory University); Allen Verhey (Hope College); Ronald Cole-Turner (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary); Jurgen Moltmann (University of Tubingen); and Peter Paris (Princeton Theological Seminary). Max L. Stackhouse is the Stephen Colwell Professor of Christian Ethics at Princeton Theological Seminary and is the author of Christian Social Ethics in a Global Era. Don S. Browning teaches at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago and is the author of Religious Thought and the Modern Psychologies: A Critical Conversation in the Theology of Culture.

What is the status of the American family? How is it changing? Are these changes making anything better? What is the future of the family? Does religion offer a positive answer? Not since "Habits of the Heart" has one book confronted these important issues with such personal and societal impact. This groundbreaking study argues for the creation of a new family ethic that must be central to the agendas of both contemporary society and the church.

The Family, Culture, and Religion series offers informed and responsible analyses of the state of the American family from a religious perspective and provides practical assistance for the family's revitalization.

This encyclopedic volume brings clarity and focus to a multitude of family issues. The expert contributors deal with practical and important questions, thereby providing information of significant usefulness to social workers, therapists, lawyers, ministers, and health-care professionals. Those who work with families will learn new techniques and see their efforts in a larger context. An extensive directory of family resources provides the reader with helpful and practical information.

The Family, Culture, and Religion series offers informed and responsible analyses of the state of the American family from a religious perspective and provides practical assistance for the family's revitalization.

While children figure prominently in religious traditions, few books have directly explored the complex relationships between children and religion. This is the first book to examine the theme of children in major religions of the world.

Each of six chapters, edited by world-class scholars, focuses on one religious tradition and includes an introduction and a selection of primary texts ranging from legal to liturgical and from the ancient to the contemporary. Through both the scholarly introductions and the primary sources, this comprehensive volume addresses a range of topics, from the sanctity of birth to a child's relationship to evil, showing that issues regarding children are central to understanding world religions and raising significant questions about our own conceptions of children today.

The processes of modernization and globalization promise more wealth and health for many people. But they are also a threat to the stability and quality of marriage and family life. This new book -- at once sobering and constructive -- looks at the impact of these processes on marriage and asks what Christianity, in cooperation with other religions, can do to strengthen married life today.

Among the deleterious effects of modernization and globalization on marriage are a worldwide drift of men away from the responsibility of parenthood and the tendency of mothers too readily to take on the task of childrearing alone. After looking at recent research on these and other problems, Don Browning suggests that the cure for modern marital disruption entails reforming and reconstructing the institution of marriage while also nurturing relevant forms of social support. Yet the effort to initiate a "world marriage revival" requires a complex cultural work, and Browning explores the key contributions that the religions of the world must make for such an effort to be successful.

Is there a future for intellectually honest faith at the service of humankind? Esteemed theologian Don S. Browning strongly argues that there is, and he here offers a manifesto for a new religious humanism.Browning argues that the time is right for religious intellectuals in conversation with the social sciences to reinvigorate the deep humanistic strands of the grand religions and enter into global interfaith dialogue on that basis. Concentrating on the Christian heritage, he draws on such diverse disciplines to envision a broader canvas for psychology, a keener theological use of new insights from psychology, a more complex understanding of how personal change is fostered, a recognition of the indispensable role of institutions in personal formation and ethical deliberation, and in the end, a deeper spirituality that directly feeds the common human endeavor and the public good.

"Religious Thought and the Modern Psychologies has pioneered the broader and deeper critique of psychological theories and practice. Informed by hermeneutical theory, Browning's widely acclaimed work drew much-needed attention to the ethical and metaphysical, even religious, assumptions that underlie present-day psychology. It has been deeply influential in many social sciences, in addition to the fields of pastoral counseling and practical theology. In this much-needed second edition, Browning and his new co-author show how the field of social science has indeed grasped and appropriated the hermeneutical approach, though with only slight appreciation of the religious dimensions of the social scientific endeavor. Browning and Cooper provide a completely new first chapter, newly situating the discussion, and update the core chapters of the book. They also add two new chapters, carrying the dialogue on with three new psychotherapeutic theorists, then with new evangelical writers on the relation of theology and psychology. This new edition, like its predecessor, will set the stage for the religion-psychology dialogue for years to come.

A careful consideration of the place of families in our national fabric.

Families can play a pivotal role in bringing America to greater unity, but even the definition of "family" can be divisive. The authors seek to identify the underlying values in these debates, find common ground among diverse traditions, and clarify the supporting roles of government, business, and civil society.

This collection of essays by prominent lawyers, theologians, social scientists, policy makers, and activists examines the reasons why the once treasured institution of marriage has been steadily displaced by a culture of divorce and unwed parenthood. Promises to Keep presents the full text of The Council on Families in America's 1995 investigation, Marriage in America: A Report to the Nation, and the contributors provide suggestions for marital resurrection to counteract trends that have created tragic hardships for children, generated poverty within families, and burdened us with insupportable social costs. Sponsored by The Institute for American Values.

The most concerted account yet of how the churches' practice might organize theological inquiry as a whole. Browning has opened up important lines of inquiry that merit further investigation." --Craig L. Nessan Southeast Missouri State University "Don Browning manifests a masterful interaction with the current literature on the burgeoning field of practical theology. This book is indispensable reading for anyone engaged in the question of theology's relationship to thought and action today." --Mary Ellen Sheehan Toronto Journal of Theology

Ritual can resonate to human need, and to this end there is much the ritualist can learn from the psychological insights into human development and personality familiar to those in the field of pastoral care.