The Message and the Book; Sacred Texts of the World's Religions

by John Bowker

• ISBN13: 9780300179293
• ISBN10: 0300179294
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780300183177
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2012-03-27
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Grand in its sweep, this survey of the sacred writings of the major religions of the world offers a thoughtful introduction to the ideas and beliefs upon which great faiths are built. Under the expert guidance of John Bowker, a religious scholar and author of international stature, readers explore the key texts of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Confucian, Daoist, and Shinto traditions. The author discusses some 400 books, among them such well-known sacred texts as the Bible and the Quran, but also spiritual writings by theologians, philosophers, poets, and others. Bowker provides clear and illuminating commentary on each text, describing the content and core tenets of the work and quoting pertinent passages. He also sets the writings in religious and historical contexts, showing how they have influencedand in many cases continue to influenceartistic, musical, literary, and political traditions. The Message and the Bookis essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the meaning and the deep significance of primary religious texts of civilizations around the globe.

Author Biography

John Bowker is a former fellow of Corpus Christi College and Trinity College, Cambridge, and of Gresham College, London. A highly respected writer on world religions, he is the author and editor of more than 30 books, including the New York Times best-seller God: A Brief History; World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored and Explained; and The Sacred Neuron: The Extraordinary New Discoveries Linking Science and Religion. He lives in the UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Using This Book: Bibliography and Translations	p. 17
Judaism	p. 19
The Bible: The Origins of the Jewish People	p. 21
Tanakh: History and Revelation	p. 25
Tanakh: Canon and Translations	p. 29
Interpretation of Torah: Mishnah and Talmuds; Shulhan Aruch	p. 32
Maimonides: Mishneh Torah	p. 37
Qabbalah: Zohar	p. 40
Liturgy and Prayer: Amida and Piyyutim	p. 43
Christianity	p. 47
The New Testament: Jesus and the Canon	p. 49
The New Testament: The Gospels	p. 53
The New Testament: Epistles and Other Writings	p. 59
Translations: The Vulgate, The Authorised Version	p. 63
Creeds and Confessions: The Apostles' and the Nicene Creeds; from Augsburg to Peter the Great	p. 69
Councils: Ecumenical Councils, Vatican I, Vatican II	p. 73
Prayers and Hymns: The Office, The Book of Common Prayer, Hymns, John and Charles Wesley	p. 77
Liturgy and Eucharist: The Last Supper; Kontakia	p. 81
Prayer and Monastic Orders: Basil the Great, Dionysius, The Philokalia	p. 85
Monasticism: Rule of Benedict	p. 89
Christianity of the Celts: Columbanus, Patrick, Carmina Gaedelica	p. 93
Acts of the Martyrs: Polycarp, Dietrich Bonhoeffer	p. 97
Augustine: The Confessions	p. 100
Thomas Aquinas: Summa contra Gentiles, Summa Theologica	p. 105
Poetry: Dante and Others	p. 109
The Reformations: Luther, Calvin	p. 114
The Reformations: Trent, John of the Cross, Ignatius	p. 118
Islam	p. 123
The Quran: Muhammad the Prophet	p. 125
The Quran: Revelation, the People of the Book	p. 129
The Quran: The Mushaf	p. 133
Hadith: The Six Sound Collections	p. 137
Sharia and the Life of Muhammad: ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah	p. 142
alGhazali: Ihya 'Ulum udDin, Munqidh min adDalal	p. 147
Sufis	p. 151
The Poets of Persia: Farid, Sa'di, Hafiz, Jami, Rumi	p. 154
Zoroastrians and Parsis	p. 159
Zarathustra: Gathas, Yasna, Avesta	p. 161
India	p. 165
The Vedas	p. 167
Upanishads and Agamas	p. 171
Sutras: Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra, Patanjali's Yoga Sutra	p. 175
Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras: Manusmriti	p. 179
The Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata	p. 183
Puranas: Bhagavata Purana	p. 187
The Song of the Lord: Bhagavadgita	p. 190
The Love of God: Gitagovinda	p. 193
The Love of God: Alvars and Nayanars	p. 197
Tantra: Shrividya	p. 201
The Gitas: Anugita, Ishvaragita and Devigita	p. 204
The Sants: Kabir	p. 208
Sikhs	p. 213
Guru Nanak: Japji and Mul Mantra	p. 215
The Gurus: Adi Granth, Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth	p. 219
Jains	p. 223
Agamas, Suttas and Tattvartha Sutra	p. 225
Buddhism (for Buddhism in Korea, see Korea)	p. 229
The Buddha: The First and Final Addresses	p. 231
Sacred Texts of Buddhists: The Pali Canon and the Canons of Tibet, China and Japan	p. 235
Lives of the Buddha: Jatakas, Buddhacarita and Lalitavistara	p. 239
The Sangha: Vinaya Pitaka, Dhammapada	p. 242
Dharma/Dhamma: Abhidhamma, Visuddhimagga, Milindapañha	p. 246
Mahayana: Sutras	p. 250
Perfection of Wisdom: Ashtasahasrika Sutra, The Diamond-Cutter Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and Nagarjuna	p. 253
Yogacara: Lankavatara Sutra, Asanga and Vasubandhu	p. 257
Huayan: Avatamsaka Sutra	p. 260
Tiantai: The Threefold Lotus Sutra, Nichiren	p. 264
Pure Land	p. 267
Chan: Bodhidharma, The Platform Sutra	p. 270
Zen: Rinzai and Koans, Soto and Dogen	p. 275
Tibetan Buddhism: Kangur and Tengyur	p. 280
Tibetan Buddhism: Naropa, The Tibetan Book of the Dead	p. 284
China (for Buddhism in China, see Buddhism)	p. 289
The Confucian Classics: Liujing	p. 291
The Book of Songs: Shijing	p. 294
The Analects: Lunyu	p. 298
Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean: Da Xue and Zhong Yong	p. 301
The Book of Meneius: Mengzi	p. 305
The Daoist Canon: Daozang	p. 309
Laozi, The Way and its Power: Daodejing	p. 312
Zhuangzi: Zhuangzi or Nan Hua Zhen Jing	p. 316
The Neo-Confucianists: The Five Masters	p. 320
Korea	p. 325
The Korean Canon: Taejang Togam, Wonhyo and Chinul	p. 327
Japan (for Buddhism in Japan, see also Buddhism)	p. 331
Shinto: Kojiki and Nihongi	p. 333
The Organisation of Japanese Society: Jushichijo Kempo, Engishiki and Norito	p. 336
Shingon and Shinto: Nanto Rokushu, Kukai and Kitabatake Chikafusa	p. 339
The Defining of Shinto: The Five Shinto Classics, Kokugaku	p. 342
Poetry and the Power of Words: Manyoshu, Kokinshu, Shinkokinshu and Basho	p. 346
Conclusion	p. 351
Sacred Texts and the Burning of Books	p. 353
Bibliography
Translation series	p. 358
Additional translations and books quoted or referred to in the text	p. 360
Acknowledgements	p. 389
Index	p. 393
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