- Paperback: 224 pages
- Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. (10 Mar 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0826499090
- ISBN-13: 978-0826499097
- Product Dimensions: 21.5 x 13.9 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 470,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
"an intriguing tapestry of variously intervowen, overlapping and uncorrelatable views""The debate will rage on, but this book radically raises the level of debate"Observer, 10 February 2008--,
Product Description
How do we define religion? Can we define faith? Why in our twenty first century world are so many people religious? Why do, and how can people believe in a supernatural god or gods? Is religion dangerous? Does it have a value? What should our ambition for religion be? Mick Gordon and Chris Wilkinson explore these questions together with 18 well-known religious thinkers and commentators, including: A.C. Grayling, Giles Fraser, Rowan Williams, Lewis and Matthew Wolpert, Don Cuppit, Mohammed Al Husseini, Tariq Ramadan, John Gray, Alistair McGrath, Abdelwahab El Affendi, Richard Dawkins, Julia Neuberger, Fraser Watts, Azzam Tamimi, Ann Widdecombe, Karen Armstrong, Shelina Janmohamed, Jonathan Sacks. The result is a fascinating insight into human nature. We human beings are strange in our commitment to beliefs which we inherit, imbibe and choose. We find them difficult to let go. For better and for worse, this is our commonality. The task is to better understand and attempt to take responsibility for those different beliefs and positions which seem to mean so much to us. "Conversations on Religion" is an important part of that process.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a great book. I read it from the library but felt the need to possess my own copy. That says a lot! You have in this book fairly detailed interviews by many of the contemporary "giants" in the wide and varied world of religion. From Dawkin's Atheism to Magrath's Christianity and different approaches to Islam too.
A very informative book, I plan to use it in school to generate lively discussions and reflection in my R.E. classes.
A very informative book, I plan to use it in school to generate lively discussions and reflection in my R.E. classes.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a fascinating book with a great concept.
As free thinker it was great to assimilate the views the religious in a modern and progressive world.
A really superb read for anyone interested in theology.
As free thinker it was great to assimilate the views the religious in a modern and progressive world.
A really superb read for anyone interested in theology.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
A conversation worth having
9 Jun 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Our viewpoints on religion often have the danger of becoming parochial and trapped in an echo chamber - especially for those who take a less than scholarly approach to belief. This book gives us an excellent antidote as it provides an entire spectrum of beliefs running from Catholic, Islamic, and Jewish orthodoxy to thoroughgoing naturalism. From liberal to conservative perspectives, reform to traditional positions, antipathetic to sympathetic, there are few viewpoints left out.
This human phenomenon we call religion that can be very hard to nail down with a definition (the interviewer asks every thinker in this book and they almost all admit that conclusively defining religion is practically impossible) but we can glide toward something of a working idea of what we mean simply by looking at a healthily populated list. And this book allows us to understand what religion means to many people who have many differing beliefs.
The format of the book is to gather some of the leading thinkers on religion and to interview them. While the questions asked tend to be general, the answers are nearly all excellent and substantive.
We learn why leading atheists like A. C. Grayling and Richard Dawkins think religion is nonsense.
We learn how and why scientists like Alister McGrath and Fraser Watts still find religious belief warranted.
We learn how and why a theologian and ordained priest like Don Cupitt candidly identifies as an atheist.
We learn from devout Muslims like Azzam Tamimi and Shalina Janmohamed about the controversial issues such as the Islamic stance on terrorism and the state of women in Muslim society.
All of the contributors here are worthwhile to read in this context of a conversation, even if there are obnoxious and immature views expressed (Ann Widdecombe being the best example). But that is the value of this resource; there certainly are many, many people who have an obnoxious and immature understanding of religion and by understanding them better, we can understand the world better.
This human phenomenon we call religion that can be very hard to nail down with a definition (the interviewer asks every thinker in this book and they almost all admit that conclusively defining religion is practically impossible) but we can glide toward something of a working idea of what we mean simply by looking at a healthily populated list. And this book allows us to understand what religion means to many people who have many differing beliefs.
The format of the book is to gather some of the leading thinkers on religion and to interview them. While the questions asked tend to be general, the answers are nearly all excellent and substantive.
We learn why leading atheists like A. C. Grayling and Richard Dawkins think religion is nonsense.
We learn how and why scientists like Alister McGrath and Fraser Watts still find religious belief warranted.
We learn how and why a theologian and ordained priest like Don Cupitt candidly identifies as an atheist.
We learn from devout Muslims like Azzam Tamimi and Shalina Janmohamed about the controversial issues such as the Islamic stance on terrorism and the state of women in Muslim society.
All of the contributors here are worthwhile to read in this context of a conversation, even if there are obnoxious and immature views expressed (Ann Widdecombe being the best example). But that is the value of this resource; there certainly are many, many people who have an obnoxious and immature understanding of religion and by understanding them better, we can understand the world better.
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