An accessible, inspirational guide that embraces the whole of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The most important book in Western history, the Bible has had a profound influence on the religious, intel
Grand in its sweep, this survey of the sacred writings of the major religions of the world offers a thoughtful introduction to the ideas and beliefs upon which great faiths are built. Under the expert
A comprehensive overview of the beliefs and practices of a variety of different world religions draws on religious artifacts, explanations of sacred texts, paintings, architecture, and other teachings
A history of the great religions, told through their core beliefs, by the editor of The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions How did Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism come to be the world's
Taken from interviews with Muslims of all persuasions and from across the globe, this is a perfect introduction to one of the world's largest and most controversial faiths. Honest and thought-provokin
In this concise introduction to the deity, John Bowker explores how each major religion, and countless philosophers and theologians, have answered the fundamental question: Who or what is God? He also
In The Meanings of Death, John Bowker offers a major contribution to debates about the value of death and its place in both Western and Eastern religions. Examining the themes of friendship and sacrifice in the world's major religions, Bowker argues that there are points of vital contact with secular understandings of death, and that religious and secular attitudes can support and reinforce one another. An affirmative recovery of the value of death is important in our response to bereavement, and in the treatment of the terminally ill. By indicating how value can be maintained at the limit of life, without a search for illusory compensation in an afterlife beyond it, Bowker enriches our experience and understanding of the 'final question' in a way which is always sensitive and often moving.
The Targums are interpretative translations of the Hebrew text of the Bible which originated in Synagogue teaching, where an interpretation of the Hebrew text had to be given orally for the benefit of non-Hebrew speaking congregations. Over the centuries, a loose 'Targum Tradition' began to form and the written Aramaic Targums can best be understood as crystallisations of the Targum tradition at different points of time. In the first part of this book Professor Bowker examines the emergence and development of Jewish exegesis and the importance of the Targums. Bearing in mind that Jewish and rabbinic material is being increasingly applied to problems of Christian origins, he provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject (referring to the texts and translations most readily available) with emphasis on recent work and discoveries. The second part of the book gives actual material in translation, showing how Jewish exegesis arrived at its interpretations of Scripture.
What are religions? Why is it important to understand them? One answer is that religions and religious believers are extremely bad news: they are deeply involved in conflicts around the globe; they harm people of whom they disapprove; and they often seem irrational. Another answer claims that they are in fact extremely good news: religious beliefs and practices are universal and so fundamental in human nature that they have led us to great discoveries in our explorations of the cosmos and of who we are. The sciences began as part of that religious exploration. John Bowker demonstrates that there is truth in both answers and that we need both to understand what religion is and why it matters. He draws on many disciplines - from physics, genetics and the neurosciences to art, anthropology and the history of religions - to show how they shed entirely new light on religion in the modern world.
The world contains a bewildering variety of religions, and an equally bewildering variety of practices and beliefs within them. Why did they develop and become so widespread? Why do religions matter s
A study of the Pharisees, in particular as they appear in the New Testament and in relation to Jesus. The main part of the book brings together the most important Greek and Semitic source material in translation. This facilitates reference, and it makes possible group and seminar discussion of documents which have hitherto been difficult to study in English. As in his book The Targums and Rabbinic Literature Mr Bowker makes available and accessible to students material which tends to be removed from them by language and technicality. In his introduction he explains the many problems and uncertainties which surround this apparently well-known but actually little-understood group. He shows that they were far from constituting a static, uniform sect, and that they had an important history of their own. He finally suggests an approach to understanding Jesus' relations with them, which in turn suggests an understanding of Jesus' conception of his own relation to God, and also of his 'trial'
What are religions? Why is it important to understand them? One answer is that religions and religious believers are extremely bad news: they are deeply involved in conflicts around the globe; they harm people of whom they disapprove; and they often seem irrational. Another answer claims that they are in fact extremely good news: religious beliefs and practices are universal and so fundamental in human nature that they have led us to great discoveries in our explorations of the cosmos and of who we are. The sciences began as part of that religious exploration. John Bowker demonstrates that there is truth in both answers and that we need both to understand what religion is and why it matters. He draws on many disciplines - from physics, genetics and the neurosciences to art, anthropology and the history of religions - to show how they shed entirely new light on religion in the modern world.
The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions is a comprehensive survey of world religions from pre-history to the present day. Each religion is treated in depth, with text written by a recognized a
This Dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference program perennially available in hardbac
This challenging and penetrating book examines possible responses to key questions; such as how do human beings arrive at a sense of God and what shapes our sense of God?
