51,02 €
56,69 €
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The Plight of Western Religion
51,02 € 
- We will send in 10–14 business days.
'Religion' can be used to mean all kinds of things, but a substantive definition---based on the premise of superhuman powers--can clarify much. It allows us to attempt to differentiate religion from culture, ethnicity, morality and politics. This definition of religion necessarily implies a perception of reality. Until recent centuries in the West, and in most cultures still, the ordinary, natural and immediate way of understanding and experiencing reality was in terms of otherworldly or spirit…
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- Author: Paul Gifford
- Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
- ISBN-10: 0190095873
- ISBN-13: 9780190095871
- Format: 14.2 x 21.6 x 2 cm, hardcover
- Language: English
- SAVE -10% with code: EXTRA
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'Religion' can be used to mean all kinds of things, but a substantive definition---based on the premise of superhuman powers--can clarify much. It allows us to attempt to differentiate religion from culture, ethnicity, morality and politics.
This definition of religion necessarily implies a perception of reality. Until recent centuries in the West, and in most cultures still, the ordinary, natural and immediate way of understanding and experiencing reality was in terms of otherworldly or spiritual forces. However, a cognitive shift has taken place through the rise of science and its subsequent technological application. This new consciousness has not disproved the existence of spiritual forces, but has led to the marginalization of the other-worldly, which even Western churches seem to accept. They persist, but increasingly as pressure groups promoting humanist values. Claims of 'American exceptionalism' in this regard are misleading. Obama's religion, Evangelical support for Trump, and the mega-church message of success in the capitalist system can all be cultural and political phenomena. This eclipsing of the other-worldly constitutes a watershed in human history, with profound consequences not just for religious institutions but for our entire world order.EXTRA 10 % discount with code: EXTRA
51,02 €
56,69 €
We will send in 10–14 business days.
The promotion ends in 20d.06:46:45
The discount code is valid when purchasing from 10 €. Discounts do not stack.
- Author: Paul Gifford
- Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
- ISBN-10: 0190095873
- ISBN-13: 9780190095871
- Format: 14.2 x 21.6 x 2 cm, hardcover
- Language: English English
'Religion' can be used to mean all kinds of things, but a substantive definition---based on the premise of superhuman powers--can clarify much. It allows us to attempt to differentiate religion from culture, ethnicity, morality and politics.
This definition of religion necessarily implies a perception of reality. Until recent centuries in the West, and in most cultures still, the ordinary, natural and immediate way of understanding and experiencing reality was in terms of otherworldly or spiritual forces. However, a cognitive shift has taken place through the rise of science and its subsequent technological application. This new consciousness has not disproved the existence of spiritual forces, but has led to the marginalization of the other-worldly, which even Western churches seem to accept. They persist, but increasingly as pressure groups promoting humanist values. Claims of 'American exceptionalism' in this regard are misleading. Obama's religion, Evangelical support for Trump, and the mega-church message of success in the capitalist system can all be cultural and political phenomena. This eclipsing of the other-worldly constitutes a watershed in human history, with profound consequences not just for religious institutions but for our entire world order.
Reviews