Readings in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam » (1st Edition)

A comparative introduction to significant readings found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The book covers a wide range of historical periods up to the present day. The readings explore six major themes from the perspective of each tradition. The six major themes includes coverage of: Scripture and Tradition; Monotheism; Authority and Community; Worship and Ritual; Ethics; and Religion and the Political Order.

For anyone interested in Western Religious Traditions in Religion or HIstory Departments.

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A collection of readings from mainly primary and some secondary sources, designed to provide chronological and topical coverage of three major world religions. Readings vary in length, and are grouped in sections on scripture and tradition, monotheism, authority and community, worship and ritual, ethics, and religion and political order. Material is arranged to allow for identification of similarities and differences among traditions. A brief introduction sets each selection in its place and time, and in some cases provides commentary. Accessible to beginning students. No index. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

I. SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION.

1. In Judaism.

Israel's History in the Biblical Narrative Tradition. The Literature of Oral Torah. A Karaite View of Rabbinic Tradition. A Kabbalistic View of Rabbinic Tradition.

2. In Christianity.

Old and New Revelations. Interpreting Scripture. The Catholic Church Defends Its Interpretation of the Scriptures. New Revelations: The Case of the Mormons.

3. In Islam.

Pre-Islamic Arabia. Muhammad. The Qur'an.

II. MONOTHEISM.

4. In Judaism.

The Diversity of Monotheistic Conceptions. Messianic Speculation and Movements.

5. In Christianity.

Establishing the Identity of Jesus Christ. Paul's Letters. The Letter to the Hebrews. Some Observations on the Humanity and Divinity of Jesus. Saint Athanasius, On the Incarnation. Christian Monotheism and the Doctrines of Reason.

6. In Islam.

Islam as a Monotheistic Creed. The Science of Speculative Theology. A Muslim Creed. Islamic Mysticism: The Sufi Way to Union With God. A Traditional Scholar's Overview of Sufism. Rumi. Hamzah Fansuri. Sejarah Melayu: Malay Annals.

III. AUTHORITY AND COMMUNITY.

7. In Judaism.

Biblical Models of Religious Leadership. Community and Authority: The Yakhad and the Rabbinic Sages. The Tzaddik or Rebbe in Hasidic Communities.

8. In Christianity.

Apostles and Bishops. Apostolic Succession Versus Secret Knowledge. Papal and Scriptural Authority. Dethroning the Pope, Enthroning Scripture. Women and Religious Authority.

9. In Islam.

The Office of Caliph-Iman. The Authority of the Prophet Muhammad's Sunna. Shi'ites and Sunnis: Parallel Orthodoxies Sharing One Orthopraxy.

IV. WORSHIP AND RITUAL.

10. In Judaism.

Texts From the Rabbinic Liturgy. Modern Transformations of Rabbinic Liturgical Texts.

11. In Christianity.

Christian Ritual Against a Jewish Background. Ritual Aspects of Martyrdom and Self-Denial. Monastic Self-Denial. Popular Piety.

12. In Islam.

Islamic Worship and Devotional Practices. How a Muslim Should Go to Bed (and in the Process Prepare for Death). How to Perform the Salat Worship: Daily and Friday. A Modern Muslim Woman's Perspective. The Divine Name in Muslim Worship.

V. ETHICS.

13. In Judaism.

The Nature of the Moral Struggle. Guides to Moral Excellence. Moral Struggle Beyond the Halakhic Framework.

14. In Christianity.

Faith, Works, and the World in Early Christian History. Christians Versus "The World". Christians Versus Popular Culture. Salvation by Faith Alone. Social Justice and Christian Ethics.

15. In Islam.

Introduction. A Practical Guide to What is Lawful and What is Prohibited in Islam.

VI. RELIGION AND THE POLITICAL ORDER.

16. In Judaism.

Jewish Ethnic Autonomy in Late Antiquity. Jewish Autonomy Under Christendom and Islam. The Jews and the Modern State. The Holocaust, Israel and Contemporary Jewry.

17. In Christianity.

The Two Realms. God and Caesar in the Reformation. The Christian Millennial Kingdom. Civil Disobedience.

18. In Islam.

Sayyid Qutb and “Jahilyyah”. The Shari'a and Today's World. Muslim Women's Struggle for Independence.