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Alexander the Corrector
The bizarre and fascinating story of Alexander Cruden, who single-handedly compiled the monumental dictionary/index/gazetteer to the Bible, Cruden's Concordance -- still going strong 260 years later.Cruden's Concordance to the Bible was a monumental achievement at 2.5 million words, it is four times the length of the Bible itself and in nearly three hundred years it has never been superseded. Yet Alexander Cruden is remembered today not so much for his mighty work as for the widespread belief that he was mad.Born in Aberdeen in 1699, as a young man he was cast into an asylum for reasons that at the time were considered too shocking to reveal. The scandal ruined his plans to enter the Church, and he fled to London, where he worked as a private tutor and then as a proof-corrector before becoming Bookseller by Royal Warrant to Queen Caroline (wife of George II). In 1737, weeks after completing his Concordance, he was back in the madhouse, abducted by a jealous rival for the affections of a rich widow and committed to a private asylum. After three months he managed to escape through a window. Some years later he was again incarcerated, this time after a dispute with his landlady. Each
Author:
Julia Keay
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007131969
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $27.95
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The Power and the Glory
In 1984, David Yallop's In God's Name changed the way that the world looked at the Vatican. In The Power and The Glory, David Yallop returns to Rome with another explosive story: the true history of the papacy of John Paul II. From the first moment of his papacy, Karol Wojtyla sought political influence and a role on the world stage. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, he was a leader to millions of Catholics at a time of tremendous change. Promising a renewed church, he was the first media Pope and travelled around the world to preach his message. It is said that he was central in the fall of Soviet Eastern Europe, in particular within his own homeland of Poland. Now, as the second anniversary of his death the demands for John Paul's beatification and subsequent canonisation continue unabated. But has the real truth of this Papacy been revealed?
This work: contains explosive revelations from the CIA, the KGB, the Polish secret service and the most secretive place on earth, the Vatican itself tells for the first time John Paul II's real involvement in the fall of the Iron Curtain and the liberation of Poland uncovers the myth of the Holy Alliance between Reagan's America and the Vatican exposes the true extent of the Pope's failure to control the child abuse scandal and, explores the continued financial scandal involving the Vatican bank, the mafia, Freemasonry, illegal money laundering and arms sales.
Author:
David A. Yallop
Publisher: Constable and Robinson
ISBN: 9781845294465
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $44.99
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Teach Yourself Sikhism
Teach Yourself Sikhism is a comprehensive guide to the faith itself and to Sikh society. It looks at all aspects of Sikhism including: - worship and festivals - Sikh initiation - the Gurus and the beginnings of Sikhism - the Sikh scriptures and teachings about God - the family - marriage and death - Sikh names and the naming ceremony - ethics - Sikhism in the modern period. The 'Teach Yourself World Faiths' series aims to present all the essential information required by a reader who has no previous knowledge of the religion, but who wants to feel confident in dealing with members of the faith community - in terms of their beliefs and attitudes, and also of the practical details of their culture, ceremony, diet and moral views. As such it is relevant to the needs of police, social workers, solicitors, businessmen, teachers and all who require sensitivity and insight in dealing with the public in a multi-faith and multi-ethnic society. Teach Yourself Sikhism is an introduction to the history, beliefs, religious practices and social customs of Sikhism.It is suitable for A-level students, as background reading for undergraduate students in Religious Studies, and for the general reader.
Author:
W.Owen Cole
Publisher: Hodder Education
ISBN: 9780340867594
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $29.99
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Universal Father
Karol Wojtyla's early life experiences were of intense love and intense loss: born in Poland in 1920, he was eight when his mother died, twelve when his older brother died of scarlet fever in the hospital where he worked as a doctor, and twenty when his severe but loving father died during the Nazi occupation. God and the Catholic Church were from the beginning his consolation and strength. What is new and unusual about this timely biography is the attention the author gives to the inner man.Garry O'Connor has not only investigated Karol Wojtyla's life before he became pope, his love of football, skiing and the outdoor life, his commitment to acting, his friendships with men and with women, his experiences under German then Soviet occupation, his nationalism, his early years as a priest, but has also subtly analysed the pope's own poems, plays and philosophical works as clues to what made him tick. The result is a living portrait, vivid and accessible, based on scrupulous research that dramatically tracks the personal tragedies, including the assassination attempt in 1981, and the great public confrontations on the world stage.
Author:
Garry O'Connor
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 9780747576471
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $49.95
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Knit Christmas Stockings!
Make this Christmas one your family will remember forever by knitting Christmas stockings for the entire clan. The 19 fun, simple-to-follow patterns presented here make it easy for even first-time knitters to create beautiful stockings ? not to mention delightful knit and felt ornaments for the Christmas tree.And Knit Christmas Stockings! is not only fun and easy to use, it's also economical. With single-pattern prices from $3.50 to $9, a knitter buying 19 patterns could spend over $150! But with Knit Christmas Stockings! knitters get 19 great patterns for just $14.95.As with all the books in Storey's die-cut Knit series, this book is written with the first-time knitter in mind. All knitting instructions are in plain English ? no esoteric terms or indecipherable abbreviations. And if a project calls for an unusual technique, the instructions are accompanied by detailed illustrations of the process. This straightforward approach has resulted in rave reviews of the Knit series from novice, infrequent, and experienced knitters. And yarn shop owners love the series, too. The revolutionary format and simple instructions are bringing new knitters into stores
Author:
Gwen W. Steege
Publisher: Storey Books
ISBN: 9781580175050
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $24.99
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The Places That Scare You
One of the most inspiring spiritual teachers of our time offers simple, practical advice for living with less fear, less anxiety and a more open heart. 'The Places That Scare You' takes Pema Chodron 's spiritual teachings to a wider audience.
Author:
Pema Chodron
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007183500
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $24.99
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The Magdalene Legacy
From the bestselling author of "Bloodline of the Holy Grail" comes a historical detective story. This work presents secret archives on the true identity of Mary Magdalene, the hidden lineage of Jesus and Mary, and the 2,000-year-old conspiracy that forms the basis of Christianity itself.
Author:
Laurence Gardner
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007200856
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $24.95
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Zen Golf
In this ground-breaking approach to golf instruction, Dr Joseph Parent, both a noted PGA Tour coach and a respected Buddhist teacher, draws on this natural connection to teach golfers how to play with more consistency and less frustration, and consequently how to lower their scores. 'When body and mind are synchronized, we can uncover our inherent dignity and confidence. The ultimate goal is not just to help people become better golfers, but better human beings.' Zen Golf offers a fresh perspective for golf and for life. Instead of focusing on what's wrong with us - what's broken, flawed or missing - we can take the attitude that there is something fundamentally, essentially right with us. In chapters such as 'How to Get from the Practice Tee to the First Tee', 'You Practice What You Fear', and 'How to Enjoy a Bad Round of Golf', author Joseph Parent shows how to make one's mind an ally rather than an enemy: how to stay calm, clear the interference that leads to bad shots, and eliminate bad habits and mental mistakes.
Rather than an instruction manual that takes you through a systematic programme, it is a collection of brief chapters offering the wisdom of traditional Zen stories and teachings distilled from a lifetime of actual lessons with golfers, many of whom are PGA professionals. Continued success at golf (and any other endeavour) requires preparation, action and response - these form the framework for the instructions presented in Zen Golf. Applied correctly, they will help every reader of this unique book to achieve their peak performance.
Author:
Joseph Parent
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007205301
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $27.95
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Salonica, City of Ghosts
The history of a rarely written about, bewilderingly exotic city: five hundred years of clashing cultures and peoples, from the glories of Suleiman the Magnificent to its nadir under Nazi occupation. Salonica is the point where the wonders and horrors of the Orient and Europe have met over the centuries. Written with a Pepysian sense of the texture of daily life in the city through the ages, and with breathtakingly detailed historical research, Salonica evokes the sights, smells, habits, songs and responses of a unique city and its inhabitants. The history of Salonica is one of forgotten alternatives and wrong choices, of identities assumed and discarded. For centuries Jews, Christians and Muslims have succeeded each other in ascendancy, each people intent on erasing the presence of their predecessors, and the result is a city of extraordinarily rich cultural traditions and memories of extreme violence and genocide, one that sits on the overlapping hinterlands of both Europe and the East.
Mark Mazower has written a work of astonishing depth and originality about this remarkable city magnificently researched and beautifully written, it is more than a book about a place it studies in detail the way in which three great faiths and peoples have inhabited the same territory, and how smooth transitions and adaptations have been interwoven with violent endings and new beginnings.
Author:
Mark Mazower
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780007120222
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $24.95
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Who's Who in the Age of Jesus
The books of the New Testament are some of the most extraordinary documents ever created - brilliant, vivid works central to the lives of many millions of readers over the centuries. Yet, the picture they give of Jesus' world is a very partial one. Written thirty to eighty years after the events they describe and with very specific doctrinal aims they addressed a Greek-speaking audience when Christianity was at its most precarious. Geza Vermes, one of the world's foremost biblical scholars, is uniquely positioned to guide the reader through the many conundrums presented by the New Testament. Who's Who in the Age of Jesus is an ambitious and enjoyable attempt to sift through all the sources for the period to create biographies of the major (and some fascinating minor) figures from Jesus' era. The book allows readers to understand a Jewish, Roman and Hellenistic world crowded with explosive, mutually antagonistic groups - a world which would give rise both to a new Judaism and ultimately to Christianity.
From detailed, convincing portraits of Jesus, John the Baptist, Pontius Pilate, Herod and other key New Testament figures to the Jewish and Roman leaders like Hillel, Caiaphas, Augustus, Vespasian and Titus, hardly or not at all mentioned in the Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles, Geza Vermes' illustrated Who's Who will throw much fresh light on the age of Jesus and provoke innumerable arguments and discussions.
Author:
Geza Vermes
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 9780141017037
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $26.95
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Opus Dei
Opus Dei is one of the most talked about but least known religious organizations of our time. For years no one has been allowed access to its secrets. Until now. Here, Vatican insider John Allen uncovers its true nature. Granted unlimited access to those within its ranks, gaining a wealth of interviews with the heads of Opus Dei around the world, Allen finally separates the myths from the facts: the actual use of whips and the cilice the true extent of Opus Dei's funds the identities of its influential members in politics, banking and high office and how much power this shadowy group really has. Definitive, persuasive and absorbing' - Daily Telegraph. Focuses on some of the most controversial aspects of the organization, from its treatment of women to its recruitment and its money' - Independent. He reports on all aspects of the Opus Dei cult (including structure and finance, and the practice of mortifying the flesh with a cilice) and, most usefully, includes details of the bishops and personnel around the world who are Opus Dei clergy' - New Statesman. An admirable book the first stop for anyone interested in [Opus Dei]' - Sunday Times.
Author:
John L. Allen
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 9780141024653
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $26.95
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The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is an indispensable guide to all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains 6,000 A-Z entries offering unrivalled coverage from theology and the Bible to the church calendar and its organization. This revision of the Third Edition (1997) features new coverage of recent developments, including the Church of England's new prayer book and ecumenical advances and mergers. Containing new articles on subjects such as Desmond Tutu and updated articles reflecting new understanding on topics like the Holy Sepulchre, the ODCC is a uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging reference book. Established since its first appearance in 1957 as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders; ODCC is an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.T
HEOLOGY - the development of doctrines throughout the ages, with their philosophical background and the different traditions of the major Churches - spirituality and heresy - history of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation PATRISTIC SCHOLARSHIP: Fathers of the Church, on whose work later theology is founded, are covered in detail, for example - the Nag Hammadi papyri and their significance for our understanding of Gnosticism - the problems of Marcarius of Egypt and Macarius/Simeon are explored - the recently discovered sermons of Augustine are mentioned, with their places of publication listed CHURCHES AND DENOMINATIONS - the beliefs and structures of both the mainstream and lesser-known denominations such as Amish, Muggletonians, Shakers, and Wee Frees - lengthy articles on the history of Christianity throughout the world, in countries such as Angola, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, the United States, Vietnam, and Zaire THE CHURCH CALENDAR AND ORGANIZATION - feast and saints' days - Sacraments - church services, offices, rites, and practices - canon law inc
Author:
E.A. Livingstone & F.L. Cross
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780192802903
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $320.00
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The Qur'an
'Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful one who taught by the pen, who taught man what he did not know.' The Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the word of God, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago. It is the supreme authority in Islam and the living source of all Islamic teaching it is a sacred text and a book of guidance, that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of the Islamic religion. It has been one of the most influential books in the history of literature. Recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, it has nevertheless remained difficult to understand in its English translations. This new translation is written in a contemporary idiom that remains faithful to the original, making it easy to read while retaining its powers of eloquence. Archaisms and cryptic language are avoided, and the Arabic meaning preserved by respecting the context of the discourse. The message of the Qur'an was directly addressed to all people regardless of class, gender, or age, and this translation is equally accessible to everyone.
Author:
Oxford World's Classics,
M.A.Abdel Haleem
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780192805485
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $39.95
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Ritual
From handshakes and toasts to chant and genuflection, ritual pervades our social interactions and religious practices. Still, few of us could identify all of our daily and festal ritual behaviors, much less explain them to an outsider. Similarly, because of the variety of activities that qualify as ritual and their many contradictory yet, in many ways, equally legitimate interpretations, ritual seems to elude any systematic historical and comparative scrutiny. In this book, Catherine Bell offers a practical introduction to ritual practice and its study; she surveys the most influential theories of religion and ritual, the major categories of ritual activity, and the key debates that have shaped our understanding of ritualism. Bell refuses to nail down ritual with any one definition or understanding. Instead, her purpose is to reveal how definitions emerge and evolve and to help us become more familiar with the interplay of tradition, exigency, and self-expression that goes into constructing this complex social medium.
Author:
Catherine Bell
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195110524
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $64.95
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Reason and Religious Belief
What is the status of belief in God? Must a rational case be made or can such belief be properly basic? Is it possible to reconcile the concept of a good God with evil and suffering? In light of great differences among religions, can only one religion be true? The most comprehensive work of its kind, Reason and Religious Belief, now in its third edition, explores these and other perennial questions in the philosophy of religion. Drawing from the best in both classical and contemporary discussions, the authors examine religious experience, faith and reason, theistic arguments, the problem of evil, Reformed epistemology, miracles, and religious language. They also treat subjects not often included in competing texts, such as process theism, religious pluralism, religion and science, and the relationship between religion and morality. The third edition retains the engaging style and thorough coverage of previous editions and also takes into account the latest contributions in the field by such thinkers as Plantinga, Alston, Martin, Murphy, Dembski, M. Adams, and Swinburne.
Integrating a variety of perspectives, it adds a chapter on the openness of God debate, several sections on feminist concerns, and frequent comparisons of how Eastern religions compare with Western theism. A sophisticated yet accessible introduction, Reason and Religious Belief, 3/e is ideally suited for use with a companion volume, the authors' 2000 OUP anthology, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, 2/e.
Author:
William Hasker, Bruce Reichenbach & others Michael Peterson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195156959
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $64.95
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Philosophers without Gods
Atheists are frequently demonized as arrogant intellectuals, antagonistic to religion, devoid of moral sentiments, advocates of an "anything goes" lifestyle. Now, in this revealing volume, nineteen leading philosophers open a window on the inner life of atheism, shattering these common stereotypes as they reveal how they came to turn away from religious belief. These highly engaging personal essays capture the marvelous diversity to be found among atheists, providing a portrait that will surprise most readers. Many of the authors, for example, express great affection for particular religious traditions, even as they explain why they cannot, in good conscience, embrace them. None of the contributors dismiss religious belief as stupid or primitive, and several even express regret that they cannot, or can no longer, believe. Perhaps more important, in these reflective pieces, they offer fresh insight into some of the oldest and most difficult problems facing the human mind and spirit. For instance, if God is dead, is everything permitted? Philosophers Without Gods demonstrates convincingly, with arguments that date back to Plato, that morality is independent of the existence of God.
Indeed, every writer in this volume adamantly affirms the objectivity of right and wrong. Moreover, they contend that secular life can provide rewards as great and as rich as religious life. A naturalistic understanding of the human condition presents a set of challenges--to pursue our goals without illusions, to act morally without hope of reward--challenges that can impart a lasting value to finite and fragile human lives. Collectively, these essays highlight the richness of atheistic belief--not only as a valid alternative to religion, but as a profoundly fulfilling and moral way of life.
Author:
Louise Antony
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195173079
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $59.95
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Kabbalah
In "Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction", Joseph Dan, one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish mysticism, offers a concise and highly accurate look at the history and character of the various systems developed by the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds light on the many misconceptions about what Kabbalah is and isn't-including its connections to magic, astronomy, alchemy, and numerology-and he illuminates the relationship between Kaballah and Christianity on the one hand and New Age religion on the other. The book provides fascinating historical background, ranging from the mystical groups that flourished in ancient Judaism in the East, and the medieval schools of Kabbalah in Northern Spain and Southern France, to the widening growth of Kabbalah through the school of Isaac Luria of Safed in the sixteenth century, to the most potent and influential modern Jewish religious movement, Hasidism, and its use of kabbalistic language in its preaching. The book examines the key ancient texts of this tradition, including the "Sefer Yezira" or "Book of Creation," "The Book of Bahir", and the "Zohar".
Dan explains Midrash, the classical Jewish exegesis of scriptures, which assumes an infinity of meanings for every biblical verse, and he concludes with a brief survey of scholarship in the field and a list of books for further reading. Embraced by celebrities and integrated in many contemporary spiritual phenomena, Kabbalah has reaped a wealth of attention in the press. But many critics argue that the form of Kabbalah practiced in Hollywood is more New Age pabulum than authentic tradition. Can there be a positive role for the Kabbalah in the contemporary quest for spirituality? In "Kabbalah", Joseph Dan debunks the myths surrounding modern Kabbalistic practice, offering an engaging and dependable account of this traditional Jewish religious phenomenon and its impact outside of Judaism.
Author:
Joseph Dan
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195300345
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $42.95
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The Old Testament
Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text. Coogan explains the differences between the Bible of Jewish tradition (the "Hebrew Bible") and the Old Testament of Christianity, and also examines the different contents of the Bibles used by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Protestants. He looks at the rise of modern biblical scholarship as well as the recovery of ancient Near Eastern literatures and their significance for biblical interpretation. One particularly interesting section examines three principal characters of the Old Testament--Abraham, Deborah, and David--illuminating important themes connected with them, such as Abraham and covenant and David as poet and warrior. Coogan explores the use of invented dialogue and historical fiction in the Old Testament, the presence of mythic elements in apparently historical accounts, and the relationship of ancient Israelite myths to those of their neighbors.The book considers the Old Testament's idea of divine justice, especially in Ecclesiastes and Job, and looks at notions of the afterlife in the ancient Near East and in ancient Israel.
Coogan highlights the significance of the history and literature of the Old Testament and describes how non-biblical evidence, such as archaeological data and texts, has placed the Old Testament in a larger and more illuminating context. The book also discusses law and ritual in the Bible as well as the biblical understandings of prophecy. Here then is a marvelous overview of one of the great pillars of Western religion and culture, a book whose significance has endured for thousands of years and which remains vitally important today for Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide.
Author:
Michael David Coogan
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195305050
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $23.95
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The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot
The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot is a thorough examination of the newly discovered Gospel of Judas, discussing how the document came to light, what the account contains, how it relates to other early Christian texts, and why it is so important for our understanding of Christianity.
Author:
Bart D. Ehrman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195314601
Format: Hardback Book
Online Price: $46.95
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Kabbalah
In Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction, Joseph Dan, one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish mysticism, offers a concise and highly accurate look at the history and character of the various systems developed by the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds light on the many misconceptions about what Kabbalah is and isn't--including its connections to magic, astronomy, alchemy, and numerology--and he illuminates the relationship between Kaballah and Christianity on the one hand and New Age religion on the other. The book provides fascinating historical background, ranging from the mystical groups that flourished in ancient Judaism in the East, and the medieval schools of Kabbalah in Northern Spain and Southern France, to the widening growth of Kabbalah through the school of Isaac Luria of Safed in the sixteenth century, to the most potent and influential modern Jewish religious movement, Hasidism, and its use of kabbalistic language in its preaching. The book examines the key ancient texts of this tradition, including the Sefer Yezira or "Book of Creation," The Book of Bahir, and the Zohar.
Dan explains Midrash, the classical Jewish exegesis of scriptures, which assumes an infinity of meanings for every biblical verse, and he concludes with a brief survey of scholarship in the field and a list of books for further reading. Embraced by celebrities and integrated in many contemporary spiritual phenomena, Kabbalah has reaped a wealth of attention in the press. But many critics argue that the form of Kabbalah practiced in Hollywood is more New Age pabulum than authentic tradition. Can there be a positive role for the Kabbalah in the contemporary quest for spirituality? In Kabbalah, Joseph Dan debunks the myths surrounding modern Kabbalistic practice, offering an engaging and dependable account of this traditional Jewish religious phenomenon and its impact outside of Judaism.
Author:
Joseph Dan
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195327052
Format: Paperback Book
Online Price: $23.95
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