The Human Condition

The Comparative Religious Ideas Project is a groundbreaking three-year collaboration among well-known scholars of world religious traditions as well as philosophers, historians, sociologists of religion, and theologians who view religion in more general terms. These resulting three volumes offer an exciting look at important comparisons among major world religions and develop and test a theory of comparison employing the collaborative method.

This multi-authored collaborative work on the idea of the human condition as a comparative category cuts across major religious traditions and cultures. Extensive essays by distinguished specialists examine Chinese religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Together the essays provide a multicultural approach to the human condition, discussing both broad sensibilities of religious traditions as well as specific texts. In addition the volume contains an introduction to a sophisticated theory of comparison for religious ideas, including explicit comparisons based on the specialized essays.

Foreword

xi

Peter L. Berger

Preface

xv

Robert Cummings Neville

Acknowledgments

xxvii

Introduction

1

(8)

Robert Cummings Neville

Wesley J. Wildman

On Comparing Religious Ideas

9

(12)

Robert Cummings Neville

Wesley J. Wildman

On Comparison: Why It Is Important

9

(5)

Vague Categories

14

(2)

Criteria for Success

16

(2)

Process and Strategy

18

(3)

Chinese Religion

21

(28)

Livia Kohn

General Considerations

21

(2)

The Chinese World and the Human Predicament

23

(4)

Resolution of the Human Predicament

27

(10)

Categories for Comparison

37

(12)

Beginningless Ignorance: A Buddhist View of the Human Condition

49

(24)

Malcolm David Eckel

John J. Thatamanil

Introduction

49

(1)

Primary Doctrinal Evidence---The Four Noble Truths

50

(8)

The From of a Buddist Narrative---The Middle Way

58

(9)

What Makes a Useful Category in Comparative Theology?

67

(6)

To Be Heard and Done, But Never Quite Seen: The Human Condition According to the Vivekacudamani

73

(28)

Francis X. Clooney

Hugh Nicholson

Introduction: The Text and Its Challenge

73

(4)

The Human Conditions, Perceived and Real

77

(4)

The Function of Right Knowledge (viveka) in the Apprehension of the Truth of the Human Condition

81

(4)

The Transformation of Human Living and the Project of Transformation (bhavana)

85

(6)

Exclusions, and the Force of the Text

91

(4)

Integral Acts of Learning across Cultural and Religious Boundaries: Hearing, Knowing, Doing, But Not Speculating

95

(6)

Religious Dimensions of the Human Condition inJudaism: Wrestling with God in an Imperfect World

101

(32)

Anthony J. Saldarini

Joseph Kanofsky

Introduction

101

(3)

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

104

(8)

Rabbinic Literature

112

(11)

The Modern Period

123

(4)

Conclusion

127

(6)

Embodiment and Redemption: The Human Condition in Ancient Christianity

133

(24)

Paula Fredriksen

Tina Shepardson

Introduction

133

(1)

Paul

134

(2)

Christian Dualism and the High God

136

(3)

Origen

139

(3)

Augustine

142

(4)

Summary

146

(2)

Postscript: Terms of Comparison from the Seminar

148

(9)

The Human Condition in Islam: Shari a and Obligation

157

(18)

S. Nomanul Haq

Preliminary Reflections

157

(3)

Ambiguities in Comparison

160

(2)

The Human Condition in Islam

162

(2)

Allah, the Ultimate Source of Shari a: Monotheism and the Creator-Created Duality

164

(5)

Maintaining the God-Human Disjunction

169

(2)

The Linkage of the Transcendental with the Historical

171

(4)

Comparative Hypotheses: Cosmological Categories for the Human Condition

175

(62)

Robert Cummings Neville

Wesley J. Wildman

Introduction

175

(8)

Unity

183

(15)

Ontological Status

198

(14)

Value

212

(8)

Causation

220

(17)

Comparative Hypotheses: Personal and Social Categories for the Human Condition

237

(30)

Robert Cummings Neville

Introduction

237

(1)

Personal Identity

238

(9)

Obligation

247

(6)

The Human Predicament

253

(6)

Affiliations

259

(5)

Postscript

264

(3)

Appendix A: One the Process of the Project During the First Year

267

(20)

Wesley J. Wildman

Appendix B: Suggestions for Further Reading

287

(22)

Contributors

309

(2)

Index of Names

311

(4)

Index of Subjects

315

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

FREE SHIPPING

Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

5% off 1 book, 7% off 2 books, 10% off 3+ books

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

FREE SHIPPING

Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

5% off 1 book, 7% off 2 books, 10% off 3+ books

The Human Condition

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Digital License