Joseph Epes Brown
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195138757
- eISBN:
- 9780199871759
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195138757.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, World Religions
This book offers a thematic approach to looking at Native American religious traditions. Within the great multiplicity of Native American cultures, the book observes certain common themes that ...
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This book offers a thematic approach to looking at Native American religious traditions. Within the great multiplicity of Native American cultures, the book observes certain common themes that resonate within many Native traditions. It demonstrates how themes within native traditions connect with each other, at the same time upholding the integrity of individual traditions. The book illustrates each of these themes with explorations of specific native cultures including Lakota, Navajo, Apache, Koyukon, and Ojibwe. It demonstrates how Native American values provide an alternative metaphysics that stand opposed to modern materialism. It also shows how these spiritual values provide material for a serious rethinking of modern attitudes—especially toward the environment—as well as how they may help non-native peoples develop a more sensitive response to native concerns. Throughout, the book draws on the author's extensive personal experience with Black Elk, who came to symbolize for many the greatness of the imperiled native cultures.Less
This book offers a thematic approach to looking at Native American religious traditions. Within the great multiplicity of Native American cultures, the book observes certain common themes that resonate within many Native traditions. It demonstrates how themes within native traditions connect with each other, at the same time upholding the integrity of individual traditions. The book illustrates each of these themes with explorations of specific native cultures including Lakota, Navajo, Apache, Koyukon, and Ojibwe. It demonstrates how Native American values provide an alternative metaphysics that stand opposed to modern materialism. It also shows how these spiritual values provide material for a serious rethinking of modern attitudes—especially toward the environment—as well as how they may help non-native peoples develop a more sensitive response to native concerns. Throughout, the book draws on the author's extensive personal experience with Black Elk, who came to symbolize for many the greatness of the imperiled native cultures.
Heinrich Schenker
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195151510
- eISBN:
- 9780199871582
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195151510.003.0012
- Subject:
- Music, Theory, Analysis, Composition
This chapter stresses that, assuming performers have mastered their instruments, the study of each piece of music must from the onset be directed toward its expressive content; each piece makes its ...
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This chapter stresses that, assuming performers have mastered their instruments, the study of each piece of music must from the onset be directed toward its expressive content; each piece makes its own individual demands. Certain technical difficulties are equated with difficult life-situations, and the performer is admonished not to simplify but to overcome them. In aphoristic style, evenness of touch, ingenious fingerings, tempo questions, hearing oneself are all considered. The chapter closes with a fervent plea to the performer to eliminate any anxiety and to “infuse the tones with genuine life”.Less
This chapter stresses that, assuming performers have mastered their instruments, the study of each piece of music must from the onset be directed toward its expressive content; each piece makes its own individual demands. Certain technical difficulties are equated with difficult life-situations, and the performer is admonished not to simplify but to overcome them. In aphoristic style, evenness of touch, ingenious fingerings, tempo questions, hearing oneself are all considered. The chapter closes with a fervent plea to the performer to eliminate any anxiety and to “infuse the tones with genuine life”.
Lisa Pearce and Melinda Lundquist Denton
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199753895
- eISBN:
- 9780199894949
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199753895.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Drawing on the massive National Study of Youth and Religion’s telephone surveys and more than 120 in-depth interviews, the authors chart the spiritual trajectory of American adolescents and young ...
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Drawing on the massive National Study of Youth and Religion’s telephone surveys and more than 120 in-depth interviews, the authors chart the spiritual trajectory of American adolescents and young adults over a period of three years. Turning conventional wisdom on its head, the authors find that religion is an important force in the lives of most—though their involvement with religion changes over time, just as teenagers themselves do. Pearce and Denton weave in fascinating portraits of youth to give depth to mere numerical rankings of religiosity, which tend to prevail in large studies. One teenager might rarely attend a service, yet count herself profoundly religious; another might be deeply involved in a church’s social world, yet claim to be “not, like, deep into the faith.” They provide a new set of qualitative categories—Abiders, Assenters, Adapters, Avoiders, and Atheists—quoting from interviews to illuminate the shading between them. And, with their longitudinal survey, they offer a rich understanding of the dynamic nature of faith in young people’s lives during a period of rapid change in biology, personality, and social interaction. Not only do degrees of religiosity change, but so does its nature, whether expressed in institutional practices or personal belief. By presenting a new model of religious development and change, illustrated with compelling personal accounts of real teenagers, Pearce and Denton offer parents and religious leaders a new guide for understanding religious development in youth.Less
Drawing on the massive National Study of Youth and Religion’s telephone surveys and more than 120 in-depth interviews, the authors chart the spiritual trajectory of American adolescents and young adults over a period of three years. Turning conventional wisdom on its head, the authors find that religion is an important force in the lives of most—though their involvement with religion changes over time, just as teenagers themselves do. Pearce and Denton weave in fascinating portraits of youth to give depth to mere numerical rankings of religiosity, which tend to prevail in large studies. One teenager might rarely attend a service, yet count herself profoundly religious; another might be deeply involved in a church’s social world, yet claim to be “not, like, deep into the faith.” They provide a new set of qualitative categories—Abiders, Assenters, Adapters, Avoiders, and Atheists—quoting from interviews to illuminate the shading between them. And, with their longitudinal survey, they offer a rich understanding of the dynamic nature of faith in young people’s lives during a period of rapid change in biology, personality, and social interaction. Not only do degrees of religiosity change, but so does its nature, whether expressed in institutional practices or personal belief. By presenting a new model of religious development and change, illustrated with compelling personal accounts of real teenagers, Pearce and Denton offer parents and religious leaders a new guide for understanding religious development in youth.
Catherine Conybeare
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199240722
- eISBN:
- 9780191600494
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199240728.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
The heart of this book is a reading of the letters of Paulinus of Nola, aristocratic convert to Christianity of the late fourth‐century, and his correspondents, most notably St Augustine of Hippo. We ...
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The heart of this book is a reading of the letters of Paulinus of Nola, aristocratic convert to Christianity of the late fourth‐century, and his correspondents, most notably St Augustine of Hippo. We begin with an analysis of letter writing in late antiquity; we investigate the letters as traces of fuller historical events, emphasize the importance of the letter carriers, and conclude that the letters have a sacramental function. The notion of spiritual community created and sustained by the letters is explored through discussions of Christian friendship, and of the patterns of imagistic thought which facilitate the spiritual interpretation of mundane events. Finally, we demonstrate how Paulinus’ notion of spiritual community leads to a novel conception of the self as truly relational. The impact of these letters, and of the epistolary mode, on the formation of Christian ways of life and thought is extraordinary.Less
The heart of this book is a reading of the letters of Paulinus of Nola, aristocratic convert to Christianity of the late fourth‐century, and his correspondents, most notably St Augustine of Hippo. We begin with an analysis of letter writing in late antiquity; we investigate the letters as traces of fuller historical events, emphasize the importance of the letter carriers, and conclude that the letters have a sacramental function. The notion of spiritual community created and sustained by the letters is explored through discussions of Christian friendship, and of the patterns of imagistic thought which facilitate the spiritual interpretation of mundane events. Finally, we demonstrate how Paulinus’ notion of spiritual community leads to a novel conception of the self as truly relational. The impact of these letters, and of the epistolary mode, on the formation of Christian ways of life and thought is extraordinary.
Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195180954
- eISBN:
- 9780199835829
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019518095X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book aims to provide new insights on the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. It presents the main findings of the National Study of Youth and Religion, a research project on the ...
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This book aims to provide new insights on the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. It presents the main findings of the National Study of Youth and Religion, a research project on the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents conducted at the University of North Carolina from 2001 to 2005. The survey captured a broad range of differences among U.S. teens in religion, age, race, sex, socioeconomic status, rural-suburban-urban residence, region of the country, and language spoken. The book provides answers to questions about the character of teenage religion, the extent of spiritual seeking among youth, how religion affects adolescent moral reasoning and risk behaviors, and much more. It is hoped that by informing readers about the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers, it will help foster discussions in families, religious congregations, community organizations, and beyond, not only about the general state of religion in the United States, but also about cultural and institutional practices that may better serve and care for American teens.Less
This book aims to provide new insights on the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. It presents the main findings of the National Study of Youth and Religion, a research project on the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents conducted at the University of North Carolina from 2001 to 2005. The survey captured a broad range of differences among U.S. teens in religion, age, race, sex, socioeconomic status, rural-suburban-urban residence, region of the country, and language spoken. The book provides answers to questions about the character of teenage religion, the extent of spiritual seeking among youth, how religion affects adolescent moral reasoning and risk behaviors, and much more. It is hoped that by informing readers about the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers, it will help foster discussions in families, religious congregations, community organizations, and beyond, not only about the general state of religion in the United States, but also about cultural and institutional practices that may better serve and care for American teens.
Catharine Cookson
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195129441
- eISBN:
- 9780199834105
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019512944X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Religious free exercise conflicts occur when religiously compelled behavior (whether action or inaction) appears to violate a law that contraindicates or even criminalizes such behavior. Fearful of ...
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Religious free exercise conflicts occur when religiously compelled behavior (whether action or inaction) appears to violate a law that contraindicates or even criminalizes such behavior. Fearful of the anarchy of religious conscience, the U.S. Supreme Court opted instead for authoritarianism in this church and state matter: The state's need for civil order is conclusively presumed to be achieved by enforcing uniform obedience to generally applicable laws, and thus legislation must trump the human and constitutional right to religious freedom. Rejecting the Court's unthinking rigorism, the book more appropriately views a free exercise case as a conflict of principles or “goods”: the basic constitutional and human right to freedom of conscience and religious freedom versus the societal good furthered and protected by the legislation. The book recommends an alternative analytical free exercise process grounded within the common law tradition as well as social ethics: casuistry. Casuistical reasoning requires a careful analysis of the particulars and factual context of the case, and relies upon analogies and paradigmatic illustrations to get to the heart of the principles at issue. The book furthermore explores the panoply of theories, self‐understandings, typologies, contexts, and societal constructs at play in free exercise conflicts, and in the final chapters applies casuistry to two free exercise situations, spiritual healing methods applied to children, and ingestion of sacramental peyote in Native American Church rituals.Less
Religious free exercise conflicts occur when religiously compelled behavior (whether action or inaction) appears to violate a law that contraindicates or even criminalizes such behavior. Fearful of the anarchy of religious conscience, the U.S. Supreme Court opted instead for authoritarianism in this church and state matter: The state's need for civil order is conclusively presumed to be achieved by enforcing uniform obedience to generally applicable laws, and thus legislation must trump the human and constitutional right to religious freedom. Rejecting the Court's unthinking rigorism, the book more appropriately views a free exercise case as a conflict of principles or “goods”: the basic constitutional and human right to freedom of conscience and religious freedom versus the societal good furthered and protected by the legislation. The book recommends an alternative analytical free exercise process grounded within the common law tradition as well as social ethics: casuistry. Casuistical reasoning requires a careful analysis of the particulars and factual context of the case, and relies upon analogies and paradigmatic illustrations to get to the heart of the principles at issue. The book furthermore explores the panoply of theories, self‐understandings, typologies, contexts, and societal constructs at play in free exercise conflicts, and in the final chapters applies casuistry to two free exercise situations, spiritual healing methods applied to children, and ingestion of sacramental peyote in Native American Church rituals.
Luke Dysinger OSB
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199273201
- eISBN:
- 9780191602986
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199273200.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This chapter presents a synthesis of the writings of Evagrius Ponticus discussions in this volume. It argues that the monastic discipline of psalmody reflects the Evagrius’ vision of the spiritual ...
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This chapter presents a synthesis of the writings of Evagrius Ponticus discussions in this volume. It argues that the monastic discipline of psalmody reflects the Evagrius’ vision of the spiritual life. The underlying rhythm of spiritual progress consists of the movement between poles of praktike, physike, and theologike; that is, progress from concern with moral and spiritual improvement to perception of God in and beyond creation.Less
This chapter presents a synthesis of the writings of Evagrius Ponticus discussions in this volume. It argues that the monastic discipline of psalmody reflects the Evagrius’ vision of the spiritual life. The underlying rhythm of spiritual progress consists of the movement between poles of praktike, physike, and theologike; that is, progress from concern with moral and spiritual improvement to perception of God in and beyond creation.
Saurabh Mishra
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198070603
- eISBN:
- 9780199080007
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198070603.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
This book studies the organization and meanings of the Haj from India during colonial times and analyses it from political, commercial, and medical perspectives — between 1860, the year of the first ...
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This book studies the organization and meanings of the Haj from India during colonial times and analyses it from political, commercial, and medical perspectives — between 1860, the year of the first outbreak of cholera epidemic in Mecca, and 1920, when the subject of holy places of Islam became a powerful political symbol in the Indian subcontinent. Contrary to the general belief about colonial policy of non-intervention into religious subjects, it is argued that the state, in fact, kept a close watch on the pilgrimage. The book examines the ‘medicalization’ of Mecca through cholera outbreaks and the intrusion of European medical regulations. It underscores how the Haj played an important role in shaping medical policies and practices, debates and disease definitions. It explores how the Indian Hajis perceived, negotiated, and resisted colonial pilgrimage and medical policies in their quest of an intense spiritual experience. The author recovers the hitherto unexplored perspective of pilgrims' voices — in travelogues, memoirs, newspaper reports, and journals — to present a nuanced analysis of the interaction between religious faith and colonial public health policies during the age of steamships and empire.Less
This book studies the organization and meanings of the Haj from India during colonial times and analyses it from political, commercial, and medical perspectives — between 1860, the year of the first outbreak of cholera epidemic in Mecca, and 1920, when the subject of holy places of Islam became a powerful political symbol in the Indian subcontinent. Contrary to the general belief about colonial policy of non-intervention into religious subjects, it is argued that the state, in fact, kept a close watch on the pilgrimage. The book examines the ‘medicalization’ of Mecca through cholera outbreaks and the intrusion of European medical regulations. It underscores how the Haj played an important role in shaping medical policies and practices, debates and disease definitions. It explores how the Indian Hajis perceived, negotiated, and resisted colonial pilgrimage and medical policies in their quest of an intense spiritual experience. The author recovers the hitherto unexplored perspective of pilgrims' voices — in travelogues, memoirs, newspaper reports, and journals — to present a nuanced analysis of the interaction between religious faith and colonial public health policies during the age of steamships and empire.
Joshua Landy
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195188561
- eISBN:
- 9780199949458
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188561.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
This book offers a new rationale for the place of literary reading in the well-lived life. While it is often assumed that fictions must be informative or morally improving in order to be of any real ...
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This book offers a new rationale for the place of literary reading in the well-lived life. While it is often assumed that fictions must be informative or morally improving in order to be of any real benefit to us, certain texts defy this assumption by functioning as training-grounds for the capacities: in engaging with them we stand not to become more knowledgeable or more virtuous but more skilled, whether at rational thinking, at maintaining necessary illusions, at achieving tranquillity of mind, or even at religious faith. Instead of offering us propositional knowledge, these texts yield know-how; rather than attempting to instruct by means of their content, they hone capacities by means of their form; far from seducing with the promise of instantaneous transformation, they recognize, with Aristotle, that change is a matter of sustained and patient practice. Their demands are high, but the reward they promise is nothing short of a more richly lived life.Less
This book offers a new rationale for the place of literary reading in the well-lived life. While it is often assumed that fictions must be informative or morally improving in order to be of any real benefit to us, certain texts defy this assumption by functioning as training-grounds for the capacities: in engaging with them we stand not to become more knowledgeable or more virtuous but more skilled, whether at rational thinking, at maintaining necessary illusions, at achieving tranquillity of mind, or even at religious faith. Instead of offering us propositional knowledge, these texts yield know-how; rather than attempting to instruct by means of their content, they hone capacities by means of their form; far from seducing with the promise of instantaneous transformation, they recognize, with Aristotle, that change is a matter of sustained and patient practice. Their demands are high, but the reward they promise is nothing short of a more richly lived life.
Maria Antonaccio
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199855575
- eISBN:
- 9780199933198
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199855575.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Iris Murdoch’s philosophy has long attracted readers searching for a morally serious yet humane perspective on human life. Her eloquent call for “a theology which can continue without God” has been ...
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Iris Murdoch’s philosophy has long attracted readers searching for a morally serious yet humane perspective on human life. Her eloquent call for “a theology which can continue without God” has been especially attractive to those who find that they can live neither with religion nor without it. By developing a form of thinking that is neither exclusively secular nor traditionally religious, Murdoch sought to recapture the existential or spiritual import of philosophy. Long before the current wave of interest in spiritual exercises, she approached philosophy not only as an academic discourse, but as a practice whose aim is the transformation of perception and consciousness. As she put it, a moral philosophy should be capable of being “inhabited”; that is, it should be “a philosophy one could live by.” In A Philosophy to Live By, Maria Antonaccio argues that Murdoch’s thought embodies an ascetic model of philosophy for contemporary life. Extending and complementing the argument of her earlier monograph, Picturing the Human: The Moral Thought of Iris Murdoch, this new work establishes Murdoch’s continuing relevance by engaging her thought with a variety of contemporary thinkers and debates in ethics, from a perspective informed by Murdoch’s philosophy as a whole. Among the prominent philosophers engaged here are Charles Taylor, Martha Nussbaum, Stephen Mulhall, John Rawls, Pierre Hadot, and Michel Foucault, and theologians such as Stanley Hauerwas, David Tracy, William Schweiker, and others. These engagements represent a sustained effort to think with Murdoch, yet also beyond her, by enlisting the resources of her thought to explore wider debates at the intersections of moral philosophy, religion, art, and politics, and in doing so, to illuminate the distinctive patterns and tropes of her philosophical style.Less
Iris Murdoch’s philosophy has long attracted readers searching for a morally serious yet humane perspective on human life. Her eloquent call for “a theology which can continue without God” has been especially attractive to those who find that they can live neither with religion nor without it. By developing a form of thinking that is neither exclusively secular nor traditionally religious, Murdoch sought to recapture the existential or spiritual import of philosophy. Long before the current wave of interest in spiritual exercises, she approached philosophy not only as an academic discourse, but as a practice whose aim is the transformation of perception and consciousness. As she put it, a moral philosophy should be capable of being “inhabited”; that is, it should be “a philosophy one could live by.” In A Philosophy to Live By, Maria Antonaccio argues that Murdoch’s thought embodies an ascetic model of philosophy for contemporary life. Extending and complementing the argument of her earlier monograph, Picturing the Human: The Moral Thought of Iris Murdoch, this new work establishes Murdoch’s continuing relevance by engaging her thought with a variety of contemporary thinkers and debates in ethics, from a perspective informed by Murdoch’s philosophy as a whole. Among the prominent philosophers engaged here are Charles Taylor, Martha Nussbaum, Stephen Mulhall, John Rawls, Pierre Hadot, and Michel Foucault, and theologians such as Stanley Hauerwas, David Tracy, William Schweiker, and others. These engagements represent a sustained effort to think with Murdoch, yet also beyond her, by enlisting the resources of her thought to explore wider debates at the intersections of moral philosophy, religion, art, and politics, and in doing so, to illuminate the distinctive patterns and tropes of her philosophical style.
Demetrios S. Katos
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199696963
- eISBN:
- 9780191731969
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199696963.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies, Church History
The conclusion briefly reviews the book's central claims: that Palladius was an influential personality among Origenist ascetics at the turn of the fifth century; that the Dialogue is best understood ...
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The conclusion briefly reviews the book's central claims: that Palladius was an influential personality among Origenist ascetics at the turn of the fifth century; that the Dialogue is best understood through the lens of late antique judicial rhetoric and stasis theory; and that Palladius was deeply influenced in his theology by both Origen and his mentor Evagrius, particularly in his understanding of spiritual progress and human freedom. The conclusion suggests that judicial rhetoric may prove useful for the analysis of other works of Christian literature considering the widespread training among Christian bishops in this area. The author briefly considers several aspects of Palladius' thought that could appeal to an audience broader than that of specialists in late antique Christianity, and concludes by noting that Palladius' death marked the twilight of an era in which there was open admiration for Origen and his remarkable contributions.Less
The conclusion briefly reviews the book's central claims: that Palladius was an influential personality among Origenist ascetics at the turn of the fifth century; that the Dialogue is best understood through the lens of late antique judicial rhetoric and stasis theory; and that Palladius was deeply influenced in his theology by both Origen and his mentor Evagrius, particularly in his understanding of spiritual progress and human freedom. The conclusion suggests that judicial rhetoric may prove useful for the analysis of other works of Christian literature considering the widespread training among Christian bishops in this area. The author briefly considers several aspects of Palladius' thought that could appeal to an audience broader than that of specialists in late antique Christianity, and concludes by noting that Palladius' death marked the twilight of an era in which there was open admiration for Origen and his remarkable contributions.
Rachel Stanworth
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- November 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198525110
- eISBN:
- 9780191730504
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198525110.001.0001
- Subject:
- Palliative Care, Patient Care and End-of-Life Decision Making, Palliative Medicine Research
Listening carefully to patients at the end of life is at the heart of good palliative care and this book provides a means of recognizing and talking about spiritual needs even when religious language ...
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Listening carefully to patients at the end of life is at the heart of good palliative care and this book provides a means of recognizing and talking about spiritual needs even when religious language is not used. The author refers to this as a ‘language of spirit’. The book is based on interviews with patients who are dying and the language that they use to describe their experiences. It deals with death, dying, the experiences of patients, and the relief of spiritual pain by looking closely at patient stories, drawings, and behaviour. The book explains why it is often easier to recognize than to explain spiritual issues. Part One explores the psychological, spiritual, and theological interpretations of human experience. A detailed account is given of how the patients' own stories were collected. Drawing on a broad literature that is grounded in patients' words and deeds, Part Two introduces a non-religious ‘language of spirit’. Illuminated by patient art, Part Three shows what patients use this language to ‘say’ about their situation and how it is mediated through various metaphors. Part Four suggests ways of responding positively to patients' spiritual needs.Less
Listening carefully to patients at the end of life is at the heart of good palliative care and this book provides a means of recognizing and talking about spiritual needs even when religious language is not used. The author refers to this as a ‘language of spirit’. The book is based on interviews with patients who are dying and the language that they use to describe their experiences. It deals with death, dying, the experiences of patients, and the relief of spiritual pain by looking closely at patient stories, drawings, and behaviour. The book explains why it is often easier to recognize than to explain spiritual issues. Part One explores the psychological, spiritual, and theological interpretations of human experience. A detailed account is given of how the patients' own stories were collected. Drawing on a broad literature that is grounded in patients' words and deeds, Part Two introduces a non-religious ‘language of spirit’. Illuminated by patient art, Part Three shows what patients use this language to ‘say’ about their situation and how it is mediated through various metaphors. Part Four suggests ways of responding positively to patients' spiritual needs.
Taigen Dan Leighton
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195320930
- eISBN:
- 9780199785360
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320930.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a ...
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As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a worldview that sees reality itself as a vital, dynamic agent of awareness and healing. This book explicates that worldview through the writings of the Zen master Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253), considered the founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen tradition, which currently enjoys popularity in the West. The Lotus Sutra, arguably the most important Buddhist scripture in East Asia, contains a famous story about bodhisattvas (enlightening beings) who emerge from under the earth to preserve and expound the Lotus teaching in the distant future. The story reveals that the Buddha only appears to pass away, but actually has been practicing, and will continue to do so, over an inconceivably long life span. The book traces commentaries on the Lotus Sutra from key East Asian Buddhist thinkers, including Daosheng, Zhiyi, Zhanran, Saigyo, Myoe, Nichiren, Hakuin, and Ryokan. But the main focus is Eihei Dōgen, whose profuse, provocative, and poetic writings are important to the modern expansion of Buddhism to the West. Dōgen's use of this sutra expresses the critical role of Mahnullynullna vision and imagination as the context of Zen teaching, and his interpretations of this story furthermore reveal his dynamic worldview of the earth, space, and time themselves as vital agents of spiritual awakening. The book argues that Dōgen uses the images and metaphors in this story to express his own religious worldview, in which earth, space, and time are lively agents in the bodhisattva project. Broader awareness of Dōgen's worldview and its implications can illuminate the possibilities for contemporary approaches to primary Mahnullynullna concepts and practices.Less
As a religion concerned with universal liberation, Zen grew out of a Buddhist worldview very different from the currently prevalent scientific materialism. Zen cannot be fully understood outside of a worldview that sees reality itself as a vital, dynamic agent of awareness and healing. This book explicates that worldview through the writings of the Zen master Eihei Dōgen (1200-1253), considered the founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen tradition, which currently enjoys popularity in the West. The Lotus Sutra, arguably the most important Buddhist scripture in East Asia, contains a famous story about bodhisattvas (enlightening beings) who emerge from under the earth to preserve and expound the Lotus teaching in the distant future. The story reveals that the Buddha only appears to pass away, but actually has been practicing, and will continue to do so, over an inconceivably long life span. The book traces commentaries on the Lotus Sutra from key East Asian Buddhist thinkers, including Daosheng, Zhiyi, Zhanran, Saigyo, Myoe, Nichiren, Hakuin, and Ryokan. But the main focus is Eihei Dōgen, whose profuse, provocative, and poetic writings are important to the modern expansion of Buddhism to the West. Dōgen's use of this sutra expresses the critical role of Mahnullynullna vision and imagination as the context of Zen teaching, and his interpretations of this story furthermore reveal his dynamic worldview of the earth, space, and time themselves as vital agents of spiritual awakening. The book argues that Dōgen uses the images and metaphors in this story to express his own religious worldview, in which earth, space, and time are lively agents in the bodhisattva project. Broader awareness of Dōgen's worldview and its implications can illuminate the possibilities for contemporary approaches to primary Mahnullynullna concepts and practices.
Christopher Ringwald
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195147681
- eISBN:
- 9780199849338
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195147681.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
It is common knowledge that for most alcoholics and addicts recovery programmes like AA seem to hold out the best hope of conquering addiction. Most of us also know that such programmes usually ...
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It is common knowledge that for most alcoholics and addicts recovery programmes like AA seem to hold out the best hope of conquering addiction. Most of us also know that such programmes usually stress reliance on some sort of “higher power.” This book shows that in fact spiritual development is the central factor in the recovery of a significant percentage of substance abusers, and that spirituality is the lynchpin of many if not most recovery programmes in America. The author of this book visited many treatment centres and interviewed hundreds of recovering alcoholics and addicts, counsellors, and family members, many of whose voices are heard within it. His purpose was to find out just how spirituality figures in the individual's recovery and how it is deployed by the treatment programmes. This book explores the differences among a wide range of programmes: twelve-step, Christian, Muslim, Native American, and those based in Eastern religions.Less
It is common knowledge that for most alcoholics and addicts recovery programmes like AA seem to hold out the best hope of conquering addiction. Most of us also know that such programmes usually stress reliance on some sort of “higher power.” This book shows that in fact spiritual development is the central factor in the recovery of a significant percentage of substance abusers, and that spirituality is the lynchpin of many if not most recovery programmes in America. The author of this book visited many treatment centres and interviewed hundreds of recovering alcoholics and addicts, counsellors, and family members, many of whose voices are heard within it. His purpose was to find out just how spirituality figures in the individual's recovery and how it is deployed by the treatment programmes. This book explores the differences among a wide range of programmes: twelve-step, Christian, Muslim, Native American, and those based in Eastern religions.
David Barnard, Anna M. Towers, Patricia Boston, and Yanna Lambrinidou
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- November 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195123432
- eISBN:
- 9780199999835
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195123432.001.0001
- Subject:
- Palliative Care, Patient Care and End-of-Life Decision Making, Palliative Medicine and Older People
This book provides a unique view of patients, families, and their caregivers striving together to maintain comfort and hope in the face of incurable illness. The narratives weave together emotions, ...
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This book provides a unique view of patients, families, and their caregivers striving together to maintain comfort and hope in the face of incurable illness. The narratives weave together emotions, physical symptoms, spiritual concerns, and the stresses of family life, as well as the professional and personal challenges of providing hospice and palliative care. Based on a vast amount of participant observation and in-depth interviews, the book moves far beyond dry technical manuals for symptom control and tired clichés about death with dignity, to depict the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the daily in patients' homes and the palliative care unit. It captures the breathtaking diversity of people's aspirations and ideals as they face death, and the views of the professionals who care for them. Anger and fear, tenderness and reconciliation, jealousy and love, social support and falling through the cracks, unexpected courage and unshakable faith—all of these are part of facing death in late twentieth-century North America, and this book brings them to life in a portrait of the processes of giving and receiving palliative care.Less
This book provides a unique view of patients, families, and their caregivers striving together to maintain comfort and hope in the face of incurable illness. The narratives weave together emotions, physical symptoms, spiritual concerns, and the stresses of family life, as well as the professional and personal challenges of providing hospice and palliative care. Based on a vast amount of participant observation and in-depth interviews, the book moves far beyond dry technical manuals for symptom control and tired clichés about death with dignity, to depict the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the daily in patients' homes and the palliative care unit. It captures the breathtaking diversity of people's aspirations and ideals as they face death, and the views of the professionals who care for them. Anger and fear, tenderness and reconciliation, jealousy and love, social support and falling through the cracks, unexpected courage and unshakable faith—all of these are part of facing death in late twentieth-century North America, and this book brings them to life in a portrait of the processes of giving and receiving palliative care.
Philip Endean
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198270287
- eISBN:
- 9780191683961
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198270287.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
Karl Rahner SJ, (1904–84), perhaps the most influential figure in 20th-century Roman Catholic theology, believed that the most significant influence on his work was Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual ...
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Karl Rahner SJ, (1904–84), perhaps the most influential figure in 20th-century Roman Catholic theology, believed that the most significant influence on his work was Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. This book casts significant new light on Rahner's achievement by presenting it against the background of the rediscovery of Ignatian spirituality in the middle decades of the 20th century. It offers a fresh and contemporary theological interpretation of Ignatian retreat-giving, illuminating the creative new departures this ministry has taken in the last thirty years, as well as contributing to the lively current debate regarding the relationship between spirituality and speculative theology.Less
Karl Rahner SJ, (1904–84), perhaps the most influential figure in 20th-century Roman Catholic theology, believed that the most significant influence on his work was Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual Exercises. This book casts significant new light on Rahner's achievement by presenting it against the background of the rediscovery of Ignatian spirituality in the middle decades of the 20th century. It offers a fresh and contemporary theological interpretation of Ignatian retreat-giving, illuminating the creative new departures this ministry has taken in the last thirty years, as well as contributing to the lively current debate regarding the relationship between spirituality and speculative theology.
Harvey Max Chochinov
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195176216
- eISBN:
- 9780199933181
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195176216.001.0001
- Subject:
- Palliative Care, Patient Care and End-of-Life Decision Making
Maintaining dignity for patients approaching death is a core principle of palliative care. Turning that principle into ways of guiding care at the end-of-life, however, can be a complicated and ...
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Maintaining dignity for patients approaching death is a core principle of palliative care. Turning that principle into ways of guiding care at the end-of-life, however, can be a complicated and daunting task. Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, an international leader in palliative care, has conducted groundbreaking research on the issue of dignity and palliative care. His findings are beginning to change the way people think about and approach care for the terminally ill. Dignity Therapy is a novel, individualized, brief psychological intervention, designed specifically to address many of the psychological, existential and spiritual challenges that patients and their families face as they grapple with the reality of life drawing to a close. This therapeutic approach, based on years of Chochinov and his team's research, has been tested on patients with advanced illnesses in various countries worldwide. Many palliative care programs are starting to incorporate Dignity Therapy into the range of services offered dying patients and their families. This enthusiastic uptake of Dignity Therapy speaks to some universal aspects of being human; to be alive means to experience being vulnerable and being mortal. Dignity Therapy offers a way of preserving meaning, purpose and hope for patients approaching death. The benefits of this approach for patients and families have been demonstrated in various studies in diverse settings. Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days introduces readers to this pioneering and innovative work, illustrating how Dignity Therapy can change end-of-life experience for those about to die and those who will grieve their passing.Less
Maintaining dignity for patients approaching death is a core principle of palliative care. Turning that principle into ways of guiding care at the end-of-life, however, can be a complicated and daunting task. Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, an international leader in palliative care, has conducted groundbreaking research on the issue of dignity and palliative care. His findings are beginning to change the way people think about and approach care for the terminally ill. Dignity Therapy is a novel, individualized, brief psychological intervention, designed specifically to address many of the psychological, existential and spiritual challenges that patients and their families face as they grapple with the reality of life drawing to a close. This therapeutic approach, based on years of Chochinov and his team's research, has been tested on patients with advanced illnesses in various countries worldwide. Many palliative care programs are starting to incorporate Dignity Therapy into the range of services offered dying patients and their families. This enthusiastic uptake of Dignity Therapy speaks to some universal aspects of being human; to be alive means to experience being vulnerable and being mortal. Dignity Therapy offers a way of preserving meaning, purpose and hope for patients approaching death. The benefits of this approach for patients and families have been demonstrated in various studies in diverse settings. Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days introduces readers to this pioneering and innovative work, illustrating how Dignity Therapy can change end-of-life experience for those about to die and those who will grieve their passing.
Janet Martin Soskice
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198269502
- eISBN:
- 9780191683657
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198269502.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, Religion and Literature
This book considers four concepts in a Biblical context: fathers, sons, brothers, kings. It then asks the questions: Does the predominantly masculine symbolism of the Biblical writings exclude women ...
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This book considers four concepts in a Biblical context: fathers, sons, brothers, kings. It then asks the questions: Does the predominantly masculine symbolism of the Biblical writings exclude women or overlook the riches of their spiritual life? If Christ is ‘the second Adam’ and the one on whom all Christian life must be patterned, then what about Eve? This book opens up the Bible's imagery for sex, gender, and kinship and does so by discussing its place in the central teachings of Christian theology: the doctrine of God and spirituality, Imago Dei and anthropology, Creation, Christology and the Cross, the Trinity, and eschatology.Less
This book considers four concepts in a Biblical context: fathers, sons, brothers, kings. It then asks the questions: Does the predominantly masculine symbolism of the Biblical writings exclude women or overlook the riches of their spiritual life? If Christ is ‘the second Adam’ and the one on whom all Christian life must be patterned, then what about Eve? This book opens up the Bible's imagery for sex, gender, and kinship and does so by discussing its place in the central teachings of Christian theology: the doctrine of God and spirituality, Imago Dei and anthropology, Creation, Christology and the Cross, the Trinity, and eschatology.
David E. Guinn
David E. Guinn (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195178739
- eISBN:
- 9780199784943
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195178734.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
Concerns about caregivers providing religious or spiritual care arise, in large part, out of a misunderstanding about religion and spirituality and what those terms really mean. Many people treat ...
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Concerns about caregivers providing religious or spiritual care arise, in large part, out of a misunderstanding about religion and spirituality and what those terms really mean. Many people treat religion and spirituality as special and unique. This chapter argues that religion and spirituality are basic human facts as inseparable from what it means to be human in the same way as our sex, our age, our ethnicity or the other social and cultural factors that caregivers routinely address. The chapter begins by offering a functionalist definition of religion and spirituality. It then examines research on the needs of patients at the end of life and suggests how these express religious and spiritual concerns. Finally, it offers guidelines as to how the caregiver may meet those needs of a patient.Less
Concerns about caregivers providing religious or spiritual care arise, in large part, out of a misunderstanding about religion and spirituality and what those terms really mean. Many people treat religion and spirituality as special and unique. This chapter argues that religion and spirituality are basic human facts as inseparable from what it means to be human in the same way as our sex, our age, our ethnicity or the other social and cultural factors that caregivers routinely address. The chapter begins by offering a functionalist definition of religion and spirituality. It then examines research on the needs of patients at the end of life and suggests how these express religious and spiritual concerns. Finally, it offers guidelines as to how the caregiver may meet those needs of a patient.
Stephen T. Davis
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199284597
- eISBN:
- 9780191603778
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199284598.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
It is rational for those who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead to believe that he was bodily raised from the dead. However, this is not the same as resuscitation. The concept of “spiritual ...
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It is rational for those who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead to believe that he was bodily raised from the dead. However, this is not the same as resuscitation. The concept of “spiritual resurrection”, popular with some New Testament scholars, is rejected as vague and inconsistent with Scripture. It is argued that bodily resurrection was what Paul believed, and that the New Testament accounts of the resurrection appearances present a unified picture. It is further argued that Jesus’ resurrection is an example of “bodily transformation”. Jesus’ resurrection body was numerically identical (but not qualitatively identical) to his pre-mortem body.Less
It is rational for those who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead to believe that he was bodily raised from the dead. However, this is not the same as resuscitation. The concept of “spiritual resurrection”, popular with some New Testament scholars, is rejected as vague and inconsistent with Scripture. It is argued that bodily resurrection was what Paul believed, and that the New Testament accounts of the resurrection appearances present a unified picture. It is further argued that Jesus’ resurrection is an example of “bodily transformation”. Jesus’ resurrection body was numerically identical (but not qualitatively identical) to his pre-mortem body.
