Tales of Lights and Shadows | Free Book
Mythology of the Afterlife
Tales of Lights and Shadows offers a fresh approach to the traditional
mythology and literature of the afterlife, centering on tensions and
polarities in the afterlife concepts: bright vs. dismal, heaven vs.
reincarnation, theocentric vs. anthropocentric heaven, etc. Presenting
examples from virtually all the world's religious cultures past and
present, this fascinating book puts the concepts clearly in the
context of the worldview and social issues of that society.
Robert Ellwood depicts the many rich mythologies of the afterlife from the ancient Mesopotamians, Japanese, Greeks of the Homeric era, to Christian views of heaven or the Buddhist western paradise. He explores views of the concept of reincarnation as well as the arduous preparation for the afterlife that must be taken in some traditions. Ellwood concludes by looking at the way varying views of the afterlife influence religious and even secular culture, and how in turn culture can influence the popular heavens and hells of the time and place.
Robert Ellwood depicts the many rich mythologies of the afterlife from the ancient Mesopotamians, Japanese, Greeks of the Homeric era, to Christian views of heaven or the Buddhist western paradise. He explores views of the concept of reincarnation as well as the arduous preparation for the afterlife that must be taken in some traditions. Ellwood concludes by looking at the way varying views of the afterlife influence religious and even secular culture, and how in turn culture can influence the popular heavens and hells of the time and place.
In The Press
This book is a wonderful read. Essentially a survey work which acquaints readers with most of the afterlife myths of the world's major religions, it offers itself as a basic introductory primer. The author should be well known to religious studies readers as someone who has been a prolific academic writer in the field for over 35 years. The book is written with a sure hand- both in terms of content as well as writing style.
- Title: Tales of Lights and Shadows | Free Book
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-10-25 21:59:24
- Updated at : 2024-10-26 16:33:40
- Link: https://novels-ebooks.techidaily.com/209949829-9781441186034-tales-of-lights-and-shadows/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.