Sacrifice Imagined: Violence, Atonement, and the Sacred
- ISBN-10
- 0826420613
- ISBN-13
- 9780826420619
- Category
- Religion
- Pages
- 256
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2011-09-08
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Author
- Douglas Hedley
Description
Sacrifice Imagined is an original exploration of the idea of sacrifice by one of the world's preeminent philosophers of religion. Despisers of religion have poured scorn upon the idea of sacrifice as an index of the irrational and wicked in religious practice. Nor does its secularised form seem much more appealing. One need only think of the appalling cult of sacrifice in numerous totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century. Yet sacrifice remains a part of our cultural and intellectual 'imaginary'. Hedley proposes good reasons to think that issues of global conflict and the ecological crisis highlight the continuing relevance of the topic of sacrifice for contemporary culture. The subject of sacrifice has been decisively influenced by two books: Girard's The Violence and the Sacred and Burkert's Homo Necans. Both of these are theories of sacrifice as violence. Hedley's book challenges both of these highly influential theories and presents a theory of sacrifice as renunciation of the will. His guiding influences in this are the much misunderstood Joseph de Maistre and the Cambridge Platonists.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2011-09-08
- 256 pages
- Ebook
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
-
- 2011-09-08
- 248 pages
- Paperback
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Similar books
-
Flesh and Blood: Interrogating Freud on Human Sacrifice, Real and Imagined
By Benjamin Beit-HallahmiThere is one undisputed historical fact about all scriptures, whether from India or from West Asia: They have been composed by real human beings, guided by the human imagination and human beliefs, during different periods over the past ...
-
Sacrifice and Modern Thought
By Johannes Zachhuber, Julia Meszaros... sacrifice cannot be separated: one is thankful for the redeeming presence of Christ's all-sufficient sacrifice. He then goes on to contrast two groups of texts which contain the words of institution at the Last Supper, going on to align ...
-
The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa
By Emmanuel KatongoleIn The Sacrifice of Africa Emmanuel Katongole confronts this painful legacy and shows how it continues to warp the imaginative landscape of African politics and society.
-
Not Sparing the Child: Human Sacrifice in the Ancient World and Beyond
By Dietmar Neufeld, Paul C. Burns, Richard MenkisPaul C. Burns is Emeritus Associate Professor in the Department of Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies at the University of British Columbia. J. R. C. Cousland is Associate Professor of Early Christianity and Greek Religion ...
-
Sacrifice and Modern War Literature: From the Battle of Waterloo to the War on Terror
By Jan-Melissa Schramm, Alex HouenYeats asked in Easter, 1916', but he was thinking about a fanaticism driven to self-sacrifice in battle, before a firing squad or at the end of rope, like the Sixteen Dead Men who formed the title of poems published by both him and ...
-
The Perfect Sacrifice
By Rosa MayoIt is my hope that as you enjoy the story, it will heighten your appreciation of Christ work on the cross and also spark creativity, curiosity and imagination in you.
-
But Where is the Lamb?: Imagining the Story of Abraham and Isaac
By James GoodmanIn illuminating how so many others have understood this story, Goodman tells a gripping and provocative story of his own.
-
Child Sacrifice in Ancient Israel
By Heath D. DewrellAmong the many religious acts condemned in the Hebrew Bible, child sacrifice stands out as particularly horrifying.
-
Infinite Sacrifice
By L.E. WatersMaya’s shocked to discover it’s not the heaven she imagined; in fact, a life of adventure begins the moment you die.
-
Interpreting Child Sacrifice Narratives: Horror and Redemption
By Benjamin Beit-HallahmiExamining the theme of child sacrifice as a psychological challenge, this book applies a unique approach to religious ideas by looking at beliefs and practices that are considered deviant, but also make up part of mainstream religious ...