Religion and Everyday Life and Culture: [3 volumes]

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Description

This intriguing three-volume set explores the ways in which religion is bound to the practice of daily life and how daily life is bound to religion. In Religion and Everyday Life and Culture, 36 international scholars describe the impact of religious practices around the world, using rich examples drawn from personal observation. Instead of repeating generalizations about what religion should mean, these volumes examine how religions actually influence our public and private lives "on the ground," on a day-to-day basis. Volume one introduces regional histories of the world's religions and discusses major ritual practices, such as the Catholic Mass and the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Volume two examines themes that will help readers understand how religions interact with the practices of public life, describing the ways religions influence government, education, criminal justice, economy, technology, and the environment. Volume three takes up themes that are central to how religions are realized in the practices of individuals. In these essays, readers meet a shaman healer in South Africa, laugh with Buddhist monks, sing with Bob Dylan, cheer for Australian rugby, and explore Chicana and Iranian art.

Reviews

Recommended for public and academic libraries holding strong religious studies collections and for more specialized facilities, such as seminary libraries. * Library Journal *
This book should be especially useful for religious studies sections of academic libraries and larger public libraries. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * Choice *

Author Bio

Richard D. Hecht is professor of religious studies in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Vincent F. Biondo is assistant professor of western religious traditions at California State University, Fresno.