Beliefs, Rituals, and Symbols of the Modern World

Beliefs, Rituals, and Symbols of the Modern World PDF

Author: Dean Miller

Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC

Published: 2014-08-01

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1627126864

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Learn about the ethereal, the other-worldly, and the unknown of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in this fascinating look at the supernatural in the modern world.

Hidden Religion

Hidden Religion PDF

Author: Micah L. Issitt

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781785399220

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"Hidden Religion: The Greatest Mysteries and Symbols of the World's Religious Beliefs" not only explores the history and origins of widely recognizable symbols, like the Christian cross and the Star of David, but also introduces readers to more obscure symbols from religious traditions around the world-even defunct ones like those of the ancient Aztec and Mayan societies.

The World's Religions

The World's Religions PDF

Author: Ninian Smart

Publisher:

Published: 1989

Total Pages: 576

ISBN-13: 9780521340052

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This book is a revised and updated edition of a popular work, which looks at the world's religions in terms of world history, and as constantly developing systems of belief. Religions are described through their symbols, rituals, followers, architecture and art. References, statistics, maps and pictures have been updated and added, illuminating the true nature of each religion. The text has been thoroughly revised to highlight recent developments in world religion.

African Traditional Religion in the Modern World, 2d ed.

African Traditional Religion in the Modern World, 2d ed. PDF

Author: Douglas E. Thomas

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2015-05-11

Total Pages: 291

ISBN-13: 1476620199

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African traditional religion encompasses a variety of non-dogmatic, spiritual practices followed by millions around the world. Some scholars argue it is related to the Nubian religion of Egypt's Dynastic Period. In an expanded second edition, this book examines the nature of African traditional religion and describes common attributes of various cultural belief systems, with an emphasis on West Africa. Principal elements studied include sacrifice, salvation and culture, modes of revelation, divination, and African resilience in the face of invasion and colonization. The religious experiences of black people throughout the Americas are also covered. The author finds the cosmology, symbolism and rituals of the Yoruba culture to be the fundamental bases of African traditional religion, and draws similarities between the oral and written literature of West Africans and that of New World practitioners. The influence of Islam and Christianity is also discussed. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Rituals and Traditional Events in the Modern World

Rituals and Traditional Events in the Modern World PDF

Author: Jennifer Laing

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-10-30

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1134593139

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Many events have evolved over centuries, drawing on local customs and conditions. However, as the world becomes increasingly globalised, traditional events and the identities they support are increasingly being challenged and rituals may be lost. Reacting against this trend towards homogeneity, communities strive to preserve and even recreate their traditional events, which may require rituals to be resurrected or reinvented for a new audience. The aim of this book is to explore the role of traditional events and rituals in the modern world. The 16 chapters cover a range of case studies of the performance of ritual through events, including their historical antecedents and development over time, as well as their role in society, link with identities both seemingly fixed and fluid and their continued relevance. The cases examined are not museum pieces, but rather vibrant festivals and events that continue to persist. Drawing on the power of history and cultural tradition, they are manifestations of heritage, existing in three temporalities: celebrating the past, occurring in the present and aiming to continue into and influence the future. Iconic events including Chinese New Year, Hogmanay and the New Orleans Mardi Gras are examined and examples are drawn from a diverse range of countries such as South Korea, China, Laos, the United States, Scotland, Italy, India and Haiti. This volume provides a deep understanding upon the role of tradition and ritual within events, from a global perspective and will be valuable reading for students, researchers and academics interested in events, heritage and culture.

Order of Rituals

Order of Rituals PDF

Author: Hans-Georg Soeffner

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-04-17

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 1351293745

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To those still accustomed to seeing social order depicted in classes, strata, central groups, or institutions, and who measure and classify the social world according to "centers" and "margins," modern society presents itself as ambiguous and unmanageable. This is not unprecedented. Human societies often discover themselves in situations in which the traditional grids of order and stratification lose their value and fail to serve as guideposts for individuals. In The Order of Rituals, Hans-Georg Soeffner aims to answer the question: Through what efforts of order and orientation are loosely organized societies like ours held together? Soeffner focuses on symbolic forms of self-presentation that bring focus and clarity to our lives, such as emblems, fashions, styles, and symbols. As these replace old orders of classes or strata, there is a further consequence. Economically, culturally, and ethnically "mixed" societies not only return to specific visible forms of presentation, but also present themselves and their worldviews as a public stage of life-styles, attitudes, and demeanor. Soeffner asserts that society preserves certain continuously handed-down forms of action and ritual as specific symbolic forms over a long period of time. The Order of Rituals describes these symbols and routines of everyday life in fascinating detail, coupled with thoughtful analysis. Sociologists, anthropologists, and philosophers will all benefit immensely from this book.

Prophets and Prophecy

Prophets and Prophecy PDF

Author: Dean Miller

Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC

Published: 2014-08-01

Total Pages: 162

ISBN-13: 1627126759

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Find a path to the future as you discover the great traditions of fortune telling of the past.

Christian Symbol and Ritual

Christian Symbol and Ritual PDF

Author: Bernard Cooke

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005-09-08

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 0195154118

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In his pathbreaking Israel in Egypt James K. Hoffmeier sought to refute the claims of scholars who doubt the historical accuracy of the biblical account of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. Analyzing a wealth of textual, archaeological, and geographical evidence, he put forth a thorough defenseof the biblical tradition. Hoffmeier now turns his attention to the Wilderness narratives of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. As director of the North Sinai Archaeological Project, Hoffmeier has led several excavations that have uncovered important new evidence supporting the Wilderness narratives,including a major New Kingdom fort at Tell el-Borg that was occupied during the Israelite exodus. Hoffmeier employs these archaeological findings to shed new light on the route of the exodus from Egypt. He also investigates the location of Mount Sinai, and offers a rebuttal to those who have soughtto locate it in northern Arabia and not in the Sinai peninsula as traditionally thought. Hoffmeier addresses how and when the Israelites could have lived in Sinai, as well as whether it would have been possible for Moses to write down the law received at Mount Sinai. Building on the new evidence forthe Israelite sojourn in Egypt, Hoffmeier explores the Egyptian influence on the Wilderness tradition. For example, he finds Egyptian elements in Israelite religious practices, including the use of the tabernacle, and points to a significant number of Egyptian personal names among the generation ofthe exodus. The origin of Israel is a subject of much debate and the wilderness tradition has been marginalized by those who challenge its credibility. In Ancient Israel in Sinai, Hoffmeier brings the Wilderness tradition to the forefront and makes a case for its authenticity based on solid evidenceand intelligent analysis.