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пятница, 15 мая 2009 г.

The Dictionary of Mythology




The Dictionary of Mythology

by J.A. Coleman


This book includes myths, heroes, places and legends from all five continents, and from the different cultures and peoples found there. It has appeal to all general knowledge and crossword enthusiasts, and those who enjoy complete reference libraries. It can be read for enjoyment as well as extensively for reference. It is a serious player in its field, both by its content and extent.

вторник, 28 апреля 2009 г.

Contesting the Logic of Painting




Contesting the Logic of Painting (Visualising the Middle Ages) [ILLUSTRATED]

by C.E. Barber


Drawing on a range of philosophical and theological writings produced in eleventh-century Byzantium, this book offers a reading of the icon and Byzantine aesthetics that not only expands our understanding of these topics but challenges our assumptions about the work of art itself.

воскресенье, 26 апреля 2009 г.

Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism



Desert Christians: An Introduction to the Literature of Early Monasticism

by William Harmless

In the fourth century, the deserts of Egypt became the nerve center of a radical new movement, what we now call monasticism. Groups of Christians-from illiterate peasants to learned intellectuals-moved out to the wastelands beyond the Nile Valley and, in the famous words of Saint Athanasius, made the desert a city. In so doing, they captured the imagination of the ancient world. They forged techniques of prayer and asceticism, of discipleship and spiritual direction, that have remained central to Christianity ever since. Seeking to map the soul's long journey to God and plot out the subtle vagaries of the human heart, they created and inspired texts that became classics of Western spirituality. These Desert Christians were also brilliant storytellers, some of Christianity's finest. This book introduces the literature of early monasticism. It examines all the best-known works, including Athanasius' Life of Antony, the Lives of Pachomius, and the so-called Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Later chapters focus on two pioneers of monastic theology: Evagrius Ponticus, the first great theoretician of Christian mysticism; and John Cassian, who brought Egyptian monasticism to the Latin West. Along the way, readers are introduced to path-breaking discoveries-to new texts and recent archeological finds-that have revolutionized contemporary scholarship on monastic origins. Included are fascinating snippets from papyri and from little-known Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopic texts. Interspersed in each chapter are illustrations, maps, and diagrams that help readers sort through the key texts and the richly-textured world of early monasticism. Geared to a wide audience and written in clear, jargon-free prose, Desert Christians offers the most comprehensive and accessible introduction to early monasticism.

суббота, 18 апреля 2009 г.

The Byzantine Revival




The Byzantine Revival, 780-842

by Warren T. Treadgold


This is the story of how the Byzantine Empire, led by a succession of extraordinary rulers, emerged from a long decline to reclaim its place as a leading state of the medieval world. "This is a work of painstaking and substantive scholarship that should long remain the authoritative work on the period...The illustrations have been carefully selected and nicely reproduced. The publisher should be complimented on producing a handsome volume." American Historical Review

суббота, 11 апреля 2009 г.

The Theology of Food




The Theology of Food: Eating and the Eucharist (Illuminations: Theory & Religion)

by Angel F. Mendez Montoya


"What a pleasure it is to be taken by Angel into such a subtly Catholic imagination! Here is a universe where generosity and abundance are prior to lack and to hunger, and where the dualisms to which we have become accustomed in our anorexic theological thinking have no place. Here also is a fleshing out of that generosity by means of concentrating our hearts and minds on what it means to be fed and to eat. And along with that comes a striking challenge as to what sort of Eucharistic communities we are to create. Theologians, philosophers, novelists, and chefs are blended together in this rich repast which brings to life, more than I can remember seeing anywhere, the true sense of Manna as fulfilled by Jesus in John’s Gospel."

четверг, 9 апреля 2009 г.

Harper Collins Bible Dictionary




Harper Collins Bible Dictionary

by Paul J. Achtemeier


The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary puts the latest and most comprehensive biblical scholarship at your fingertips. Here is everything you need to know to fully understand the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament. An unparalleled resource, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary explains every aspect of the Bible, including biblical archaeology, culture, related writings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bible's influence on Western civilization, biblical history, theological concepts, modern biblical interpretations, flora and fauna, climate and environment, crafts and industry, the content of individual books of the bible, and more.

The Dictionary of Classical Mythology




The Dictionary of Classical Mythology

by Pierre Grimal


"The Concise Dictionary of Classical Mythology" is a distillation into brief form of the single source dictionary of ancient Greek and Roman myths and legends. In keeping with Grimal's original dictionary, first published in 1951 in France the concise version covers virtually all major characters, and eight genaeological tables present the principal complex relationships between gods and men. The entries concentrate on principal versions of each legend, and only the most significant variations are covered, in order to focus on the common core of classical literature. Brief definitions are cross referenced to short accounts of the main legends.

суббота, 4 апреля 2009 г.

Household and Family Religion in Antiquity




Household and Family Religion in Antiquity (Ancient World: Comparative Histories)

by John Bodel, Saul M. Olyan (EditorS)


Traditional scholarship on religion in antiquity has favoured the study of national, regional, or municipal worship, overlooking the significant day-to-day rituals and beliefs that existed beyond the contexts of state-sponsored or civic temple cults. Household and Family Religion in Antiquity: Contextual and Comparative Perspectives is the first book to explore the religious dimensions of the family and the household in ancient Mediterranean and West Asian antiquity.
With an approach that is both contextual and comparative, essays examine domestic and familial religious practices in Egypt, Greece, Rome, Israel, Mesopotamia, Ugarit, Emar, and Philistia. Taking in a range of religious expression, from supplication of a household’s patron deities to contact with dead ancestors, Household and Family Religion in Antiquity advances our understanding of a distinct and widespread ancient religious phenomenon.

среда, 25 марта 2009 г.

Ancient Mysteries and Modern Revelations




Ancient Mysteries and Modern Revelations


by W. J. Colville


1911. Contents: Bibles Under Modern Searchlight; Rivers of Life or Faiths of Man in All Lands; Ancient and Modern Ideas of Revelation; Various Spiritual Elements in the Bible and Classic Literature; Creation Legends; Egypt and Its Wonders Literally and Mystically considered; The Philosophy of Ancient Greece; The School of Pythagoras; The Delphic Mysteries; Apollonius of Tyana; Five Varieties of Yoga; Union of Eastern and Western Philosophy; Ezekiel's Wheel-What it Signifies-Astrology in Prophecy; Emanuel Swedenborg and His Doctrine of Correspondences; The Book of Exodus-Its Practical and Esoteric Teachings; The Story of the Passover and the Pillar of Fire in the Wilderness; The Message of Buddhism-Purity and Philanthropy; Magic in Europe in the Middle Ages; Ancient Magic and Modern Therapeutics-Paracelsus and Von Helmont; Jeanne D'Arc, the Maid of Orleans; Andrew Jackson Davis; Bible Symbolism; Life and Matter; The Law of Seven and the Law of Unity; Spiritualism and the Deepening of Spiritual Life; The Esoteric Teachings of the Gnostics; Halley's Comet; Psychopathic Treatment.

понедельник, 23 марта 2009 г.

King Arthur - Myth Making and History




King Arthur - Myth Making and History

by N.j. Higham


King Arthur's story encapsulates the medieval romance and the tragedy of the Dark Ages. Yet legends shroud his life, and to this day scholars cannot agree on his dates, his location or even whether he really existed.King Arthur penetrates both the historical literature and the fantastic legends of this hero, king, demigod. Probing the ever-popular cultural icon, historian N.J. Higham traces the changing face of Camelot from its birth in the ninth century to contemporary films such as Excalibur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and First Knight. How did the idea of King Arthur evolve? What role was Arthur intended to perform in the political and cultural worlds that constructed him?Higham sheds new light on the genesis of this beloved figure, scrutinizing the first two Arthurian texts: The History of the Britons and the Welsh Annals. His conclusion: historians created Arthur to fit their present political agendas, rather than relying on primary sources. An eye-opening, fresh look at the Arthurian myths, King Arthur follows his kingship's longevity in the popular imagination from the ninth century to the twenty-first.

The Holy Grail



The Holy Grail

by Giles Morgan

From the PublisherThrough its various guises as magic cauldron, cornucopia, and chalice cup, the Holy Grail has remained at the center of popular culture since antiquity. An object of marvel and mystery, it inhabits a place in mythology that has its roots in historical fact. From Celtic mythology to the flowering of the medieval romances, it has in many ways fulfilled its mythical role as a nurturing and regenerative vessel by providing a rich, seemingly perpetual source of interest to writers and artists. Charting the story of the Grail offers a revealing insight into the cultural shift from Celtic paganism to the emergence and domination of Christianity in Western Europe; the influence of Eastern mysticism emerges in the Grail romances as a result of the medieval crusades, with its clash of cultures and subsequent cross-pollination of ideas. Finally, the Grail has come to symbolize the ultimate achievement in the modern mind, and Carl Jung, T.S. Eliot, Richard Wagner, William Blake, and the Pre-Raphaelites are just some of those who have fallen under its enduring spell.

вторник, 3 марта 2009 г.

Levinas and Theology




Levinas and Theology

by Michael Purcell


Emmanuel Levinas was a significant contributor to the field of philosophy, phenomenology and religion. A key interpreter of Husserl, he stressed the importance of attitudes to other people in any philosophical system. For Levinas, to be a subject is to take responsibility for others as well as yourself and therefore responsibility for the one leads to justice for the many. He regarded ethics as the foundation for all other philosophy, but later admitted it could also be the foundation for theology. Michael Purcell outlines the basic themes of Levinas' thought and the ways in which they might be deployed in fundamental and practical theology, and the study of the phenomenon of religion. This book will be useful for undergraduate and graduate students in philosophy, theology and religious studies, as well as those with a theological background who are approaching Levinas for the first time.

понедельник, 23 февраля 2009 г.

The Essential Pope Benedict XVI: His Central Writings and Speeches



The Essential Pope Benedict XVI: His Central Writings and Speeches

by John F. Thornton, Susan B. Varenne (Authors)

On April 24, 2005, Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, the twenty-first-century successor of the Apostle Peter and the spiritual leader of more than one billion Roman Catholics. Who is this complex man whose office grants him sole charge of the world's largest religion? How will his tenure influence the future? The Essential Pope Benedict XVI answers these questions through carefully chosen selections from his homilies, interviews, theological essays, and articles on the crises facing the church today. This collection lays out Benedict's thinking and relates it to a variety of contemporary issues, including modern culture's abandonment of traditional religious values, social mores regarding conception and the sanctity of life, current challenges to the priesthood, and the Catholic Church's tenuous relations with other world religions.
First a brilliant peritus, or "expert advisor," to the Second Vatican Council and then archbishop of Munich, Joseph Ratzinger was appointed head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith by Pope John Paul II in 1981. As Cardinal Ratzinger, the ex officio defender of church doctrine, he gained a reputation as a heroic guardian of the faith for conservatives and was held in suspicion by church liberals.
We cannot yet know what issues and events will define the reign of Pope Benedict XVI, but by any measure he will be seen as one of the most important theological voices of our time. This one volume is the best source for understanding the heart, soul, and agenda of this twenty-first-century successor to St. Peter.

среда, 18 февраля 2009 г.

C. S. Lewis: Life, Works, and Legacy



C. S. Lewis [Four Volumes]: Life, Works, and Legacy (Praeger Perspectives)

by Bruce L. Edwards (Editor)

Most popularly known as the author of the children's classic The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis was also a prolific poet, essayist, novelist, and Christian writer. His most famous work, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, while known as a children's book is often read as a Christian allegory and remains to this day one of his best-loved works. But Lewis was prolific in a number of areas, including poetry, Christian writing, literary criticism, letters, memoir, autobiography, sermons and more. This set, written by experts, guides readers to a better understanding and appreciation of this important and influential writer. Clive Staples Lewis was born on November 29, 1898, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His mother died when he was young, leaving his father to raise him and his older brother Warren. He fought and was wounded in World War I and later became immersed in the spiritual life of Christianity. While he delved into the world of Christian writing, he did not limit himself to one genre and produced a remarkable oeuvre that continues to be widely read, taught, and adored at all levels. As part of the circle known as the Inklings, which consisted of writers and intellectuals, and included J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, and others, he developed and honed his skills and continued to put out extensive writings. Many different groups now claim him as their own: spanning genres from science fiction to Christian literature, from nonfiction to children's stories, his output remains among the most popular and complex. Here, experts in the field of Lewis studies examine all his works along with the details of his life and the culture in which he lived to give readers the fullest complete picture of the man, the writer, and the husband, alongside his works, his legacy, and his place in English letters.

воскресенье, 1 февраля 2009 г.

Mantike: Studies in Ancient Divination




Mantike: Studies in Ancient Divination (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World)

by Sarah Iles Johnston, Peter T. Struck


This book thoroughly revisits divination as a central phenomenon in the lives of ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. It collects studies from many periods in Graeco-Roman history, from the Archaic period to the late Roman, and touches on many different areas of this rich topic, including treatments of dice oracles, sortition in both pagan and Christian contexts, the overlap between divination and other interpretive practices in antiquity, the fortunes of independent diviners, the activity of Delphi in ordering relations with the dead, the role of Egyptian cult centers in divinatory practices, and the surreptitious survival of recipes for divination by corpses. It also reflects a ranges of methodologies, drawn from anthropology, history of religions, intellectual history, literary studies, and archaeology, epigraphy, and paleography. It will be of particular interest to scholars and student of ancient Mediterranean religions.

The Art of the Franciscan Order in Italy



The Art of the Franciscan Order in Italy (The Medieval Franciscans)

by William R. Cook

This volume of essays, by a group of scholars from the United States and Great Britain, presents a panoramic look at the study of Franciscan art in late medieval and early Renaissance Italy. In addition to being important case studies, the articles suggest a range of methodologies and interdisciplinary perspectives on important works of art. Senior scholars who have worked in the field for decades are joined by a new generation of researchers in the field. New studies of the Basilica in Assisi as well as innovative looks at early panel paintings and Franciscan stained glass are included. Those who study the Franciscan tradition as well as art historians, historians, literary critics, and theologians will find the studies relevant to their work. Contributors: Donal Cooper; Janet Robson; Daniel T. Michaels; Marilyn Lavin; Thomas De Wesselow; Beth Mulvaney; Ronald B. Herzman; Gregory W. Ahlquist; William R. Cook; Nancy M. Thompson.

суббота, 31 января 2009 г.

The Myth of Sacred Prostitution in Antiquity



The Myth of Sacred Prostitution in Antiquity

by Stephanie Lynn Budin

In this study, Stephanie Budin demonstrates that sacred prostitution, the sale of a person's body for sex in which some or all of the money earned was devoted to a deity or a temple, did not exist in the ancient world. Reconsidering the evidence from the ancient Near East, the Greco-Roman texts, and the Early Christian authors, Budin shows that the majority of sources that have traditionally been understood as pertaining to sacred prostitution actually have nothing to do with this institution. The few texts that are usually invoked on this subject are, moreover, terribly misunderstood. Furthermore, contrary to many current hypotheses, the creation of the myth of sacred prostitution has nothing to do with notions of accusation or the construction of a decadent, Oriental "Other." Instead, the myth has come into being as a result of more than 2,000 years of misinterpretations, false assumptions, and faulty methodology. The study of sacred prostitution is, effectively, a historiographical reckoning.

воскресенье, 25 января 2009 г.

Theophilus of Alexandria



Theophilus of Alexandria (The Early Church Fathers)

by Norman Russell

"Thoephilus of Alexandria" brings back into focus a figure who has long been neglected in the study of early Christianity and will provide students and lecturers with a fresh perspective into the first Origenist controversy, through texts translated into English for the very first time. Norman Russell's new assessment of Theophilus not only examines his efforts to Christianize an Egypt still denominated by its great temples, but also details his battle to maintain the pre-eminence of the Alexandrian Church in an age of rapid change. This significantly reveals the full power and range of his thinking. This book presents a refreshing take on one of the greatest bishops of the Theodosian era, who played an important role in a crucial phase of the Roman Empire's transformation into a Christian society. "Theophilus of Alexandria" will greatly appeal to students and lecturers involved in Early Christian Studies and Religion.

THEODORET OF CYRUS



THEODORET OF CYRUS (The Early Church Fathers)

by Istvan Pasztori Kupan

Theodoret of Cyrus writings provide a unique insight in to the stormy years of theological debate between the third and the fourth ecumenical councils (431-451). Unfortunately, the larger part of his extant writings still remains untranslated, which provides a fragmented representation of his thought and has lead to his misrepresentation by ancient, medieval and some modern scholars. This book provides the reader with whole small tracts and representative selections and a more balanced picture of his often neglected, depreciated and largely inaccessible theological legacy.

EVAGRIUS PONTICUS



EVAGRIUS PONTICUS (Early Church Fathers S.)

by Augustine Casiday

Evagrius Ponticus is an increasingly important figure in the scholarship of early Christianity, particularly regarding monasticism, mysticism and the general relationship of Christian theology to classical philosophy. His surviving works constitute probably the largest corpus of writings from any Desert Farther. Evagrius Ponticus provides the teaching of an early master of asceticism, not as filtered through a disciple, but as he himself propounded it. This volume will provide a valuable frame of reference for students of the Desert Fathers, of Origen and his legacy, and indeed of the Greek mystical tradition.