Religion as an analytical category doesn't lend itself to the reexamination and reinvention of tradition; especially in Islam; where the lines demarcating religion; culture; civilization; and politics are kept deliberately ambiguous. Religion in Modern Islamic Discourse examines the place of religion in debates and discussions from the nineteenth century to the present. Abdulkader Tayob follows the transformation of Islamic discourse; both in its adaptation and resistance to modernity. Tayob focuses on the efforts by intellectuals to reconcile Islam with the forces of modernization. He begins in Egypt and colonial India; closely reading works on the essence of religion and its social value. He then explores key contributions on identity; state; law; and gender. Tayob's analysis reveals the deep structural foundations of Islam's approach to religion; religious values; and spirituality; providing an unusually creative perspective on the evolution of its modern discourse.
#544957 in Books Brown Peter 2008-07-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x 1.06 x 7.10l; 1.63 #File Name: 0231144075568 pagesThe Body and Society Men Women and Sexual Renunciation in Early Christianity
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Encouraging to see Christianity's newness and continuation of Roman Society.By Arnold MillerI found Brown's honesty about the emphasis on continence in both Roman society and the abiblity to be as such a sign of a true prophet in Christianity to be edifying. I just took Christopher West's Theology of the Body workshop and found many of the truths in this book to be found in John Paul II's writings on the Theology of the Body. The natural weakening of the ability of the sexual act was seen as an ability to turn toward the union with the divine instead of as something that had to be fought off with Viagra! I found it to be a book that will encourage people to the resourcement that the Second Vatican Council has called us to. I was fascinated to see in the Roman Empire how giving birth was a duty just to keep society functioning as the life span was only 25 years old. Love had to be stronger than death or the Roman Empire would have collapsed!Rev. Arnold J. Miller Jr.12 of 14 people found the following review helpful. An important book; limned with a broad brushBy B. MaroldFirst; I suggest a counter to the review which said the book was dense reading. I don't think so (caveat - I have a degree in Theology; so I read this stuff all the time). Brown's presentation is more lucid than many writers of similar works in technical journals; and he is a world class expert on "Late Antiquity"; a subject he virtually invented. He is also the author of the best biography of St. Augustine (short of reading the "Confessions").I also suspect the reviewer's claim that the Christians took on the ascetic ethic of the Stoics. The only reference to the Stoics of any substance is their influence on Clement of Alexandria; who was not a major advocate of asceticism and against concupiscence. Asceticism grew on the fringes of the empire; in the Syrian and Egyptian deserts. The emphasis on abstinence from all sex except for procreation for the general faithful was stressed most strongly by St. Augustine in several books; and argued strongly against heretics who discounted "original sin".I have two main comments which scholars may find useful. The first is that it deals primarily with Latin Christendom; and with very little attention given to the Greeks (Origin; the Cappadocians; and John Chrysostom) of Egypt and Anatolia; for example. The second is that it tends to see things from a very broad perspective; giving lots of background. This has the advantage of pulling in a lot of names and places who are important to someone studying the subject. I heard; for the first time; of the major Pelagian heretic; Julian of Eclanum.It is this broadness which makes the book appealing to the non-scholar. It is important to remember that the subject is both "the body" and "society". That's a big canvas to fill. But; if all you want is ancient views on "the body"; you may need to wade through a lot of ancient history. But; for school work; the footnotes and the bibliography are worth the price of admission.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Love itBy Tom GartinPeter Brown is awesome. Great writing; clear arguments; and excellent elucidation of the issues. This book was eye-opening for me; and I highly recommend it.
