Key Words in Religious Studies

by Ronald Geaves

Daily political events and the steady inevitability of globalism require that informed students and citizens learn something about religious traditions foreign to their own. Designed for both classroom and general use, these handy Key Words guidebooks are essential resources for those who want clear and concise explanations of common terms and unfamiliar concepts of major world religions.

Each pocket-sized volume contains definitions for over 400 terms from religious principles and significant periods to noteworthy figures.

A quick sampling of terms from this

Agnosticism
Canon
Exegesis
Grace
Liberation Theology
Monotheism
Parable
Ritual
Theocracy

Sample

Exegesis The process of explaining a sacred text in order to penetrate further into the author's meaning or to apply new interpretations based upon contemporary situations or enhanced knowledge (see hermeneutics, sacred texts ).

Monotheism The worship of one God regarded as the sole and universal creator of the universe, typically expressed in the religions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. However varieties of monotheism can also be found in Indian traditions. Monotheistic beliefs classically assert that such a deity is personal, caring for and involving itself in the affairs of human beings through revelation (see deism, monism, henotheism, polytheism, revelation ).

Paperback

First published May 18, 2006

About the author

Ron Geaves is an Honorary Visiting Professor in the School of History, Archaeology, and Religion at Cardiff University. He held a Chair in Religious Studies at the University of Chester (2001-2007) and a Chair in the Comparative Study of Religion at Liverpool Hope University (2007-2013). He joined the Community Religions Project at the University of Leeds in 1988 where he began to work on the transmigration of South Asian religions to Britain, especially Islam. He completed his PhD thesis ‘Sectarian Influences within Islam in Britain’ which was published as a Community Religions Monograph. He has researched Islam in Britain since that time, publishing several books that explore British manifestations of Sufism.

He was Chair of the Muslims in Britain Research Network (2007-2010) and instrumental in the creation of BRAIS (British Association of Islamic Studies), remains a lifetime member of the committee. He has also been Secretary of AUDTRS, the scholarly body representing all departments of religion in the UK. His work remains focused on the application of religious knowledge to real life affairs and he is a passionate believer in advocacy. As a consequence he has involved in a number of projects bridging academia to government, law, architects and media.

Reviews

[Mojdeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

searching new words give me new world !!, I recommend this book to every one who love the world of words , specialy the one who study theology !