Religion : Comparative Religion

With the conversion of Constantine in AD 312, Christianity began a period of political and cultural dominance that it would enjoy until the twentieth century. Jacob Neusner contradicts the prevailing view that following Christianity's ascendancy, Judaism continued to evolve in isolation. He argues that because of the political need to defend its claims to religious authenticity, Judaism was forced to review itself in the context of a triumphant Christianity. The definition of issues long discussed in Judaism—the meaning of history, the coming of the Messiah, and the political identity of Israel—became of immediate and urgent concern to both parties. What emerged was a polemical dialogue between Christian and Jewish teachers that was unprecedented. In a close analysis of texts by the Christian theologians Eusebius, Aphrahat, and Chrysostom, and of central Jewish works such as the Talmud of the Land of Israel, the Genesis Rabbah, and the Leviticus Rabbah, Neusner finds that both religious groups turned to the same corpus of Hebrew scripture to examine the same fundamental issues. Eusebius and Genesis Rabbah both address the issue of history, Chrysostom and the Talmud the issue of the Messiah, and Aphrahat and Leviticus Rabbah the issue of Israel. As Neusner demonstrates, the conclusions drawn shaped the dialogue between the two religions for the rest of their shared history in the West. more...

Price: $25.00

These two immensely distinguished writers show how the writings of the early church emerged from communities which defined themselves in Judaic terms even as they followed Jesus; how the early movement is best seen as 'Christian Judaism'. more...

Price: $44.95

The Lab, the Temple, and the Market tackles these complex questions in four separate essays. Each essay meshes a discussion of development issues and processes with a different system of religious belief: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bahá'i Faith. The authors — each a scientist as well as a person of faith — show how religious belief and personal faith can be deeply motivational and strikingly fruitful in scientific pursuits. Further, they emphasize how their faith has brought them a profound understanding of interconnectedness and compassion, and thus a wider perspective and greater sense of personal meaning to their research. more...

Price: $30.00

This book focuses upon those religions that continue to demand the attention of the Western world. more...

Price: $59.95

This collection of essays looks at missions, their complicity in European colonialism and their postcolonial aftermath. It examines the spread of Christianity and also incidences of proselytising in religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. more...

Price: $69.95