God's rule : the politics of world religions

Anthology on how world religions understand politics. Designed for students and lay persons, each chapter includes highly accessible discussions of the following points: 1. what the tradition's classical and scriptural sources say about politics; 2. the tradition's theory of politics; 3. the medium the tradition uses to express politics; 4. the tradition's message of politics; 5. and how the tradition views nonbelievers. Contributors include Jacob Neusner on Judaism; Bruce Chilton on primitive and early Christianity; Charles Curran on Catholic Christianity; Petros Vassiliades on Orthodox Christianity; Martin Marty on Reformation Christianity; John Esposito on Islam; Brian Smith on Hinduism; Mark Csikszentmihalyi on Confucianism; and Todd Lewis on Buddhism. William Scott Green provides a lucid introduction, and each chapter includes suggestions for further reading. The book also includes a glossary. God's Rule: The Politics of World Religions......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 William Scott Green: Introduction: Religion and Politics-a Volatile Mix......Page 8 Religion and Politics: Different but Inseparable......Page 9 Piety and Power: A Comparative Grid......Page 11 Concluding American Postscript......Page 15 Notes......Page 16 Classical Sources of Judaism on Politics......Page 18 Judaism's Theory of Politics......Page 21 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Judaism......Page 22 The Message of Judaism's Politics......Page 27 Judaism and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 36 Conclusion......Page 42 Suggested Readings......Page 43 2 Bruce D. Chilton: Primitive and Early Christianity......Page 44 Classical Sources of Primitive Christianity on Politics......Page 45 Early Christianity's Theory of Politics......Page 48 Transcendent Eschatology......Page 50 Juridical Eschatology......Page 51 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Primitive and Early Christianity......Page 52 Adapting to the Forms of This World......Page 56 A Hope of Justice......Page 59 Early Christianity and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 63 Conclusion......Page 64 Notes......Page 65 Suggested Readings......Page 66 3 Charles E. Curran: Roman Catholic Christianity......Page 68 Sources in General......Page 69 Texts......Page 70 Roman Catholicism's Theory of Politics......Page 72 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Roman Catholicism......Page 73 The State as Natural, Necessary, and Good......Page 76 The Role of Government......Page 77 Development in the Values of the Common Good......Page 79 Church and State......Page 81 Justice......Page 85 Roman Catholicism and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 88 Conclusion......Page 89 Suggested Readings......Page 90 4 Petros Vassiliadis: Orthodox Christianity......Page 92 Classical Sources of Orthodox Christianity on Politics......Page 94 Orthodox Christianity's Theory of Politics......Page 99 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Orthodox Christianity......Page 102 The Message of Orthodox Christianity's Politics......Page 103 Orthodox Christianity and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 107 Conclusion......Page 108 Notes......Page 109 Suggested Readings......Page 111 Clarifying Theses......Page 114 Defining Reformation Christianity as Religion: Protestantism Plus......Page 115 What Reformation-Tradition Christians Hold and Reject......Page 117 The Hebrew Scriptures......Page 119 The New Testament Gospels......Page 120 The New Testament Epistles......Page 122 Early Christian Thought, Especially Augustinian......Page 124 Reformation Christianity's Theory of Politics......Page 125 The Church of England and Anglicanism......Page 126 The Magisterial Reformation......Page 127 Martin Luther and Lutheranism......Page 128 John Calvin and the Calvinist-Reformed Tradition......Page 130 The Radical Reformation......Page 132 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Reformation Christianity......Page 133 The Message of Reformation Christianity's Politics......Page 134 Conclusion......Page 136 Suggested Readings......Page 137 Classical Sources of Islam on Politics......Page 138 Muhammad and the State......Page 140 Jihad......Page 142 The Islamic State......Page 145 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Islam......Page 146 The Sunni Caliphate......Page 149 The Shii Imamate......Page 151 Islamic Law......Page 154 Theology......Page 155 Sufism......Page 157 Islam and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 159 Notes......Page 163 Suggested Readings......Page 164 7 John L. Esposito with Natana J. De Long-Bas: Modern Islam......Page 166 Eighteenth-Century Islamic Revival and Reform......Page 167 Nineteenth-Century Islamic Modernism......Page 171 Twentieth-Century Islamic Political Activism......Page 174 The Message of Islam's Politics......Page 180 Islamic Law......Page 183 Islam and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 185 Conclusion......Page 189 Suggested Readings......Page 190 8 Brian K. Smith: Hinduism......Page 192 Classical Sources of Hinduism on Politics......Page 194 Hinduism's Theory of Politics......Page 196 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Hinduism......Page 207 The Message of Hinduism's Politics......Page 211 Hinduism and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 212 Conclusion......Page 214 Notes......Page 216 Suggested Readings......Page 217 9 Mark Csikszentmihalyi: Confucianism......Page 220 Classical Sources of Confucianism on Politics......Page 221 Confucianism's Theory of Politics......Page 225 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Confucianism......Page 230 The Message of Confucianism's Politics......Page 233 Confucianism and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 235 Notes......Page 238 Suggested Readings......Page 239 10 Todd Lewis: Buddhism: The Politics of Compassionate Rule......Page 240 The Classical Sources of Buddhism on Politics......Page 241 Buddhism's Theory of Politics......Page 242 The Medium of Expressing Politics in Buddhism......Page 246 The Message of Buddhism's Politics......Page 249 Support of Buddhism and Spiritual Teachers......Page 252 The Measure of Wielding Power: Seeking and Promoting Justice......Page 253 The Politics of Collective Karma: Buddhist Polity as Commonwealth......Page 254 Buddhism and Nonbelievers: Politics and People outside the Tradition......Page 256 Conclusion......Page 257 Notes......Page 258 References......Page 261 Jacob Neusner: Conclusion: Retrospective on Religion and Politics......Page 264 Notes......Page 267 Glossary......Page 268 Contributors......Page 274 Index......Page 276 Resisting the tendency to separate the study of religion and politics, editor Jacob Neusner pulls together a collection of sterling authorities who probe and explore the relationship between the world's major religions and political power. As William Scott Green writes in the introduction, "Because religion is so comprehensive, it is fundamentally about power; it therefore cannot avoid politics." Beginning with the classical sources and texts of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, and Hinduism, God's Rule begins to explore the complex nature of how each religion shapes political power, and how religion shapes itself in relation to that power. The corresponding attention to differing theories of politics and views towards nonbelievers are important not only to studies in comparative religion, but to foreign policy, history, and governance as well. From early Christianity's relationship to the Roman Empire to Hinduism's relationship to Gandhi and the caste system, God's Rule provides a basis of understanding from which undergraduates, seminarians -- indeed all citizens of this shrinking and increasingly violent planet -- can begin asking questions of relationships "both unavoidable and systematically uneasy." Resisting the tendency to separate the study of religion and politics, editor Jacob Neusner pulls together a collection of ten essays in which various authors explain and explore the relationship between the world's major religions and political power. As William Scott Green writes in the introduction, "Because religion is so comprehensive, it is fundamentally about power; it therefore cannot avoid politics." Beginning with the classical sources and texts of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism and Hinduism, God's Rule begins to explore the complex nature of how each religion shapes political power, and how religion shapes itself in relation to that power. The corresponding attention to differing theories of politics and views towards non-believers are important not only to studies in comparative religion, but to foreign policy, history and governance as well. From early Christianity's relationship to the Roman Empire to Hinduism's relationship to Gandhi and the caste system, God's Rule provides a basis of understanding from which undergraduates, seminarians and others can begin asking questions of relationships "both unavoidable and systematically uneasy." [This book offers] a collection of [essays which] probe and explore the relationship between the world's major religions and political power ... Beginning with the classical sources and texts of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, and Hinduism, [this book] begins to explore the complex nature of how each religion shapes political power, and how religion shapes itself in relation to that power. The corresponding attention to differing theories of politics and views towards nonbelievers are important not only to studies of comparative religion, but to foreign policy, history, and governance as well. From early Christianity's relationship to the Roman Empire to Hinduism's relationship to Gandhi and the caste system, [this book] provides a basis of understanding from which undergraduates, seminarians ... can begin asking questions of relationships "both unavoidable and systematically uneasy."--Jacket Beginning With The Classical Sources And Texts Of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, And Hinduism, God's Rule Begins To Explore The Complex Nature Of How Each Religion Shapes Political Power, And How Religion Shapes Itself In Relation To That Power. The Corresponding Attention To Differing Theories Of Politics And Views Towards Nonbelievers Are Important Not Only To Studies In Comparative Religion, But To Foreign Policy, History, And Governance As Well.--book Jacket. Judaism / Jacob Neusner -- Earliest Christianity / Bruce D. Chilton -- Catholic Christianity / Charles Curran -- Orthodox Christianity / Petros Vassiliadis -- Reformation Christianity / Martin Marty -- Classical Islam / John L. Esposito -- Modern Islam / John L. Esposito -- Hinduism / Brian K. Smith -- Buddhism / Todd Lewis -- Confucianism / Mark Csikszentmihalyi Jacob Neusner, Editor. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. WHEN THE STATE OF ISRAEL CAME INTO BEING, IN 1948, NO ONE IMAGINED PUTTING into effect, as state law, the Halakhah, or legal system of Scripture as extended and realized in the law books of formative Judaism, Scripture as amplified by the Rabbinic writings of the first six centuries C.E.