Wiley Blackwell Companions to Religion – Serie

A unique introduction to the developing field of Theology and Qualitative ResearchIn recent years, a growing number of scholars within the field of theological research have adopted qualitative empirical methods. The use of qualitative research is shaping the nature of theology and redefining what it means to be a theologian. Hence, contemporary scholars who are undertaking empirical fieldwork across a range of theological subdisciplines require authoritative guidance and well-developed frameworks of practice and theory.The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Theology and Qualitative Research outlines the challenges and possibilities for theological research that engages with qualitative methods. It reflects more than 15 years of academic research within the Ecclesiology and Ethnography Network, and features an international group of scholars committed to the empirical and theological study of the Christian church.Edited by world-renowned experts, this unprecedented volume addresses the theological debates, methodological complexities, and future directions of this emerging field. Contributions from both established and emerging scholars describe key theoretical approaches, discuss how different empirical methods are used within theology, explore the links between qualitative researchand adjacent scholarly traditions, and more. The companion: Discusses how qualitative empirical work changes the practice of theology, enabling a disciplined attention to the lived social realities of Christian religion and what theologians doIntroduces theoretical and methodological debates in the field, as well as central epistemological and ontological questionsPresents different approaches to Theology and Qualitative research, highlighting important issues and developments in the last decadesExplores how empirical insights are shaping areas such as liturgics, homiletics, youth ministry, and Christian educationIncludes perspectives from scholars working in disciplines other than theologyThe Wiley Blackwell Companion to Theology and Qualitative Research is essential reading for graduate students, postgraduates, PhD students, researchers, and scholars in Christian Ethics, Systematic Theology, Practical Theology, Contemporary Worship, and related disciplines such as Ecclesiology, Mission Studies, World Christianity, Pastoral Theology, Political Theology, Worship Studies, and all forms of contextual theology.

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to East and Inner Asian Buddhism combines outstanding contributions covering Buddhism as it developed and is practiced in this region. These newly-commissioned essays provide fresh scholarly perspectives on a wide range of concepts, texts, and practices. Offers a comprehensive and balanced survey of Buddhism within East and Central Asia, from the time of the Buddha through to the present dayProvides fresh perspectives on a wide range of concepts, texts, traditions, doctrines, practices, and institutions – on topics spanning gender roles, tantric rituals, and the spread of Zen into EuropeBrings together cutting-edge research by an interdisciplinary and international contributor team, including historians, literature scholars, and historians, as well as those from religious studiesPresents a panoramic view of the extraordinary richness and variety of local Buddhist expressions and practices within Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Tibetan, cultures

This comprehensive volume brings together a distinguished editorial team, including some of the field’s pioneers, to explore the aims, practice, and historical context of interfaith collaboration.  Explores in full the background, history, objectives, and discourse between the leaders and practitioners of the world’s major religionsExamines relations between religions from around the world, moving well beyond the common focus on Christianity, to also cover over 12 major religionsFeatures a wealth of case studies on contemporary interreligious dialogueCharts a long-term shift away from a competitive rivalry between belief systems, and a change in focus towards the more respectful, cooperative approach reflected in institutions such as the World Council of ChurchesIncludes up-to-date commentary on the growing dialogue of recent years, written by some of the leading figures working in the field of interfaith discourse

This uniquely comprehensive reference work provides a global account of the history, expansion, diversity, and contemporary issues facing the Anglican Communion, the worldwide body that includes all followers of the Anglican faith. An insightful and wide-ranging treatment of this dynamic global faith, offering unrivalled coverage of its historical development, and the religious and ethical questions affecting the church todayExplores every aspect of this vibrant religious community – from analyzing its instruments of Unity, to its central role in interfaith communicationSpans the Anglican Communion’s long history through to 21st century debates within the church on such issues as sexual-orientation of clergy, and the pastoral role of women  Features a substantial articles on the Church’s 44 provinces, including a brief history of eachBrings together a distinguished and international team of contributors, including some of the world’s leading Anglican commentators

Praise for the previous edition: “This volume, expertly edited and introduced by Segal, collects a series of essays that combine clarity and accessibility with nuance and balance … and are uniformly of high quality, each with a helpful bibliography that supplements the volume bibliography… This work will command a wide audience, ranging from the general public to religious studies specialists. Highly recommended.”—CHOICE “This is an excellent volume of papers about the study of religion both in conception and execution … Robert Segal has done a marvelous job in editing the volume and providing a bibliography and index … a very useful, well constructed and interesting book that should be widely read and used on courses.”—British Association for the Study of Religions Bulletin Now in its second edition, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion offers an expertly compiled and comprehensive overview of contemporary religious studies across the humanities and the social sciences. Truly interdisciplinary in its methodology and featuring an international team of contributors from diverse academic backgrounds, this Companion explores the anthropological, economic, literary, philosophical, psychological, sociological, and theological terrain of religious studies, and presupposes no prior knowledge of the academic study of religion. Each chapter is framed around an approach to religious studies from the vantage point of an adjacent discipline or topic that contributes to our understanding of religion, and is accompanied by its own bibliography to guide further reading. New to this edition are chapters which reflect contemporary trends in scholarship, including gender, science, law, music, emotion, cognition, globalization, and violence. Standard topics like death and the afterlife, ethics, fundamentalism, magic, ritual, and myth, among others, have been rigorously updated to reflect new directions in research and foster discussion among disciplines. Ideal for students and scholars alike, the second edition of The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion remains an authoritative resource in the study of religion for anyone working in the fields of religious studies, theology, sociology, anthropology, psychology, political science, history, and philosophy.

The Companion to Ancient Israel offers an innovative overview of ancient Israelite culture and history, richly informed by a variety of approaches and fields. Distinguished scholars provide original contributions that explore the tradition in all its complexity, multiplicity and diversity. A methodologically sophisticated overview of ancient Israelite culture that provides insights into  political and social history, culture, and methodologyExplores what we can say about the cultures and history of the people of Israel and Judah, but also investigates how we know what we knowPresents fresh insights, richly informed by a variety of approaches and fieldsDelves into ‘religion as lived,’ an approach that asks about the everyday lives of ordinary people and the material cultures that they construct and experienceEach essay is an original contribution to the subject

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Politics in the U.S. provides a broad, inclusive, and rich range of chapters, in the study of religion and politics. Arranged in their historical context, chapters address themes of history, law, social and religious movements, policy and political theory. Broadens the parameters of this timely subject, and includes the latest work in the fieldDraws together newly-commissioned essays by distinguished authors that are cogent for scholars, while also being in a style that is accessible to students.Provides a balanced and inclusive approach to religion and politics in the U.S.Engages diverse perspectives from various discourses about religion and politics across the political and disciplinary spectra, while placing them in their larger historical context

A ground-breaking and comprehensive collection on various facets of Islamic spirituality throughout history and in the modern world The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Islamic Spirituality is an authoritative reference work comprising twenty-eight scholarly essays that explore the expressive and performative dimensions of Islamic spirituality. Edited by two of its most prominent scholars, and bringing together a stellar cast of contributors, this wide-ranging volume covers religious practices, sacred texts, history and places, gender, music, poetry, the visual arts, and politics. Spirituality has had a long and important history in Islam, where a focus on spirituality is required of every believer. Each Muslim is asked to achieve a state of devotion through prayer, fasting, supplications, recitations, pilgrimage, and ascetic practices. The essays in this volume explain the role of spirituality in Islam—from its beginnings, through the development of its institutions, and into the present day. They also reflect important new research, and discuss contemporary debates and issues affecting Islamic spirituality such as the Internet, social justice, the role of women, ethics, and religious fundamentalism. Offering readers a thought-provoking way to engage with the topic, this comprehensive work includes: The spirituality of words and letters, including the Qur’an, prophetic traditions in Islam, and litanies, invocations, and devotional textsDevotional practices in Islam, including the spirituality of prayer, ascetic spirituality, Qur’an recitation, and spirituality of the Sufi pathSpirituality in literature, including Arabic and Persian poetry, spirituality in the modern novel, and the art of translationSpirituality in the arts, including the visual arts, music, song, and filmIslamic spirituality and post-modern practices, including the Internet, Islamic hip-hop, and SalafismFrom the personal to the political, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Islamic Spirituality offers a fresh and revitalized view of all aspects of spirituality in Islam. It is a must-have scholarly resource for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, instructors and scholars studying Islam, spirituality, and Asian and Middle Eastern history as well as general readers with an interest in the subject.

The Blackwell Companion to the Bible and Culture provides readers with a concise, readable and scholarly introduction to twenty-first century approaches to the Bible. Consists of 30 articles written by distinguished specialists from around the worldDraws on interdisciplinary and international examples to explore how the Bible has impacted on all the major social contexts where it has been influential – ancient, medieval and modern, world-wideGives examples of how the Bible has influenced literature, art, music, history, religious studies, politics, ecology and sociologyEach article is accompanied by a comprehensive bibliographyOffers guidance on how to read the Bible and its many interpretations

This Companion explores the Bible's role and influence on individual writers, whilst tracing the key developments of Biblical themes and literary theory through the ages. An ambitious overview of the Bible's impact on English literature – as arguably the most powerful work of literature in history – from the medieval period through to the twentieth-centuryIncludes introductory sections to each period giving background information about the Bible as a source text in English literature, and placing writers in their historical contextDraws on examples from medieval, early-modern, eighteenth-century and Romantic, Victorian, and Modernist literatureIncludes many 'secular' or 'anti-clerical' writers alongside their 'Christian' contemporaries, revealing how the Bible's text shifts and changes in the writing of each author who reads and studies it

In this major reference work, a team of the world's leading theologians provides a powerful overview of modern theologyCovers theology's relation to other disciplines, the history of theology, major themes, key figures and contemporary issuesCan be used as the basis for an introductory course or as an essential reference source

This comprehensive The Blackwell Companion to the Hebrew Bible offers a broad overview and survey of Old Testament study. It consists of newly commissioned articles from an impressive range of top international Old Testament scholars, from the UK, Europe, Israel, Canada and the US. Explores the history, archaeology, theology, sociology, and ancient Near Eastern context of the Hebrew BibleAddresses questions of methodology, interpretation, and the academic study of the Old TestamentFeatures a useful introduction that provides an overview of the discipline, and a guide to the interconnections between individual articlesOffers an ideal tool for students, not just for use on one course, but over several years of study

This Companion provides a definitive collection of essays on postmodern theology, drawing on the work of those individuals who have made a distinctive contribution to the field, and whose work will be significant for the theologies written in the new millennium. The definitive collection of essays on postmodern theology, drawing on the work of those individuals who have made a distinctive contribution to the field.Each essay is introduced with a short account of the writer's previous work, enabling the reader to view it in context.Discusses the following desciplines: Aesthetics, Ethics, Gender, Hermeneutics, Phenomenology, Heideggerians, and Derrideans.Edited by Graham Ward, one of the most outstanding and original theologians working in the field today.

The Blackwell Companion to Sociology of Religion is presented in three comprehensive parts. Written by a range of outstanding academics, the volume explores the current status of the sociology of religion, and how it might look in future. Explores the current status of the sociology of religion, and how it might look at the beginning of the next millennium.Traces the boundaries between sociology and other closely related disciplines, such as theology and social anthropology.Edited by one of the best known and most widely respected sociologists of religionAccessibly presented in three comprehensive parts.

The Blackwell Companion to Sociology of Religion is presented in three comprehensive parts. Written by a range of outstanding academics, the volume explores the current status of the sociology of religion, and how it might look in future. Explores the current status of the sociology of religion, and how it might look at the beginning of the next millennium.Traces the boundaries between sociology and other closely related disciplines, such as theology and social anthropology.Edited by one of the best known and most widely respected sociologists of religionAccessibly presented in three comprehensive parts.

This volume presents the most recent scholarly thinking about Hinduism in an accessible way. It provides a forum for the best scholars in the world to make their views and research available to a wider audience. While comprehensively covering the textual traditions of Hinduism, the volume also includes material on Hindu folk religions and stresses the importance of region in analyzing Hinduism. In doing so, it reflects the current move away from essentialist understandings of Hinduism and towards traditionally and regionally specific studies. The Companion as a whole spans the entire field of Hindu studies and is divided into four coherent sections: theoretical issues, textual traditions, theologies, and Hindu society and politics.

Written by internationally renowned scholars, this Companion maps the moral teachings of the world’s religions, and also charts new directions for work in the field of religious ethics. Now available in paperback, this is a rich resource for understanding the moral teachings and practices of the world’s religions Includes detailed discussions of issues in moral theory Offers extensive treatment of the world’s major religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese religions and African religions Compares the ways in which the religions provide resources for addressing current moral challenges in areas such as ecology, economics, global dynamics, religious war, human rights and other topics.

THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO NINETEENTH-CENTURY THEOLOGY “An excellent collection of essays on a century crucial for modern theological, religious and anti-religious thought.”Janet Martin Soskice, University of Cambridge “This latest contribution to the Blackwell Companions to Religion masterfully summarizes the major trends in Christian theology during the enormously fertile period stretching from the Enlightenment to the Social Gospel and Modernism. An invaluable reference work that tracks developments across confessions and continents, this volume gives the lie to facile generalizations about nineteenth-century theology by illustrating the extraordinary range and depth of Christian thought through a tumultuous era that was in many respects the crucible for our own.”Ian A. McFarland, Emory University The Blackwell Companion to Nineteenth-Century Theology presents a comprehensive account of the most significant theological figures and developments of thought that emerged in Europe and America during the nineteenth century. Bringing together newly commissioned research from prominent Biblical scholars, historians, and theologians, the book covers the key thinkers, confessional traditions, and major religious movements of the period. The contributors’ international scholarship ensures balanced viewpoints as well as an ecumenical scope, with treatments of Catholic, Russian Orthodox, and Protestant theologies included. Along with thoughtful analysis of such prominent thinkers as Kant and Kierkegaard, the volume considers the influence of Darwin and the natural sciences on theology, and debates the role and influence of the “antitheologians” – the nineteenth-century thinkers whose conscious rejection of religion continued to have an impact on twentieth-century theology. Representing the most up-to-date theological research, The Blackwell Companion to Nineteenth-Century Theology offers an engaging and illuminating overview of a period that exercises a significant influence on contemporary theology.

This Companion brings together new contributions from internationally renowned scholars in order to examine the past, present and future of Protestantism. Co-edited by leading Protestant theologians Alister E. McGrath and Darren C. Marks, with contributions from internationally renowned scholars. Opens with an investigation into the formation of Protestant identity across Europe, North America, Asia, Australasia and Africa. Includes coverage of leading Protestant thinkers, such as Luther, Calvin, Schleiermacher and Barth. Considers the interaction of Protestantism with different areas of modern life, including the arts, politics, the law and science. Debates the future of Protestantism in both Western and non-Western settings.

THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO EASTERN CHRISTIANITY “Consistently highly readable and engrossing. This is an excellent overview of Eastern Christianity.”Expository Times “A masterful description of the major living traditions of Eastern Christianity. Its 24 chapters, each written by an accomplished scholar in the field, address the dominant ethnic and cultural categories of Eastern Christianity (Arab, Byzantine, etc.) along with their most characteristic features (liturgy, iconography, and hagiography). Each offers a concise, well-organized, and highly readable overview of the tradition in question, along with a representative bibliography … Highly recommended.”CHOICE “Christian emigration, not least from the Middle East, means that there are growing communities of Eastern Christians in the West … Eastern Christians are now companions to Western; and the latter will learn much about the former from this Blackwell companion.”Church Times “A distinctive addition to the companion series and to its chosen sphere of knowledge.”Reference Reviews “A worthwhile collection, and one that should prove useful.”Ecclesiastical History Recent political events in the Middle East and Eastern Europe have brought Eastern Christianity to global attention. The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity provides an unparalleled account of the history and development of these vital Christian traditions, at the same time placing contemporary events in their full context. The companion provides authoritative and lively essays on the main Eastern Orthodox traditions, such as the Greek, Russian, and Georgian churches, as well as the Oriental Orthodox traditions, including the Armenian, Coptic, and Syrian churches. The in-depth articles, which are written by an international team of experts, offer a comprehensive survey of the history, theology, doctrine, worship, art, culture, and politics that make up the churches of Eastern Christianity. The companion can also be used alongside the respected Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (1999), providing detailed discussions and assessments to complement the dictionary’s shorter entries.

This comprehensive volume brings together a team of distinguished scholars to create a wide-ranging introduction to patristic authors and their contributions to not only theology and spirituality, but to philosophy, ecclesiology, linguistics, hagiography, liturgics, homiletics, iconology, and other fields. Challenges accepted definitions of patristics and the patristic period – in particular questioning the Western framework in which the field has traditionally been constructedIncludes the work of authors who wrote in languages other than Latin and Greek, including those within the Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, and Arabic Christian traditionsExamines the reception history of prominent as well as lesser-known figures, debating the role of each, and exploring why many have undergone periods of revived interestOffers synthetic accounts of a number of topics central to patristic studies, including scripture, scholasticism, and the ReformationDemonstrates the continuing role of these writings in enriching and inspiring our understanding of Christianity

In the face of the current environmental crisis—which clearly has moral and spiritual dimensions—members of all the world’s faiths have come to recognize the critical importance of religion’s relationship to ecology. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Ecology offers a comprehensive overview of the history and the latest developments in religious engagement with environmental issues throughout the world. Newly commissioned essays from noted scholars of diverse faiths and scientific traditions present the most cutting-edge thinking on religion’s relationship to the environment. Initial readings explore the ways traditional concepts of nature in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and other religious traditions have been shaped by the environmental crisis. Readings then address the changing nature of theology and religious thought in response to the challenges of protecting the environment. Various conceptual issues and themes that transcend individual traditions—climate change, bio-ethics, social justice, ecofeminism, and more—are then analyzed before a final section examines some of the immediate challenges we face in caring for the Earth while looking to the future of religious environmentalism. Timely and thought-provoking, Companion to Religion and Ecology offers illuminating insights into the role of religion in the ongoing struggle to secure the future well-being of our natural world.With a foreword by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,  and an Afterword by John Cobb

"As browsable as it is useful, this encyclopedic volume reads like a leisurely conversation among old friends. It will refresh professors, inspire students, and delight all who love the church. This is a book that will be fun to read in the short term but will last a long time on your library shelf."—Stephen H Webb, Wabash UniversityThis two-volume companion brings together a team of contemporary theologians and writers to provide substantial introductions to the key people who shaped the Christian story and tradition. Comprises over 75 entries on the most important and influential figures in the history of Christianity, written by an international team of nearly 50 contemporary theologiansA to Z entries range from substantial essays to shorter overviews, each of which locates the theologian in their immediate context, summarizes the themes of their work, and explains their significanceCovers a broad span of theologians, from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas, through to C. S. Lewis, James Cone, and Rosemary Radford ReutherAccessibly structured around five periods: early centuries, middle ages, reformation period, the Enlightenment, and the twentieth-century to the presentProvides profiles of key Catholic, protestant, evangelical, and progressive theologiansExplains the technical details of theology in accurate and accessible ways, and includes a variety of student aids, including a timeline to orientate the reader, reading lists, and a glossary of key terms

The most comprehensive and up-to-date English-language guide on hadith scholarshipThe source of much of our knowledge of the first two centuries of Islamic history, the hadith literature is made up of thousands of traditions collected during the formative years of Islam. Alongside the Qur'an, the hadith forms a second major body of Islamic scripture, and much of Islamic belief and practice rests on the hadith including Islamic law, Islamic theology, Qur'anic interpretation, political thought, and personal behavior. Yet despite its importance to Muslims worldwide and its indispensable role as a source for early Islamic history, the hadith remains unexplored territory for many non-specialist readers.The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Hadith is a concise yet comprehensive overview of both Islamic and Western traditions of hadith study, offering up-to-date scholarship and providing readers with an essential guide to this distinctive aspect of Islam.Written by a multidisciplinary team of distinguished scholars, the Companion discusses questions of authenticity, epistemology and authority in the hadith and explores the relationship of the hadith literature to other ways of transmitting knowledge and establishing authority.  Covers the origins of hadith, the application of hadith within the Islamic intellectual tradition, and contemporary revaluations of hadith literatureAddresses developments in modern scholarship about the origins of Islam and Islamic law which are rooted in a revaluation of hadithPresents new and groundbreaking research from international scholars from divergent perspectives to present an accurate and lively overview of the fieldExplores the emergence of skepticism about hadith among western scholarsSurveys the evolution of a wide range of approaches to hadith among modern MuslimsFilling a significant gap in current literature in the field, The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Hadith is a valuable resource for students, scholars, and researchers in Islamic studies, Islamic law, history, and theology.

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Materiality provides a thoughtfully organized, inclusive, and vibrant project of the multiple ways in which religion and materiality intersect. The contributions explore the way that religion is shaped by, and has shaped, the material world, embedding beliefs, doctrines, and texts into social and cultural contexts of production, circulation, and consumption.The Companion not only contains scholarly essays but has an accompanying website to demonstrate the work of performers, architects, and expressive artists, ranging from musicians and dancers to religious practitioners. These examples offer specific illustrations of the interplay of religion and materiality in everyday life. The project is organized from a comparative perspective, highlighting examples and case studies from traditions originating in both East and West. To summarize, the volume: Brings together the leading figures, theories and ideas in the field in a systematic and comprehensive wayOffers an interdisciplinary approach drawing together religious studies, anthropology, archaeology, history, sociology, geography, the cognitive sciences, ecology, and media studiesTakes a comparative perspective, covering all the major faith traditions

The Blackwell Companion to Paul presents a distinctive dual focus approach that encompasses both the historical Paul and the history of Paul's influence. In doing so, expert contributors successfully address the interests of students of early Christianity and those of Christian theology.  Offers a complete overview of the life, writings and legacy of one of the key figures of ChristianityThe essays compass the major themes of Paul's life and work, as well as his impact through the centuries on theology, Church teaching, social beliefs, art, literature, and contemporary intellectual thought Edited by one of the leading figures in the field of Pauline Studies The contributors include a range of world-renowned academics

Through a series of essays contributed by leading experts in the field, The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Practical Theology presents an introduction to practical theology as a major area of Christian study and practice, including an overview of its key developments, themes, methods, and future directions. The first comprehensive reference work to provide a survey, description and analysis of practical theology as an area of studyA range of leading scholars in the field provide original contributions on the major areas, issues, and figures in practical theologyReviews an extensive range of methods for studying theology in practice, along with sub-disciplines in theological education such as pastoral care and preachingCovers developments in the discipline in a range of global contexts and distinct Christian traditionsShows how practical theology is relevant to everyday life

The Blackwell Companion to Jesus features a comprehensive collection of essays that explore the diverse ways in which Jesus has been imagined or portrayed from the beginnings of Christianity to the present day. Considers portrayals of Jesus in the New Testament and beyond, Jesus in non-Christian religions, philosophical and historic perspectives, modern manifestations, and representations in Christian art, novels, and filmComprehensive scope of coverage distinguishes this work from similar offeringsExamines both Christian and non-Christian perspectives on Jesus, including those from ethnic and sexual groups, as well as from other faithsOffers rich and rewarding insights which will shape our understanding of this influential figure and his enduring legacy

Fully revised and updated, the second edition of The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Qur'ān offers an ideal resource for anyone who wishes to read and understand the Qur'ān as a text and as a vital component of Muslim life. While retaining the literary approach to the subject, this new edition extends both the theological and philosophical approaches to the Qur'ān.Edited by the noted authority on the Qur'ān, Andrew Rippin, and Islamic Studies scholar Jawid Mojaddedi, and with contributions from other internationally renowned scholars, the book is comprehensive in scope and written in clear and accessible language. New to this edition is material on modern exegesis, the study of the Qur'ān in the West, the relationship between the Qur'ān and religions prior to Islam, and much more.The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Qur'ān is a rich and wide-ranging resource, exploring the Qur'ān as both a religious text and as a work of literature.