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 off...

The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion is a major resource for courses in Religious Studies. It begins by explaining the most important methodological approaches to religion, including psychology, philosophy, anthropology and comparative study, before moving on to explore a wide variety of critical issues, such as gender, science, fundamentalism, ritual, and new religious movements. Written by renowned international specialists, this new edition:includes eight new chapters, includin...

This edition goes beyond others that largely leave readers to their own devices in understanding this cryptic work, by providing an entree into the text that parallels the traditional Chinese way of approaching it: alongside Slingerland's exquisite rendering of the work are his translations of a selection of classic Chinese commentaries that shed light on difficult passages, provide historical and cultural context, and invite the reader to ponder a range of interpretations. The ideal student ...

Gives an account of the emergence of progressive religious thinkers and organisations on the 'religious left'. This book offers an analysis of the cultural roots, key ideas and organisational structures of this faith, assessing its significance in the changing moral and religious landscape of contemporary western society.

Doing Balanced Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City

Today many pastors are struggling to adapt to a post-Christian culture without abandoning orthodox theology. How do we communicate the concepts of grace and substitutionary atonement in our globalized culture and context?

In Center Church Europe, Timothy Keller offers challenging insights and provocative questions based on over twenty years of ministry in New York City. This book outlines a theological vision for ministry - applying classic d...

Spurgeon's sermons are notable for their quantity and quality. The NEW PARK STREET PULPIT consists of the fi rst 6 volumes preceding the 57 volumes of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit. It covers the years of Spurgeon's ministry at New Park Street Chapel (1855-1860). This book contains Spurgeon's sermons, preached during his first year at this New Park Street Chapel

This classic work, originally written in the 19th century, remains one of the valuable volumes on this subject. Smeaton's work is divided into three parts: (1) a biblical survey of the old and new testament to show the constant exhibition of the Holy Spirit; (2) a brief outline of the Church's dogmatic view of the Spirit; (3) and an overview of the history from the Apostolic Age to 19th century. George Smeaton (1814-1889) was professor of exegetical theology at New College, Edinburgh.

Father James K. Hamrick is a priest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and currently serves as the founding pastor of St. John the Baptist Mission in Lewistown, Maryland. During his two decades of pastoral ministry, Father James has received numerous invitations to preach and speak at various venues. His sermons are aired each Sunday morning on The Source Christian Radio (AM 1450 and at www.wthu.org) where he had previously served as a founding member of the rad...

In this accessible book, Anthony Thiselton introduces the apostle Paul, sometimes described as the founder of Christianity, to students and the general reader.

This book offers a critical and systematic survey of the study of religion and digital media. It covers religious engagement with a wide range of digital media forms and highlights examples of new media engagement in all five of the major world religions. This unique volume draws together the work of experts from key disciplinary perspectives and is the go-to volume for students and scholars wanting to develop a deeper understanding of the subject area.