Brian Lugioyo
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195387360
- eISBN:
- 9780199866663
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195387360.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
Martin Bucer has been predominantly portrayed as a diplomat, who attempted to reconcile divergent theological views, sometimes at any costs, or as a pragmatic pastor, who was more concerned with ...
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Martin Bucer has been predominantly portrayed as a diplomat, who attempted to reconcile divergent theological views, sometimes at any costs, or as a pragmatic pastor, who was more concerned with ethics than theology. These representations have led to the view that Bucer was a theological light-weight, a Vermittlungstheologe, rightly placed in the shadow of Luther and Calvin. This book argues differently. Bucer was an ecclesial diplomat and he was a pragmatic pastor, yet his ecclesial and practical approaches to reforming the church were guided by coherent theological convictions. Central to his theology was his understanding of the doctrine of justification, which the book argues has an integrity of its own and has been imprecisely represented as intentionally conciliatory (i.e. as Vermittlungstheologie). It was this solid doctrine that guided his irenicism and acted as a foundation for entering into discussions with Catholics between 1539 and 1541. He was consistent in his approach, and did not sacrifice his theological convictions for ecclesial expediency. His understanding was an accepted evangelical perspective on justification, one to be commended along with those of Luther and Calvin.Less
Martin Bucer has been predominantly portrayed as a diplomat, who attempted to reconcile divergent theological views, sometimes at any costs, or as a pragmatic pastor, who was more concerned with ethics than theology. These representations have led to the view that Bucer was a theological light-weight, a Vermittlungstheologe, rightly placed in the shadow of Luther and Calvin. This book argues differently. Bucer was an ecclesial diplomat and he was a pragmatic pastor, yet his ecclesial and practical approaches to reforming the church were guided by coherent theological convictions. Central to his theology was his understanding of the doctrine of justification, which the book argues has an integrity of its own and has been imprecisely represented as intentionally conciliatory (i.e. as Vermittlungstheologie). It was this solid doctrine that guided his irenicism and acted as a foundation for entering into discussions with Catholics between 1539 and 1541. He was consistent in his approach, and did not sacrifice his theological convictions for ecclesial expediency. His understanding was an accepted evangelical perspective on justification, one to be commended along with those of Luther and Calvin.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Does God want us to be wealthy? Many people believe that God offers not only eternal joy in the hereafter but also material blessings in the here and now. Other Christians see this “prosperity ...
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Does God want us to be wealthy? Many people believe that God offers not only eternal joy in the hereafter but also material blessings in the here and now. Other Christians see this “prosperity theology”, as nothing more than vulgar materialism, incompatible with orthodox Christianity. This book examines the Word of Faith movement, an independent, non-denominational Christian movement that preaches the so-called “health and wealth gospel”. Drawing on the author's personal experiences as a former insider and in-depth interviews with members, this book takes the reader inside the movement, revealing what it is like to belong, and how people accept, reject, and reshape Word of Faith doctrines to fit their own lives. Analyzing the movement's appeal to African Americans, the book argues that because of their history of oppression and discrimination, African American religious institutions have always had to address the material ' as well as spiritual ' concerns of their members.Less
Does God want us to be wealthy? Many people believe that God offers not only eternal joy in the hereafter but also material blessings in the here and now. Other Christians see this “prosperity theology”, as nothing more than vulgar materialism, incompatible with orthodox Christianity. This book examines the Word of Faith movement, an independent, non-denominational Christian movement that preaches the so-called “health and wealth gospel”. Drawing on the author's personal experiences as a former insider and in-depth interviews with members, this book takes the reader inside the movement, revealing what it is like to belong, and how people accept, reject, and reshape Word of Faith doctrines to fit their own lives. Analyzing the movement's appeal to African Americans, the book argues that because of their history of oppression and discrimination, African American religious institutions have always had to address the material ' as well as spiritual ' concerns of their members.
Timothy Larsen
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199287871
- eISBN:
- 9780191713422
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199287871.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
George Sexton was the most academically distinguished popular freethinking lecturer, and specialized in disseminating the latest scientific thought. He converted to Spiritualism and to orthodox ...
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George Sexton was the most academically distinguished popular freethinking lecturer, and specialized in disseminating the latest scientific thought. He converted to Spiritualism and to orthodox Christianity. His work as a Christian apologist included editing the Shield of Faith.Less
George Sexton was the most academically distinguished popular freethinking lecturer, and specialized in disseminating the latest scientific thought. He converted to Spiritualism and to orthodox Christianity. His work as a Christian apologist included editing the Shield of Faith.
David W. Miller
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195314809
- eISBN:
- 9780199785278
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314809.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter focuses on the FAW movement, analyzing its member profiles and modes of expression, using theological and sociological categories. It draws on a wide range of primary sources, including ...
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This chapter focuses on the FAW movement, analyzing its member profiles and modes of expression, using theological and sociological categories. It draws on a wide range of primary sources, including the 2003 International Faith & Work Directory, media coverage, books, newsletters, magazines, Internet sites, conferences, interviews, firsthand experiences, and on the emerging body of research in the business academy.Less
This chapter focuses on the FAW movement, analyzing its member profiles and modes of expression, using theological and sociological categories. It draws on a wide range of primary sources, including the 2003 International Faith & Work Directory, media coverage, books, newsletters, magazines, Internet sites, conferences, interviews, firsthand experiences, and on the emerging body of research in the business academy.
Robert C. Solomon
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195181579
- eISBN:
- 9780199786602
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195181573.003.0006
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy
Sartre’s Being and Nothingness is one of the great books in philosophy of the 20th century. One of the most excerpted and most discussed sections of that book is the chapter on “Bad Faith”. Sartre’s ...
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Sartre’s Being and Nothingness is one of the great books in philosophy of the 20th century. One of the most excerpted and most discussed sections of that book is the chapter on “Bad Faith”. Sartre’s analysis centers on the twin concepts of facticity and transcendence and the complex relationship of the two. He also suggests that bad faith may be inescapable, a thesis seriously challenged here. This chapter also examines Sartre’s famous examples of bad faith in considerable detail.Less
Sartre’s Being and Nothingness is one of the great books in philosophy of the 20th century. One of the most excerpted and most discussed sections of that book is the chapter on “Bad Faith”. Sartre’s analysis centers on the twin concepts of facticity and transcendence and the complex relationship of the two. He also suggests that bad faith may be inescapable, a thesis seriously challenged here. This chapter also examines Sartre’s famous examples of bad faith in considerable detail.
Robert C. Solomon
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195181579
- eISBN:
- 9780199786602
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195181573.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy
Sartre’s No Exit is a conscientiously trite play that explores some profound truths about what Sartre (in Being and Nothingness) calls Being-for-Others. No Exit presents us with three perverse ...
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Sartre’s No Exit is a conscientiously trite play that explores some profound truths about what Sartre (in Being and Nothingness) calls Being-for-Others. No Exit presents us with three perverse characters in Hell who are forced to spend eternity together. The play explores the nature of human relationships, how people deceive one another and deceive themselves. Sartre’s conclusion is “Hell is other people”.Less
Sartre’s No Exit is a conscientiously trite play that explores some profound truths about what Sartre (in Being and Nothingness) calls Being-for-Others. No Exit presents us with three perverse characters in Hell who are forced to spend eternity together. The play explores the nature of human relationships, how people deceive one another and deceive themselves. Sartre’s conclusion is “Hell is other people”.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter provides insight on the culture within the movement by focusing on one of the member congregations of the Word of Faith Movement — Faith Christian Center in Sacramento, California. This ...
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This chapter provides insight on the culture within the movement by focusing on one of the member congregations of the Word of Faith Movement — Faith Christian Center in Sacramento, California. This congregation teaches the Faith Message to literally thousands of people each week through worship services, Bible studies, and the weekly television broadcast. This church is therefore a major site on the map of the Word of Faith Movement in northern California. The culture inside the ministry, worship services, the faith message and needs of the ministry, and dealing with diversity are discussed.Less
This chapter provides insight on the culture within the movement by focusing on one of the member congregations of the Word of Faith Movement — Faith Christian Center in Sacramento, California. This congregation teaches the Faith Message to literally thousands of people each week through worship services, Bible studies, and the weekly television broadcast. This church is therefore a major site on the map of the Word of Faith Movement in northern California. The culture inside the ministry, worship services, the faith message and needs of the ministry, and dealing with diversity are discussed.
Aviad Kleinberg
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231174701
- eISBN:
- 9780231540247
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231174701.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
A short ethical discussion of the benefits of slaying in the name of God.
A short ethical discussion of the benefits of slaying in the name of God.
Aviad Kleinberg
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231174701
- eISBN:
- 9780231540247
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231174701.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
Where we say goodbye to the author and to his Author.
Where we say goodbye to the author and to his Author.
Shawn Francis Peters
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195306354
- eISBN:
- 9780199867714
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195306354.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines the spiritual healing practices of a Philadelphia church, the Faith Tabernacle, and reviews the numerous legal cases that have resulted from deaths of children in the faith. ...
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This chapter examines the spiritual healing practices of a Philadelphia church, the Faith Tabernacle, and reviews the numerous legal cases that have resulted from deaths of children in the faith. Close scrutiny is paid to Commonwealth v. Nixon (Pennsylvania), a case involving two Faith Tabernacle parents who were prosecuted for manslaughter after their teenage daughter died from untreated diabetes. Several other analogous cases are detailed, among them Commonwealth v. Heilman (Pennsylvania), in which authorities prosecuted two Faith Tabernacle parents after their son, a hemophiliac, received no medical treatment for a small cut and slowly bled to death. This chapter also examines an outbreak of measles that killed five Faith Tabernacle children in Philadelphia in 1991. Close scrutiny of the epidemic and the public health issues it raised leads to a discussion of how states might intervene to protect the health of children endangered by spiritual healing practices.Less
This chapter examines the spiritual healing practices of a Philadelphia church, the Faith Tabernacle, and reviews the numerous legal cases that have resulted from deaths of children in the faith. Close scrutiny is paid to Commonwealth v. Nixon (Pennsylvania), a case involving two Faith Tabernacle parents who were prosecuted for manslaughter after their teenage daughter died from untreated diabetes. Several other analogous cases are detailed, among them Commonwealth v. Heilman (Pennsylvania), in which authorities prosecuted two Faith Tabernacle parents after their son, a hemophiliac, received no medical treatment for a small cut and slowly bled to death. This chapter also examines an outbreak of measles that killed five Faith Tabernacle children in Philadelphia in 1991. Close scrutiny of the epidemic and the public health issues it raised leads to a discussion of how states might intervene to protect the health of children endangered by spiritual healing practices.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of the Word of Faith Movement, one of many new forms of evangelical, charismatic Christianity to develop in the United States since World War ...
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This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of the Word of Faith Movement, one of many new forms of evangelical, charismatic Christianity to develop in the United States since World War II. It is a contemporary American religious subculture made up of denominationally independent churches, ministries, Bible training colleges and other educational institutions, voluntary organizations and fellowships, information and entertainment production facilities, and mass media broadcast networks. Rather than being part of a formal organizational structure, all of these entities are bound together into a relational network, based upon a shared understanding of the Bible, according to the movement's doctrine, the Faith Message. The founders of the movement, core beliefs and practices, and the structure and distribution of the movement are discussed.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a brief discussion of the Word of Faith Movement, one of many new forms of evangelical, charismatic Christianity to develop in the United States since World War II. It is a contemporary American religious subculture made up of denominationally independent churches, ministries, Bible training colleges and other educational institutions, voluntary organizations and fellowships, information and entertainment production facilities, and mass media broadcast networks. Rather than being part of a formal organizational structure, all of these entities are bound together into a relational network, based upon a shared understanding of the Bible, according to the movement's doctrine, the Faith Message. The founders of the movement, core beliefs and practices, and the structure and distribution of the movement are discussed.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter focuses on the difficult positions faced by some people as they attempt both to live out the teachings of the Faith Message and to serve the needs of the ministry. It discusses four ...
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This chapter focuses on the difficult positions faced by some people as they attempt both to live out the teachings of the Faith Message and to serve the needs of the ministry. It discusses four coping strategies church members use to cope with the demands placed upon them: filtering, venting networks, break taking, and, leaving the church permanently. Filtering is the active, intentional practice of accepting certain parts of the pastor's interpretation of scripture (or definition of the situation in terms of practice) while consciously rejecting others. Venting networks emerged out of social interactions in which members — who may or may not be deemed “disgruntled” but who have something to say that may be interpreted by others as against the dominant view — are able to critique and to give voice to their disagreements or discontents concerning some aspect of their experiences in the church. Break taking involves members voluntarily removing themselves either from their position in the church as a worker for a period of time before returning at some later date or staying away from the ministry altogether for a period of time.Less
This chapter focuses on the difficult positions faced by some people as they attempt both to live out the teachings of the Faith Message and to serve the needs of the ministry. It discusses four coping strategies church members use to cope with the demands placed upon them: filtering, venting networks, break taking, and, leaving the church permanently. Filtering is the active, intentional practice of accepting certain parts of the pastor's interpretation of scripture (or definition of the situation in terms of practice) while consciously rejecting others. Venting networks emerged out of social interactions in which members — who may or may not be deemed “disgruntled” but who have something to say that may be interpreted by others as against the dominant view — are able to critique and to give voice to their disagreements or discontents concerning some aspect of their experiences in the church. Break taking involves members voluntarily removing themselves either from their position in the church as a worker for a period of time before returning at some later date or staying away from the ministry altogether for a period of time.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This concluding chapter discusses the overall meaning of the Word of Faith Movement and the doctrine that has captivated so many believers. Topics covered include the Faith Message and social class, ...
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This concluding chapter discusses the overall meaning of the Word of Faith Movement and the doctrine that has captivated so many believers. Topics covered include the Faith Message and social class, the Faith Message in African American religious history, Word of Faith Movement as contemporary American religion, and the Faith Message as ideology of transition.Less
This concluding chapter discusses the overall meaning of the Word of Faith Movement and the doctrine that has captivated so many believers. Topics covered include the Faith Message and social class, the Faith Message in African American religious history, Word of Faith Movement as contemporary American religion, and the Faith Message as ideology of transition.
Larry Shapiro
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780231178402
- eISBN:
- 9780231542142
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231178402.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
There are many who believe Moses parted the Red Sea and Jesus came back from the dead. Others are certain that exorcisms occur, ghosts haunt attics, and the blessed can cure the terminally ill. ...
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There are many who believe Moses parted the Red Sea and Jesus came back from the dead. Others are certain that exorcisms occur, ghosts haunt attics, and the blessed can cure the terminally ill. Though miracles are immensely improbable, people have embraced them for millennia, seeing in them proof of a supernatural world that resists scientific explanation.
Helping us to think more critically about our belief in the improbable, The Miracle Myth casts a skeptical eye on attempts to justify belief in the supernatural, laying bare the fallacies that such attempts commit. Through arguments and accessible analysis, Larry Shapiro sharpens our critical faculties so we become less susceptible to tales of myths and miracles and learn how, ultimately, to evaluate claims regarding vastly improbable events on our own. Shapiro acknowledges that belief in miracles could be harmless, but cautions against allowing such beliefs to guide how we live our lives. His investigation reminds us of the importance of evidence and rational thinking as we explore the unknown.Less
There are many who believe Moses parted the Red Sea and Jesus came back from the dead. Others are certain that exorcisms occur, ghosts haunt attics, and the blessed can cure the terminally ill. Though miracles are immensely improbable, people have embraced them for millennia, seeing in them proof of a supernatural world that resists scientific explanation.
Helping us to think more critically about our belief in the improbable, The Miracle Myth casts a skeptical eye on attempts to justify belief in the supernatural, laying bare the fallacies that such attempts commit. Through arguments and accessible analysis, Larry Shapiro sharpens our critical faculties so we become less susceptible to tales of myths and miracles and learn how, ultimately, to evaluate claims regarding vastly improbable events on our own. Shapiro acknowledges that belief in miracles could be harmless, but cautions against allowing such beliefs to guide how we live our lives. His investigation reminds us of the importance of evidence and rational thinking as we explore the unknown.
Jerome Murphy‐O'Connor
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199592104
- eISBN:
- 9780191595608
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199592104.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies, Early Christian Studies
Against the majority, who interprete ‘resurrection’ eschatologically, the context strongly suggests that it should be understood existentially. It takes place within the framework of Paul's ...
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Against the majority, who interprete ‘resurrection’ eschatologically, the context strongly suggests that it should be understood existentially. It takes place within the framework of Paul's terrestrial existence. He needs to be ‘raised’ because ‘death’ is at work in him (4:12).Less
Against the majority, who interprete ‘resurrection’ eschatologically, the context strongly suggests that it should be understood existentially. It takes place within the framework of Paul's terrestrial existence. He needs to be ‘raised’ because ‘death’ is at work in him (4:12).
Akeel Bilgrami (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231170802
- eISBN:
- 9780231541015
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231170802.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
What is the character of secularism in countries that were not pervaded by Christianity, such as China, India, and the nations of the Middle East? To what extent is the secular an imposition of ...
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What is the character of secularism in countries that were not pervaded by Christianity, such as China, India, and the nations of the Middle East? To what extent is the secular an imposition of colonial rule? How does secularism comport with local religious cultures in Africa, and how does it work with local forms of power and governance in Latin America? Has modern secularism evolved organically, or is it even necessary, and has it always meant progress? A vital extension of Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age, in which he exhaustively chronicled the emergence of secularism in Latin Christendom, this anthology applies Taylor’s findings to secularism’s global migration. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, Rajeev Bhargava, Akeel Bilgrami, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Sudipta Kaviraj, Claudio Lomnitz, Alfred Stepan, Charles Taylor, and Peter van der Veer each explore the transformation of Western secularism beyond Europe, and the collection closes with Taylor’s response to each essay. What began as a modern reaction to—as well as a stubborn extension of—Latin Christendom has become a complex export shaped by the world’s religious and political systems. Brilliantly alternating between intellectual and methodological approaches, this volume fosters a greater engagement with the phenomenon across disciplines.Less
What is the character of secularism in countries that were not pervaded by Christianity, such as China, India, and the nations of the Middle East? To what extent is the secular an imposition of colonial rule? How does secularism comport with local religious cultures in Africa, and how does it work with local forms of power and governance in Latin America? Has modern secularism evolved organically, or is it even necessary, and has it always meant progress? A vital extension of Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age, in which he exhaustively chronicled the emergence of secularism in Latin Christendom, this anthology applies Taylor’s findings to secularism’s global migration. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im, Rajeev Bhargava, Akeel Bilgrami, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Sudipta Kaviraj, Claudio Lomnitz, Alfred Stepan, Charles Taylor, and Peter van der Veer each explore the transformation of Western secularism beyond Europe, and the collection closes with Taylor’s response to each essay. What began as a modern reaction to—as well as a stubborn extension of—Latin Christendom has become a complex export shaped by the world’s religious and political systems. Brilliantly alternating between intellectual and methodological approaches, this volume fosters a greater engagement with the phenomenon across disciplines.
Corinna Nicolaou
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231173940
- eISBN:
- 9780231541251
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231173940.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The rising population known as “nones” for its members’ lack of religious affiliation is changing American society, politics, and culture. Many nones believe in God and even visit places of worship, ...
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The rising population known as “nones” for its members’ lack of religious affiliation is changing American society, politics, and culture. Many nones believe in God and even visit places of worship, but they do not identify with a specific faith or belong to a spiritual community. Corinna Nicolaou is a none, and in this layered narrative, she describes what it is like for her and thousands of others to live without religion or to be spiritual without committing to a specific faith. Nicolaou tours America’s major traditional religions to see what, if anything, one might lack without God. She moves through Christianity’s denominations, learning their tenets and worshiping alongside their followers. She travels to Los Angeles to immerse herself in Judaism, Berkeley to educate herself about Buddhism, and Dallas and Washington, D.C., to familiarize herself with Islam. She explores what light they can shed on the fears and failings of her past, and these encounters prove the significant role religion still plays in modern life. They also exemplify the vibrant relationship between religion and American culture and the enduring value it provides to immigrants and outsiders. Though she remains a devout none, Nicolaou’s experiences reveal points of contact between the religious and the unaffiliated, suggesting that nones may be radically revising the practice of faith in contemporary times.Less
The rising population known as “nones” for its members’ lack of religious affiliation is changing American society, politics, and culture. Many nones believe in God and even visit places of worship, but they do not identify with a specific faith or belong to a spiritual community. Corinna Nicolaou is a none, and in this layered narrative, she describes what it is like for her and thousands of others to live without religion or to be spiritual without committing to a specific faith. Nicolaou tours America’s major traditional religions to see what, if anything, one might lack without God. She moves through Christianity’s denominations, learning their tenets and worshiping alongside their followers. She travels to Los Angeles to immerse herself in Judaism, Berkeley to educate herself about Buddhism, and Dallas and Washington, D.C., to familiarize herself with Islam. She explores what light they can shed on the fears and failings of her past, and these encounters prove the significant role religion still plays in modern life. They also exemplify the vibrant relationship between religion and American culture and the enduring value it provides to immigrants and outsiders. Though she remains a devout none, Nicolaou’s experiences reveal points of contact between the religious and the unaffiliated, suggesting that nones may be radically revising the practice of faith in contemporary times.
Catherine Bowler
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195393408
- eISBN:
- 9780199894390
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393408.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This chapter reports ethnographic research on a storefront African American Word of Faith Church, Durham, North Carolina, that practices healing within a Prosperity Gospel. Faith is measured in the ...
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This chapter reports ethnographic research on a storefront African American Word of Faith Church, Durham, North Carolina, that practices healing within a Prosperity Gospel. Faith is measured in the body—one’s health—making material reality the measure of immaterial faith. Black Protestantism has long combined metaphysical religions, New Thought, African-derived traditions (hoodoo, voodoo, conjure, rootwork), and pentecostalism. Leaders include: “Reverend Ike,” Frederick K. C. Price, Keith Butler, Leroy Thompson, Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes. Faith is a force that actuates words through “positive confession.” Believers avoided “negative confession” by ignoring “sense knowledge,” acting as if well until healing “manifested,” not asking for prayer repeatedly. Believers conducted spiritual warfare against demons through deliverance. The congregation studied had access to medical care but mistrusted medicine as inferior to faith, partly because the healthcare system had failed to provide African Americans with color-blind treatment. Congregants variously interpreted “failure” to receive healing.Less
This chapter reports ethnographic research on a storefront African American Word of Faith Church, Durham, North Carolina, that practices healing within a Prosperity Gospel. Faith is measured in the body—one’s health—making material reality the measure of immaterial faith. Black Protestantism has long combined metaphysical religions, New Thought, African-derived traditions (hoodoo, voodoo, conjure, rootwork), and pentecostalism. Leaders include: “Reverend Ike,” Frederick K. C. Price, Keith Butler, Leroy Thompson, Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes. Faith is a force that actuates words through “positive confession.” Believers avoided “negative confession” by ignoring “sense knowledge,” acting as if well until healing “manifested,” not asking for prayer repeatedly. Believers conducted spiritual warfare against demons through deliverance. The congregation studied had access to medical care but mistrusted medicine as inferior to faith, partly because the healthcare system had failed to provide African Americans with color-blind treatment. Congregants variously interpreted “failure” to receive healing.
Adrian Hastings
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198263999
- eISBN:
- 9780191600623
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198263996.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This chapter covers the growing independency and prophetism of Christian African Churches in the period from the late nineteenth century to 1960. The first section covers ‘African Churches’ in ...
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This chapter covers the growing independency and prophetism of Christian African Churches in the period from the late nineteenth century to 1960. The first section covers ‘African Churches’ in Nigeria and South Africa from 1888 to 1917. Further sections cover the rise of Zionism; Elliot Kenan Kamwana—an influential Tongan religious enthusiast; Harrists (named after the Liberian prophet William Wade Harris) and Kimbanguists (named after Simon Kimbangu, a Kongan prophet); the Aladura (the praying people of the Faith Tabernacle (outside the Anglican Church) in Yorubaland) and the Cherubim and Seraphim Society; East and Central Africa from the end of the 1920s; independency in the 1950s; Protestant causative factions and motivations at work within the Christian movement; and the character of prophetic Christianity.Less
This chapter covers the growing independency and prophetism of Christian African Churches in the period from the late nineteenth century to 1960. The first section covers ‘African Churches’ in Nigeria and South Africa from 1888 to 1917. Further sections cover the rise of Zionism; Elliot Kenan Kamwana—an influential Tongan religious enthusiast; Harrists (named after the Liberian prophet William Wade Harris) and Kimbanguists (named after Simon Kimbangu, a Kongan prophet); the Aladura (the praying people of the Faith Tabernacle (outside the Anglican Church) in Yorubaland) and the Cherubim and Seraphim Society; East and Central Africa from the end of the 1920s; independency in the 1950s; Protestant causative factions and motivations at work within the Christian movement; and the character of prophetic Christianity.
Milmon F. Harrison
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195153132
- eISBN:
- 9780199784578
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195153138.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter presents the stories of three people that highlight and express some of the dominant themes to emerge in talking to people about so personal and intimate a topic as their faith. These ...
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This chapter presents the stories of three people that highlight and express some of the dominant themes to emerge in talking to people about so personal and intimate a topic as their faith. These include the stories of “Cassandra”, an African American woman in her mid-30s who worked as a social worker at the Sacramento County Child Protective Services; “Russell,” a married Baby Boomer who was raised in a Jewish household but has been with the Word of Faith Movement since its early days in the late 1970s; and “Katia”, a single, 25-year-old immigrant from Ukraine. Their accounts of their personal experiences and insights demonstrate that the understanding and meaning of religion as it is lived in everyday contexts can be quite nuanced and complicated, and often fraught with difficulty. Their stories help bring abstract points of doctrine into the realm of the concrete and the real.Less
This chapter presents the stories of three people that highlight and express some of the dominant themes to emerge in talking to people about so personal and intimate a topic as their faith. These include the stories of “Cassandra”, an African American woman in her mid-30s who worked as a social worker at the Sacramento County Child Protective Services; “Russell,” a married Baby Boomer who was raised in a Jewish household but has been with the Word of Faith Movement since its early days in the late 1970s; and “Katia”, a single, 25-year-old immigrant from Ukraine. Their accounts of their personal experiences and insights demonstrate that the understanding and meaning of religion as it is lived in everyday contexts can be quite nuanced and complicated, and often fraught with difficulty. Their stories help bring abstract points of doctrine into the realm of the concrete and the real.
