Author: Sada Mire
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429769245
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
This book uniquely explores the impact of indigenous ideology and thought on everyday life in Northeast Africa. Furthermore, in highlighting the diversity in pre-Christian, pre-Islamic regional beliefs and practices that extend beyond the simplistic political arguments of the current dominant narratives, the study shows that for millennia complex indigenous institutions have bound people together beyond the labels of Christianity and Islam; they have sustained peace through cultural exchange and tolerance (if not always complete acceptance). Through recent archaeological and ethnographic research, the concepts, landscapes, materials and rituals believed to be associated with the indigenous and shared culture of the Sky-God belief are examined. The author makes sense, for the first time, of the relationship between the notion of sacred fertility and a number of regional archaeological features and on-going ancient practices including FGM, spirit possessions, and other physically invasive practices and the ritual hunt. The book explores one of the most important pilgrimage centres in Somaliland and Somalia, the sacred landscape of Saint Aw-Barkhadle, founded ca. 12th century AD. It is believed to be the burial place of the rulers of the first Muslim Ifat and Awdal dynasties in this region, and potentially the lost first capital of Awdal kingdom before Harar. This ritual centre is seen as a ‘microcosm’ of the ancient Horn of Africa with its exceptional multi-religious heritage, through which the author lays out a locally appropriate archaeological interpretational framework, the "Ritual Set," also applied here to the Ethiopian sites of Tiya, Sheikh Hussein Bale, Aksum and Lalibela, setting these places against a wider historical background of indigenous Sky-God belief. This archaeological study of sacred landscapes, stelae traditions, ancient Christian and medieval Muslim centres of Northeast Africa is the first to put forward a theoretical and analytical framework for the interpretation of the shared regional heritage and the indigenous archaeology of the region. It will be invaluable to archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and policymakers interested in Africa and beyond.
Divine Fertility
Author: Sada Mire
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429769245
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
This book uniquely explores the impact of indigenous ideology and thought on everyday life in Northeast Africa. Furthermore, in highlighting the diversity in pre-Christian, pre-Islamic regional beliefs and practices that extend beyond the simplistic political arguments of the current dominant narratives, the study shows that for millennia complex indigenous institutions have bound people together beyond the labels of Christianity and Islam; they have sustained peace through cultural exchange and tolerance (if not always complete acceptance). Through recent archaeological and ethnographic research, the concepts, landscapes, materials and rituals believed to be associated with the indigenous and shared culture of the Sky-God belief are examined. The author makes sense, for the first time, of the relationship between the notion of sacred fertility and a number of regional archaeological features and on-going ancient practices including FGM, spirit possessions, and other physically invasive practices and the ritual hunt. The book explores one of the most important pilgrimage centres in Somaliland and Somalia, the sacred landscape of Saint Aw-Barkhadle, founded ca. 12th century AD. It is believed to be the burial place of the rulers of the first Muslim Ifat and Awdal dynasties in this region, and potentially the lost first capital of Awdal kingdom before Harar. This ritual centre is seen as a ‘microcosm’ of the ancient Horn of Africa with its exceptional multi-religious heritage, through which the author lays out a locally appropriate archaeological interpretational framework, the "Ritual Set," also applied here to the Ethiopian sites of Tiya, Sheikh Hussein Bale, Aksum and Lalibela, setting these places against a wider historical background of indigenous Sky-God belief. This archaeological study of sacred landscapes, stelae traditions, ancient Christian and medieval Muslim centres of Northeast Africa is the first to put forward a theoretical and analytical framework for the interpretation of the shared regional heritage and the indigenous archaeology of the region. It will be invaluable to archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and policymakers interested in Africa and beyond.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429769245
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327
Book Description
This book uniquely explores the impact of indigenous ideology and thought on everyday life in Northeast Africa. Furthermore, in highlighting the diversity in pre-Christian, pre-Islamic regional beliefs and practices that extend beyond the simplistic political arguments of the current dominant narratives, the study shows that for millennia complex indigenous institutions have bound people together beyond the labels of Christianity and Islam; they have sustained peace through cultural exchange and tolerance (if not always complete acceptance). Through recent archaeological and ethnographic research, the concepts, landscapes, materials and rituals believed to be associated with the indigenous and shared culture of the Sky-God belief are examined. The author makes sense, for the first time, of the relationship between the notion of sacred fertility and a number of regional archaeological features and on-going ancient practices including FGM, spirit possessions, and other physically invasive practices and the ritual hunt. The book explores one of the most important pilgrimage centres in Somaliland and Somalia, the sacred landscape of Saint Aw-Barkhadle, founded ca. 12th century AD. It is believed to be the burial place of the rulers of the first Muslim Ifat and Awdal dynasties in this region, and potentially the lost first capital of Awdal kingdom before Harar. This ritual centre is seen as a ‘microcosm’ of the ancient Horn of Africa with its exceptional multi-religious heritage, through which the author lays out a locally appropriate archaeological interpretational framework, the "Ritual Set," also applied here to the Ethiopian sites of Tiya, Sheikh Hussein Bale, Aksum and Lalibela, setting these places against a wider historical background of indigenous Sky-God belief. This archaeological study of sacred landscapes, stelae traditions, ancient Christian and medieval Muslim centres of Northeast Africa is the first to put forward a theoretical and analytical framework for the interpretation of the shared regional heritage and the indigenous archaeology of the region. It will be invaluable to archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and policymakers interested in Africa and beyond.
Servants of the Dynasty
Author: Anne Walthall
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520254449
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 796
Book Description
This book offers a new perspective on the monarchies that have dominated much of human history, by offering a comparative view of the women who lived, worked, and served in royal courts around the globe. The authors of this volume, historians, anthropologists, and archeologists, investigate women's roles in each era and locale, how those roles changed over time, and what women's histories say about the structures of power and the societies in which they lived. The authors take us to palaces in Early modern Southeast Asia, classic Maya royal courts, the Byzantine court, the harem of the Ottoman royal court, the Mughal palace, an African royal harem, the courts of Chinese Emperors and Empresses, the palace of the Shogun, the court of Versailles, Aztec palaces, and a Korean court.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520254449
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 796
Book Description
This book offers a new perspective on the monarchies that have dominated much of human history, by offering a comparative view of the women who lived, worked, and served in royal courts around the globe. The authors of this volume, historians, anthropologists, and archeologists, investigate women's roles in each era and locale, how those roles changed over time, and what women's histories say about the structures of power and the societies in which they lived. The authors take us to palaces in Early modern Southeast Asia, classic Maya royal courts, the Byzantine court, the harem of the Ottoman royal court, the Mughal palace, an African royal harem, the courts of Chinese Emperors and Empresses, the palace of the Shogun, the court of Versailles, Aztec palaces, and a Korean court.
The Logic of Incest
Author: Seth Daniel Kunin
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567271722
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
The myths of Genesis are the foundation for hundreds of texts written at later diachronically distinct and datable periods. Seven texts-Genesis itself, Genesis Rabbah, Pirke deRabbi Eliezer and mediaeval compilations-are examined here, with five interrelated questions in focus: Can structuralist theory be applied usefully to societies conscious of history and change? What is the relationship between continuity and trasformation as a mythological tradition develops diachronically? What role does diachronic development within a myth play in relation to its underlying structure? What is the synchronic structure of Israelite (or rather, biblical) myth? Are there identifiable patterns of transformation and continuity between biblical myth and the three diachronically distinct levels of rabbinic myth?
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567271722
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
The myths of Genesis are the foundation for hundreds of texts written at later diachronically distinct and datable periods. Seven texts-Genesis itself, Genesis Rabbah, Pirke deRabbi Eliezer and mediaeval compilations-are examined here, with five interrelated questions in focus: Can structuralist theory be applied usefully to societies conscious of history and change? What is the relationship between continuity and trasformation as a mythological tradition develops diachronically? What role does diachronic development within a myth play in relation to its underlying structure? What is the synchronic structure of Israelite (or rather, biblical) myth? Are there identifiable patterns of transformation and continuity between biblical myth and the three diachronically distinct levels of rabbinic myth?
Culture, Creation, and Procreation
Author: Monika Böck
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1785334867
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 394
Book Description
As reproduction is seen as central to kinship and the biological link as the primary bond between parents and their offspring, Western perceptions of kin relations are primarily determined by ideas about "consanguinity," "genealogical relations," and "genetic connections." Advocates of cultural constructivism have taken issue with a concept that puts so much stress on heredity as being severely biased by western ideas of kinship. Ethnosociologists in particular developed alternative systems using indigenous categories. This symbolic approach has, however, been rejected by some scholars as plagued by the problems of the analytical separation of ideology from practice, of largely overlooking relations of domination, and of ignoring the questions of shared knowledge and choice. This volume offers a corrective by discussing the constitution of kinship among different communities in South Asia and addressing the relationship between ideology and practice, cultural models, and individiual strategies.
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1785334867
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 394
Book Description
As reproduction is seen as central to kinship and the biological link as the primary bond between parents and their offspring, Western perceptions of kin relations are primarily determined by ideas about "consanguinity," "genealogical relations," and "genetic connections." Advocates of cultural constructivism have taken issue with a concept that puts so much stress on heredity as being severely biased by western ideas of kinship. Ethnosociologists in particular developed alternative systems using indigenous categories. This symbolic approach has, however, been rejected by some scholars as plagued by the problems of the analytical separation of ideology from practice, of largely overlooking relations of domination, and of ignoring the questions of shared knowledge and choice. This volume offers a corrective by discussing the constitution of kinship among different communities in South Asia and addressing the relationship between ideology and practice, cultural models, and individiual strategies.
We think What We Eat
Author: Seth Daniel Kunin
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567228010
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 266
Book Description
In We Think What We Eat, Seth Kunin presents both an appreciation and critique of Professor Mary Douglas' classical work on Israelite food rules. He places her arguments into the context of related anthropological approaches and suggests a new interpretation of the food rules system based on a rigorous application of structuralist theory. Kunin then goes on to extend this analysis to other areas of Israelite culture. Through detailed analysis of texts from Genesis, Exodus and Judges, he demonstrates that the same structural pattern found in the first section in respect of ritual is also characteristic of the mythological material. This section of the book also takes up the issue of structural transformation. It examines the processes found as the myths move from the Israelite context to that of the rabbis, the authors of the New Testament and of the Book of Mormon. The arguments presented demonstrate that as the myths move from culture to culture diachronically and geographically while the same mythological elements are retained they are restructured and organized based on the structural needs of the new cultural context. Kunin is also interested in issues of structuralist theory. Thus, he addresses issues related to the processes of structural transformation - suggesting processes that lead to changes in structural emphasis and those relating to more significant transformations. This is volume 412 in the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series.
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 0567228010
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 266
Book Description
In We Think What We Eat, Seth Kunin presents both an appreciation and critique of Professor Mary Douglas' classical work on Israelite food rules. He places her arguments into the context of related anthropological approaches and suggests a new interpretation of the food rules system based on a rigorous application of structuralist theory. Kunin then goes on to extend this analysis to other areas of Israelite culture. Through detailed analysis of texts from Genesis, Exodus and Judges, he demonstrates that the same structural pattern found in the first section in respect of ritual is also characteristic of the mythological material. This section of the book also takes up the issue of structural transformation. It examines the processes found as the myths move from the Israelite context to that of the rabbis, the authors of the New Testament and of the Book of Mormon. The arguments presented demonstrate that as the myths move from culture to culture diachronically and geographically while the same mythological elements are retained they are restructured and organized based on the structural needs of the new cultural context. Kunin is also interested in issues of structuralist theory. Thus, he addresses issues related to the processes of structural transformation - suggesting processes that lead to changes in structural emphasis and those relating to more significant transformations. This is volume 412 in the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement series.
An Anthology of Christian Mysticism
Author: Harvey D. Egan
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780814660126
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 736
Book Description
"A Pueblo book." Includes bibliographical references (p. 610-615) and index.
Publisher: Liturgical Press
ISBN: 9780814660126
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 736
Book Description
"A Pueblo book." Includes bibliographical references (p. 610-615) and index.
The Whirlwind
Author: Stephen L. Cook
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 056737484X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
This collection of essays focuses on the book of Job, exploring the complex interplay of methodology and hermeneutics. There are two major parts: approaches that are primarily historical, i.e. the recovery of what the text 'meant'; and those that are contextual, i.e. that take seriously the context of reading. Both approaches engage the theological issue of how this reading helps us to better appropriate what the text 'means'. Contributors include the editors, Mark S. Smith, Douglas J. Green, Victoria Hoffer, Ellen F. Davis and Claire Matthews McGinnis.An introductory essay surveys the contents and outcomes of the various contributions and proposes new directions for the question of integrating methods.
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 056737484X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232
Book Description
This collection of essays focuses on the book of Job, exploring the complex interplay of methodology and hermeneutics. There are two major parts: approaches that are primarily historical, i.e. the recovery of what the text 'meant'; and those that are contextual, i.e. that take seriously the context of reading. Both approaches engage the theological issue of how this reading helps us to better appropriate what the text 'means'. Contributors include the editors, Mark S. Smith, Douglas J. Green, Victoria Hoffer, Ellen F. Davis and Claire Matthews McGinnis.An introductory essay surveys the contents and outcomes of the various contributions and proposes new directions for the question of integrating methods.
The Hidden Life
Author: Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)
Publisher: ICS Publications
ISBN: 0935216170
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 194
Book Description
"this is an inspiring collection of Edith stein's shorter spiritual writings, many available for the first time in English translation. They were composed during her final years, often at the request of her Carmelite superiors. ..." [from back cover]
Publisher: ICS Publications
ISBN: 0935216170
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 194
Book Description
"this is an inspiring collection of Edith stein's shorter spiritual writings, many available for the first time in English translation. They were composed during her final years, often at the request of her Carmelite superiors. ..." [from back cover]
Reconceiving Infertility
Author: Candida R. Moss
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691164835
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Book Description
A more complete picture of how procreation and childlessness are depicted in the Bible In the Book of Genesis, the first words God speaks to humanity are "Be fruitful and multiply." From ancient times to today, these words have been understood as a divine command to procreate. Fertility is viewed as a sign of blessedness and moral uprightness, while infertility is associated with sin and moral failing. Reconceiving Infertility explores traditional interpretations such as these, providing a more complete picture of how procreation and childlessness are depicted in the Bible. Closely examining texts and themes from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, Candida Moss and Joel Baden offer vital new perspectives on infertility and the social experiences of the infertile in the biblical tradition. They begin with perhaps the most famous stories of infertility in the Bible—those of the matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel—and show how the divine injunction in Genesis is both a blessing and a curse. Moss and Baden go on to discuss the metaphorical treatments of Israel as a "barren mother," the conception of Jesus, Paul's writings on family and reproduction, and more. They reveal how biblical views on procreation and infertility, and the ancient contexts from which they emerged, were more diverse than we think. Reconceiving Infertility demonstrates that the Bible speaks in many voices about infertility, and lays a biblical foundation for a more supportive religious environment for those suffering from infertility today.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691164835
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Book Description
A more complete picture of how procreation and childlessness are depicted in the Bible In the Book of Genesis, the first words God speaks to humanity are "Be fruitful and multiply." From ancient times to today, these words have been understood as a divine command to procreate. Fertility is viewed as a sign of blessedness and moral uprightness, while infertility is associated with sin and moral failing. Reconceiving Infertility explores traditional interpretations such as these, providing a more complete picture of how procreation and childlessness are depicted in the Bible. Closely examining texts and themes from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, Candida Moss and Joel Baden offer vital new perspectives on infertility and the social experiences of the infertile in the biblical tradition. They begin with perhaps the most famous stories of infertility in the Bible—those of the matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel—and show how the divine injunction in Genesis is both a blessing and a curse. Moss and Baden go on to discuss the metaphorical treatments of Israel as a "barren mother," the conception of Jesus, Paul's writings on family and reproduction, and more. They reveal how biblical views on procreation and infertility, and the ancient contexts from which they emerged, were more diverse than we think. Reconceiving Infertility demonstrates that the Bible speaks in many voices about infertility, and lays a biblical foundation for a more supportive religious environment for those suffering from infertility today.
Love's Oneing
Author: Kerrie Hide
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
ISBN: 1398452297
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
Grounded in Christian love mysticism, Love’s Oneing gives voice to the luminous consciousness that awakens from within our oneness in God in contemplation. With great sensitivity, the book offers nuanced insight into the marriage of kenosis and desire in contemplation, through the rich tapestry of writings from nine mystics: Julian of Norwich, the Cloud of Unknowing author, Meister Eckhart, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Clare of Assisi, John of the Cross, Teilhard de Chardin, Beatrice Bruteau and Ilia Delio. With the delicate eye of a spiritual director immersed in mystical literature, Kerrie Hide situates these mystical teachings within contemplative prayer, whilst offering a scholarly exploration of contemplative practice to embody the insights. Deeply grounded in traditional and contemporary mystical classics, Hide celebrates how the Christian mystical tradition lays a foundation for the evolutionary growth of communion consciousness and the insights of quantum science, highlighting key moments in contemplation that when surrendered into, open into divine love. Born of intellectual reflection, lived experience and contemplative wisdom, Love’s Oneing makes a unique contribution to the existing literature on contemplation at a time when the recovery of the mystical dimension of life is crucial for the future of our planet in this climate crisis moment.
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
ISBN: 1398452297
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 264
Book Description
Grounded in Christian love mysticism, Love’s Oneing gives voice to the luminous consciousness that awakens from within our oneness in God in contemplation. With great sensitivity, the book offers nuanced insight into the marriage of kenosis and desire in contemplation, through the rich tapestry of writings from nine mystics: Julian of Norwich, the Cloud of Unknowing author, Meister Eckhart, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Clare of Assisi, John of the Cross, Teilhard de Chardin, Beatrice Bruteau and Ilia Delio. With the delicate eye of a spiritual director immersed in mystical literature, Kerrie Hide situates these mystical teachings within contemplative prayer, whilst offering a scholarly exploration of contemplative practice to embody the insights. Deeply grounded in traditional and contemporary mystical classics, Hide celebrates how the Christian mystical tradition lays a foundation for the evolutionary growth of communion consciousness and the insights of quantum science, highlighting key moments in contemplation that when surrendered into, open into divine love. Born of intellectual reflection, lived experience and contemplative wisdom, Love’s Oneing makes a unique contribution to the existing literature on contemplation at a time when the recovery of the mystical dimension of life is crucial for the future of our planet in this climate crisis moment.