Talal Asad has argued, uncharacteristically, that “none of the criteria [of] the Islamic tradition” allows anyone to describe suicide bombers as “sacrifices.” Ivan Strenski ( Why Politics Can’t Be Freed From Religion (Blackwell Manifestos) ) demurs. He finds plenty of . . . . Continue Reading »
Donald Fairbairn’s Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers is superb in many respects. He shows the intimate connection between theology proper and soteriology (theology and economy) in the church fathers and urges contemporary Christians to learn . . . . Continue Reading »
Reading the biblical account of the exodus, we think of it as a local conflict between Egypt and Israel, Yahweh v. Pharaoh and his gods. It was not. It was Yahweh’s massive intervention in the ancient world, and remade the whole religio-political landscape. So argues Egyptologist Jan Assmann . . . . Continue Reading »
Hindus often claim yoga as their own ancient practice, and non-Hindus accept the claims. Mark Singleton ( Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice ) sets out to debunk these claims. It’s true that the word “yoga” appears in some ancient texts, and it’s true that . . . . Continue Reading »
Christians think of Judaizing as a Christian defection, but the charge has been leveled by Muslims against one another. Camilla Adang, for instance, has detailed how Ibn Hazm responded to what he thought were Jewish customs infiltrating the practices of Muslims in hte Malikite circle. He denounces . . . . Continue Reading »
Christoph Luxenberg (a pseudonym) has argued that “In its origin the Quran is a Syro-Aramaic liturgical book, with hymns and extracts from Scriptures which might have been used in sacred Christian services.” Philip Jenkins summarizes some of the evidence: “The very name . . . . Continue Reading »
Huston Smith once lectured on world religions to highly enghusiastic officers at Maxwell Air Force Base. Why were they so enthusiastic? he wondered. His answer: “as a unit they were concerned because someday they were likely tyo be dealing with the peoples they were studying as . . . . Continue Reading »
Charles Keyes writes of the imposition of Western conceptions of “religion”on Asia: “In pursuit of ‘progress’ free from primordial attachments the rulers of [the] modern states[s] of East and South East Asia have all instituted policies toward religious institutions. . . . . Continue Reading »
Philip Jenkins has an excellent brief introduction to the thought of the Indian Muslim thinker, Syed Abul Ala Mawdudi, in the December 24 issue of TNR . He writes: “His guiding assumption was a totalistic view of Islam: Everything in the universe was God’s creation, so Muslims could . . . . Continue Reading »
The second edition of the Blackwell Reading in the Anthropology of Religion (edited, Michael Lambek) looks to be a great resource, for those who like such things. There are classic essays from Tylor, Durkheim, Weber, and Geertz, Wittgenstein on Frazer, Susanne Langer on symbols and Mary Douglas on . . . . Continue Reading »
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