The Virgin Mary, Monotheism and Sacrifice

The Virgin Mary plays a major - although often paradoxical - role in the incarnation and crucifixion and in the ecclesiastical structure of Christianity. This role is shaped by sacrifice as understood in terms of the religious patrimony of ancient Israel and as refigured in the new Christian and Islamic paradigms arising from it. Here the offering up of a son is a frequently occurring motif, one in which fathers and mothers play an emotionally fraught, anthropologically conditioned and theologically significant role. Like such figures as Abraham and Sarah in the Hebrew Bible, Mary’s relationship to sacrifice has profound implications not only for Christian theology, but for later developments in monotheism, including the role of women and gender in creating and sustaining religious identities, the emergence of competing definitions of orthodoxy, and the institution in some traditions of a masculine priesthood and religious hierarchy.

Sex in the Bible: A New Consideration

What is the Bible's stance on such controversial issues as homosexuality and polygamy? What does it have to say about sexual behaviors that some would deem perverted or criminal? Is sex always wrong if it is not used to create life? Ellens answers these and other questions in a book that argues that our understanding of what the Bible has to say about sex is frequently misguided. He corrects our impressions with a look at the Scriptures themselves, considers what they might have meant to people in the past, and reflects on how we understand, or misunderstand, them today. Focusing on early interpretations and contemporary misconceptions, Ellens guides readers through what the Bible actually says, showing how these messages have been interpreted in different contexts, and suggesting new ways of reading and translating them for use in our own lives. Readers hoping to reach a better understanding of the Bible's views on sexual practices and sexuality in general will find their questions answered here. What does the story of Adam and Eve reveal about sex and sexuality? What does the Old Testament say about sex and how might we interpret that in our own lives today? How does the New Testament say we should behave in our sexuality and our lives? What lessons can we learn from a closer examination of the Bible and its teachings on human love, marriage, and sexuality? These are among the many questions Ellens answers in an effort to help us all come to a better understanding of the gift of sexuality and its attendant behaviors in our lives. In non-judgmental prose, he elucidates the Bible and our understanding of its teaching on these and related issues.

An Introduction to World Anglicanism

What is the nature of world Anglicanism in a postcolonial, global age? With talk of fragmentation constantly in the media, what does it mean to be 'Anglican'? This book presents Anglicanism as a conversation over time amongst a community of people held together by sets of practices and beliefs.

Islamic Liberation Theology: Resisting the Empire

Are we today witness to a renewed confrontation between ‘‘Islam and the West’’ or are the signs of an imperial domination of globalized capital versus new modes of resistance to it already evident? This book is a radical piece of counter-intuitive rethinking on the clash of civilizations theory and global politics.

Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses

An essential collection of more than 2,500 deities of the world. For more than 60,000 years, people have worshiped deities of the sun, sky, and sea, as well as creator gods, relying on the guidance of faith in the midst of the mysterious world around them. Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Second Edition provides access to more than 2,500 of these religious figures, from ancient Sumerian gods through the modern Haitian deities. roviding a plethora of information from cultures as diverse as the Aztecs, Celts, and Japanese, this dictionary discusses lesser-known divinities as well as the contemporary gods of the major monotheistic religions - Allah, God, and Yahweh, among others. New features, including cross-references and a comprehensive index, make this revised edition more accessible than ever. Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Second Edition is an indispensable resource perfect for general readers interested in mythology and religion, as well as scholars in religious studies, anthropology, history, and archaeology.