by Stanley A. Freed, Ruth S. Freed (1998)
"Festivals are the most visible feature of village Hinduism. All common ritual practices are on display. The relationship of festivals to family life, the agricultural year, and to the everyday concerns of village people are clearly seen in offerings to deities, gifts exchanged between relatives, songs, drama, and storytelling. Festivals are the best point of entry into the study of Hinduism in ethnographic context."--BOOK JACKET. "In Hindu Festivals in a North Indian Village the authors describe each festival, tracing its relationship to other important village institutions, such as caste, kinship, and seasonal agricultural activities. Their analysis goes beyond the festivals as practiced in Shanti Nagar to include comparisons with practices in other villages and references to Indian and Hindu history, mythology, astronomy, and astrology. They note differential participation in festivals by caste, sect, age, and gender. The study covers a period of two decades. Although the festivals continued almost unchanged during this time, the authors point out the few discernible differences."--BOOK JACKET.
Robert J. Hater
What does evangelization mean for today's Catholics? How can parishes and individuals implement the Church's call to make evangelization a vital ministry? These and other basic questions are answered by one of the few true experts in this field. Catholic Evangelization draws on stories, pastoral insights and theological wisdom to develop practical applications for a sound pastoral approach to evangelization.
Charles P. Hanson
In Necessary Virtue Charles P. Hanson explores the disruptive effects of the American Revolution on the religious culture of New England Protestantism. In this book, Hanson raises questions about difference, tolerance, and the role of religious belief in politics and government that help us see the American Revolution in a new light. Necessary Virtue is timely in pointing to the historical contingency and, perhaps, the fragility of the church-state separation that is very much a political and legal issue today.
Karel Werner
A multi-purpose reference work, this dictionary contains: Sanskrit and vernacular terms used in Hindu literature and works on Hinduism; a glossary of terms and concepts to aid the understanding of Hindu ritual and spiritual practice; and Hindu religious and philosophical teachings.
Alan James
"In 1598, France emerged exhausted from nearly forty years of damaging civil and religious warfare. By 1661 this same country was the leading power in Europe and set to embark on one of the most celebrated periods of its history. The system of government founded during this period became known to historians as royal 'absolutism'. It was closely associated with both Cardinal Richelieu and his successor Cardinal Mazarin who, in turn, were seen as instrumental in brokering the changes that took place within both government and society at this time." "Alan James argues that there was no conscious plan to modernise France or to create a new, more centralised and bureaucratic form of government. Instead the ministries of Richelieu and Mazarin were based on the traditional values of religion, war, and privilege. Organised thematically, the book examines the key priorities of government in turn to come to an assessment of the success of French absolutism, defined in its own terms." --Book Jacket.