Alain de Botton's Religion for Atheists looks at the God debate with fresh eyes All of us whether religious agnostic or atheist are searching for meaning & in this wise & life-affirming book non-believer Alain de Botton both rejects the supernatural claims of the major religions & points out just how many good ideas they sometimes have about how we should live And he suggests that non-believers can learn & steal from them Picking & choosing from the thousands of years of advice assembled by the world's great religions Alain de Botton presents a range of fascinating ideas & practical insights on art community love friendship work life & death He shows how they can be of use to us all irrespective of whether we do or don't believe In the Sunday Times top-ten bestseller Religion for Atheists Alain de Botton takes us one step further than Dawkins & Hitchens have ventured & into a world of ideas beyond the God debate'A serious & optimistic set of practical ideas that could improve & alter the way we live' Jeanette Winterson The Times'A beautiful inspiring book offering a glimpse of a more enlightened path' Sunday Telegraph' Packed with tantalizing goads to thought & playful prompts to action' Independent' Smart stimulating sensitive A timely & perceptive appreciation of how much wisdom is embodied in religious traditions & how we godless moderns might learn from it' Financial Times' There isn't a page in this book that doesn't contain a striking idea or a stimulating parallel' Mail on Sunday' Packed with tantalizing goads to thought & playful prompts to action' Independent ...

It's hard to think of a single aspect of American culture past or present in which religion has not played a major role The roles religion plays moreover become more bewilderingly complex & diverse every day For all those who want-whether out of curiosity necessity or civic duty-a vivid picture & fuller understanding of the current reality of religion in America this Very Short Introduction is the go-to book they need Timothy Beal describes many aspects of religion in contemporary America that are typically ignored in other books on the subject including religion in popular culture & counter-cultural groups; the growing phenomenon of "hybrid" religious identities both individual & collective; the expanding numbers of new religious movements or NRMs in America; & interesting examples of "outsider religion" such as Paradise Gardens in Georgia & the People Love People House of God in Ohio He also offers an engaging overview of the history of religion in America from Native American traditions to the present day Beal sees three major forces shaping the present & future of religion in America first unprecedented religious diversity which will continue to grow in the decades to come; second the information revolution & the emergence of a new network society; & third the rise of consumer culture Taken together these forces offer the potential to create a new American pluralism that would enrich society in unimaginable ways but they also threaten the great ideal of e pluribus unum With visual aids that help readers navigate America's diverse religious landscape this informative thoughtful & provocative book is a must-read in the emerging public conversation concerning religion in America ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable ...

Learn about the religions of the world
- in minutes What are the differences between Sunni & Shi'a Catholic & Protestant Buddhism
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Religions in the Modern World Traditions & Transformations Third Edition is the ideal textbook for those coming to the study of religion for the first time as well as for those who wish to keep up-to-date with the latest perspectives in the field This third edition contains new & upgraded pedagogic features including chapter summaries key terms & definitions & questions for reflection & discussion The first part of the book considers the history & modern practices of the main religious traditions of the world while the second analyzes trends from secularization to the rise of new spiritualities Comprehensive & fully international in coverage it is accessibly written by practicing & specialist teachers ...

This innovative course gives you the flexibility to deliver lessons however you want
- both thematically andor by religion 72 pages
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The plight of religious minorities in the Middle East is often attributed to the failure of secularism to take root in the region Religious Difference in a Secular Age challenges this assessment by examining four cornerstones of secularism--political & civil equality minority rights religious freedom & the legal separation of private & public domains Drawing on her extensive fieldwork in Egypt with Coptic Orthodox Christians & Bahais--religious minorities in a predominantly Muslim country--Saba Mahmood shows how modern secular governance has exacerbated religious tensions & inequalities rather than reduced them Tracing the historical career of secular legal concepts in the colonial & postcolonial Middle East she explores how contradictions at the very heart of political secularism have aggravated & amplified existing forms of Islamic hierarchy bringing minority relations in Egypt to a new historical impasse Through a close examination of Egyptian court cases & constitutional debates about minority rights conflicts around family law & controversies over freedom of expression Mahmood invites us to reflect on the entwined histories of secularism in the Middle East & Europe A provocative work of scholarship Religious Difference in a Secular Age challenges us to rethink the promise & limits of the secular ideal of religious equality ...

The eye-opening story of one woman's incredible appetite for life Prue Leith judge of C4's GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF & former judge of BBC2's GREAT BRITISH MENU Now fully revised & updated 560 pages Leith Prue ...

Two fantastic miniseries from master storyteller Warren Ellis collected in one great flip-book trade paperback! RELOAD with art by Paul Gulacy & Jimmy Palmiotti (CATWOMAN) is an espionage thriller that tells the story of Secret Service Agent Chris Royal & his mad scramble to find the woman who assassinated the US President MEK featuring art by Steve Rolston (Pounded) & Al Gordon (TOM STRONG) is a tale of revenge set in a not-too-distant feature where robotic enhancement has become the latest trend ...

This 1955 tempean production was directed by Henry Cass & stars American John Carroll & Virginia Bruce It was also produced by the prolific duo of Robert S Baker & Monty Berman In this romantic comedy four children are seemingly orphaned & remanded to their Aunt & Uncle custody after their parents renowned explorers are lost The proper English Aunt a sensitive dignified entomologist Laura Weeks (Virginia Bruce) is the sister of the missing mother; the Uncle a playboy money-to-burn & girl-chasing Texas oilman Jeff Longstreet (John Carroll) is the brother of their father Naturally the disparate duo dislike each other at first ...

Please note this is a region B Blu-ray & will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play Mohsin Hamid&s international best-seller concerning a Pakistani Princeton graduate whose life is forever altered by the 911 terrorist attacks arrives on the screen courtesy of celebrated filmmaker Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING SALAAM BOMBAY!) Age Rating 15 ...