This paper examines the book: Sheldrake, Philip. Spirituality: A Guide for the Perplexed. London, GBR: Bloomsbury Academic, 2014. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 14 April 2015.
Here, we examine the way the author Sheldrake presents the three biggest faiths in three chapters of his book and how he presents the three Abrahamic faiths and some of the biases highlighted in his writing. Does he in any way try to project one over the other or is he objective enough such that his book can be recommended for interfaith studies?
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Jewish Spirituality
- The Source of this Spirituality
- Bias
- What's New
- Muslim Spirituality
- A Bias and What is Lacking of Christianity
- What's New
- Christian Spirituality
- Bias and Lack of Information in Christianity
- What's New
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this work is to review the spiritualities of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, focusing on their commonalities and differences as Abrahamic faiths. Sheldrake examines the origins, teachings, practices, and world missions of each religion, emphasizing their shared aspects rather than doctrinal disputes.
- Comparative Spirituality: Exploring the common threads of mysticism, asceticism, and world mission across the three Abrahamic faiths.
- Origins and Teachings: Tracing the historical development and core tenets of each religion, highlighting their shared roots in Abraham.
- Religious Practice: Analyzing the daily spiritual practices and communal aspects of each faith.
- World Mission: Examining the concept of a religious mission to the world within each faith.
- Denominations and Variations: Exploring the diverse branches and interpretations within each faith.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the entire work, outlining the author's approach to comparing the spiritualities of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Sheldrake establishes a consistent framework for analyzing each faith, focusing on their origins, teachings, practices, and world missions, while minimizing focus on doctrinal disagreements. The author aims to highlight common themes and shared elements across these three major world religions, emphasizing their interconnectedness and shared heritage.
Jewish Spirituality: This chapter presents Judaism as a faith deeply intertwined with ethnic identity, tracing its history back thousands of years to Mesopotamia. Sheldrake contrasts the active, practical nature of Jewish spirituality, emphasizing its daily observance of laws and communal focus, with the potential for individual spiritual experiences. The Torah, Talmud, and Midrash serve as primary sources, and the chapter explores concepts like "tikkum olam" (repairing the world) as a central aspect of Jewish mission. While acknowledging the existence of Jewish sects and mystical traditions, the chapter emphasizes Judaism's monotheistic core and its ongoing hope for the Messiah.
Muslim Spirituality: This chapter portrays Muslim spirituality as an integral part of daily life, interwoven with family and community. The Quran and the teachings of Muhammad form the foundation, with the Kaaba serving as a central place of worship. Sheldrake emphasizes the lack of separation between spiritual and secular life, highlighting the five pillars of Islam as fundamental rituals. The chapter discusses the two major denominations, Sunni and Shia, stressing their division based on lineage rather than theological differences. The concept of the "ummah" (community) is presented as a significant element of Islam's embrace of others, and the chapter contrasts this approach with the absence of intermediaries between individuals and Allah.
Christian Spirituality: The chapter on Christian spirituality examines the faith's diverse denominations, stemming from theological and institutional schisms. It traces Christianity's origins in Jewish monotheism, highlighting the Bible, particularly the New Testament, as its primary source. Sheldrake emphasizes the significance of discipleship and following Jesus' example, along with the concepts of Christ's incarnation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The communal aspect of Christian life is highlighted, along with the importance of baptism and the post-resurrection experience. The chapter also notes the role of monasticism and martyrdom in Christian history and the adaptation of Christian spirituality to various social and cultural contexts, including the emergence of ecumenical movements.
Keywords
Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Abrahamic faiths, spirituality, mysticism, asceticism, world mission, monotheism, religious practice, denominations, tikkum olam, ummah, ecumenical movements, comparative religion.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Study of Abrahamic Spiritualities
What is the main topic of this text?
This text provides a comparative overview of the spiritualities of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It focuses on their commonalities and differences as Abrahamic faiths, examining their origins, teachings, practices, and world missions.
What are the key themes explored in this text?
The key themes include comparative spirituality (exploring common threads like mysticism and asceticism), origins and teachings (tracing historical development and core tenets), religious practices (analyzing daily rituals and communal aspects), world mission (examining each faith's outreach), and denominations and variations (exploring diverse branches and interpretations).
What is the author's approach to comparing these religions?
The author aims to highlight shared aspects and common themes across the three faiths, emphasizing their interconnectedness and shared heritage, while minimizing focus on doctrinal disputes. A consistent framework is used to analyze each religion across the key themes.
What are the main points covered in the chapter on Jewish Spirituality?
This chapter portrays Jewish spirituality as deeply intertwined with ethnic identity, emphasizing its practical, daily observance of laws and communal focus. It discusses the Torah, Talmud, and Midrash as primary sources, and explores concepts like "tikkum olam" (repairing the world) as a central aspect of Jewish mission. The chapter also acknowledges the existence of diverse Jewish traditions.
What are the main points covered in the chapter on Muslim Spirituality?
This chapter presents Muslim spirituality as integral to daily life, interwoven with family and community. The Quran and teachings of Muhammad are highlighted, along with the five pillars of Islam. The chapter discusses Sunni and Shia denominations, the concept of "ummah" (community), and the direct relationship between individuals and Allah without intermediaries.
What are the main points covered in the chapter on Christian Spirituality?
The chapter on Christian spirituality examines the faith's diverse denominations and traces its origins in Jewish monotheism. It highlights the Bible, particularly the New Testament, and emphasizes discipleship, Christ's incarnation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the communal aspect of Christian life. The role of monasticism, martyrdom, and ecumenical movements are also discussed.
What is the purpose of the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide concise overviews of the key arguments and information presented in each chapter, offering a quick reference to the main points of the comparative study.
What keywords are used to describe the text's content?
Keywords include Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Abrahamic faiths, spirituality, mysticism, asceticism, world mission, monotheism, religious practice, denominations, tikkum olam, ummah, ecumenical movements, and comparative religion.
What is included in the table of contents?
The table of contents lists an introduction, chapters on Jewish, Muslim, and Christian spiritualities, and a conclusion. Each chapter on a specific religion further breaks down into subtopics focusing on the source of the spirituality, existing biases in understanding it, and what is considered 'new' or evolving within each religious tradition's spirituality.
What is the overall objective of this text?
The objective is to provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the spiritualities within Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, emphasizing their shared heritage and common themes while acknowledging their differences.
- Quote paper
- Emmanuel Wayi (Author), 2016, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. A Review of the Abrahamic Faiths, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/336987
