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Even though they are immersed in sex-saturated society, millions of teens are pledging to remain virgins until their wedding night. How are evangelical Christians persuading young people to wait until marriage? Christine J. Gardner looks closely at the language of the chastity movement and discovers a savvy campaign that uses sex to «sell» abstinence. Drawing from interviews with evangelical leaders and teenagers, she examines the strategy to shift from a negative «just say no» approach to a positive one: «just say yes» to great sex within marriage. <i>Making Chastity Sexy</i> sheds new light on an abstinence campaign that has successfully recast a traditionally feminist idea—"my body, my choice"—into a powerful message, but one that Gardner suggests may ultimately reduce evangelicalism’s transformative power. Focusing on the United States, her study also includes a comparative dimension by examining the export of this evangelical agenda to sub-Saharan Africa.

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The nation–particularly in Exodus and Numbers–is not an abstract concept but rather a grand character whose history is fleshed out with remarkable literary power. In her innovative exploration of national imagination in the Bible, Pardes highlights the textual manifestations of the metaphor, the many anthropomorphisms by which a collective character named «Israel» springs to life. She explores the representation of communal motives, hidden desires, collective anxieties, the drama and suspense embedded in each phase of the nation's life: from birth in exile, to suckling in the wilderness, to a long process of maturation that has no definite end. In the Bible, Pardes suggests, history and literature go hand in hand more explicitly than in modern historiography, which is why the Bible serves as a paradigmatic case for examining the narrative base of national constructions. <br /><br /> Pardes calls for a consideration of the Bible's penetrating renditions of national ambivalence. She reads the rebellious conduct of the nation against the grain, probing the murmurings of the people, foregrounding their critique of the official line. The Bible does not provide a homogeneous account of nation formation, according to Pardes, but rather reveals points of tension between different perceptions of the nation's history and destiny. <br /><br /> This fresh and beautifully rendered portrayal of the history of ancient Israel will be of vital interest to anyone interested in the Bible, in the interrelations of literature and history, in nationhood, in feminist thought, and in psychoanalysis.

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Rara is a vibrant annual street festival in Haiti, when followers of the Afro-Creole religion called Vodou march loudly into public space to take an active role in politics. Working deftly with highly original ethnographic material, Elizabeth McAlister shows how Rara bands harness the power of Vodou spirits and the recently dead to broadcast coded points of view with historical, gendered, and transnational dimensions.

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The Life of Hinduism brings together a series of essays—many recognized as classics in the field—that present Hinduism as a vibrant, truly «lived» religion. Celebrating the diversity for which Hinduism is known, this volume begins its journey in the «new India» of Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, where global connections and local traditions rub shoulders daily. Readers are then offered a glimpse into the multifaceted world of Hindu worship, life-cycle rites, festivals, performances, gurus, and castes. The book’s final sections deal with the Hinduism that is emerging in diasporic North America and with issues of identity that face Hindus in India and around the world: militancy versus tolerance and the struggle between owning one’s own religion and sharing it with others. Contributors: Andrew Abbott, Michael Burawoy, Patricia Hill Collins, Barbara Ehrenreich, Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Sharon Hays, Douglas Massey, Joya Misra, Orlando Patterson, Frances Fox Piven, Lynn Smith-Lovin, Judith Stacey, Arthur Stinchcombe, Alain Touraine, Immanuel Wallerstein, William Julius Wilson, Robert Zussman

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Old Testament and New Testament Bible study guides are important to consult while engaging in serious Biblical studies because the modern Bible translations are all derived from three main ancient languages. These languages are Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. Virtually every word in the Bible, its pronunciation, and its original meaning is contested by scholars engaged in finding the original meanings behind Biblical verses. It is very important to have a complete study guide which alerts students to phrases and terms in the Bible that are derived from these ancient languages.

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In this innovative and deeply felt work, Bron Taylor examines the evolution of «green religions» in North America and beyond: spiritual practices that hold nature as sacred and have in many cases replaced traditional religions. Tracing a wide range of groups—radical environmental activists, lifestyle-focused bioregionalists, surfers, new-agers involved in «ecopsychology,» and groups that hold scientific narratives as sacred—Taylor addresses a central theoretical question: How can environmentally oriented, spiritually motivated individuals and movements be understood as religious when many of them reject religious and supernatural worldviews? The «dark» of the title further expands this idea by emphasizing the depth of believers' passion and also suggesting a potential shadow side: besides uplifting and inspiring, such religion might mislead, deceive, or in some cases precipitate violence. This book provides a fascinating global tour of the green religious phenomenon, enabling readers to evaluate its worldwide emergence and to assess its role in a critically important religious revolution.

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Dao De Jing is one of the richest, most suggestive, and most popular works of philosophy and literature. Composed in China between the late sixth and the late fourth centuries b.c., its enigmatic verses have inspired artists, philosophers, poets, religious thinkers, and general readers down to our own times. This new translation, both revelatory and authentic, captures much of the beauty and nuance of the original work. In an extensive and accessible commentary to his translation, Moss Roberts reveals new depths of Dao De Jing.This edition is distinguished by the literary quality of the translation, its new renderings for a number of the stanzas, and by Roberts's knowledgeable contextualizations. Utilizing recently discovered manuscripts and Chinese scholarship based on them, he is able to shed new light on the work's historical and philosophical contexts. This translation shows that Dao De Jing is far more than a work of personal inspiration; it is also a work of universal scope that makes penetrating comments on politics, statecraft, cosmology, aesthetics, and ethics. Roberts brings these themes to our attention, shows how they are integrated into the work as a whole, and demonstrates the relevance of these topics for our own times.

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In this comprehensive exploration of Ephesians, Daniel K. Darko establishes the context of early Christians in Asia Minor, specifically in relation to their belief in spiritual beings and the role these beings play in human affairs. Drawing parallels with contemporary contexts across the globe, especially in Africa, Professor Darko critiques the limited lens of Western interpretation, encouraging the church to embrace a broader array of worldviews in its pursuit of deep biblical understanding and sound application. Ultimately, Darko demonstrates that salvation in Ephesians is about deliverance from sin and the end of control by evil powers so we can flourish under the reign of God.

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A practical guidebook to the Kabbalah, an ancient mystical tradition which is currently enjoying a resurgence of interest among powerful female role models such as Madonna and Roseanne Barr. The resurgence of interest in the Kabbalah particularily among women is thanks to the universal appeal of the teachings which reach beyond the Jewish tradition where it was born into powerful spiritual truths.The Kabbalah links the Western and Eastern spriitual traditions and it influences tarot, astrology, numerology and magic as it embraces the growth of the soul through the eternal Tree of Life.In this accessible book Vivianne Crowley, who has studied the Kabbalah for many years, makes the tradition available to people from all backgrounds and faiths. The book combines a theoretical explanation of the system with a practical system for using the Kabbalah in our everyday lives. A Woman's Kabbalah is a refreshingly modern approach to a respected ancient wisdom. It is a source book of ideas and a handbook to help you in your personal and spiritual growth. It tells you not only about theory, but also about practice. Each new aspect of Kabbalah is accompanied by spiritual and practical exercises that draw on your imagination, stimulate your creativity, inspire you to spiritual insight, and facilitate your personal growth.The Paranormal, the new ebook series from F&W Media International Ltd, resurrecting rare titles, classic publications and out-of-print texts, as well as new ebook titles on the supernatural – other-worldly books for the digital age. The series includes a range of paranormal subjects from angels, fairies and UFOs to near-death experiences, vampires, ghosts and witchcraft.

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Arguably the single most important element in Abrahamic cross-confessional relations has been an ongoing mutual interest in perennial spiritual and ethical exemplars of one another&rsquo;s communities. Ranging from Late Antiquity through the Middle Ages, <I>Crossing Confessional Boundaries</I> explores the complex roles played by saints, sages, and Friends of God in the communal and intercommunal lives of Christians, Muslims, and Jews across the Mediterranean world, from Spain and North Africa to the Middle East to the Balkans. By examining these stories in their broad institutional, social, and cultural contexts, <I>Crossing Confessional Boundaries </I>reveals unique theological insights into the interlocking histories of the Abrahamic faiths.<BR /> &#160;

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