Opening the doors of wonder : reflections on religious rites of passage / Arthur J. Magida.

ISBN:

9780520941717

9781429413770

Title:

Opening the doors of wonder : reflections on religious rites of passage / Arthur J. Magida.

Author:

Magida, Arthur J.

Personal Author:

Magida, Arthur J.

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

1 online resource (294 pages)

Contents:

Title; Contents; Prologue; Introduction: Sometimes, The Magic Works; 1 The Descent Of The Spirit; 2 Bob Abernethy: No Fundamental, Life-changing Experience; 3 Chinua Achebe: What Makes Someone Give Up Their Religion?; 4 Huston Smith: Religion Saturated The House; 5 Julia Sweeney: That Soldier-of-christ, Slap-across-the-face Stuff Is Sick; 6 Jim Zogby: The Wal-mart-ization Of The Church; 7 What, Really, Is A Man?; 8 Leon Botstein: I'm Tone-deaf To Belief; 9 Roz Chast: I Was Like A Spy. Like A Closet Jew; 10 Rabbi Harold Kushner: I Wanted To Make My Parents Proud.

11 Letty And Abigail Pogrebin, Mother And Daughter: "you Are A Woman" Meant "you Do The Dishes"12 Ram Dass: Mushrooms Gave Me What I Could Have Had At My Bar Mitzvah; 13 Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin: Israel And I Came Of Age Together; 14 Elie Wiesel: I Am Not God's Policeman; 15 The Thread Of Life; 16 Deepak And Gotham Chopra, Father And Son: Religion Is Frequently Idiotic; 17 Waking Up; 18 Roshi John Daido Loori: Born A Buddha. Die A Buddha; 19 Robert Thurman: I Looked Like Henry Miller In Drag; 20 Allah Is One; 21 Coleman Barks: Just Being Sentient Is Cause For Rapture.

22 Dr. Yusuf Islam (cat Stevens): Floating On A Cloud Of Mercy23 Michael Wolfe: I Feel Like A Monotheist With Extra Credentials; Epilogue: Would Anyone Riding By On A Horse Even Notice?; Notes.

Local Note:

eBooks on EBSCOhost

Subject Term:

Ritual.

Rites and ceremonies.

Religions.

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view

Publication Date:

2006

Publication Information:

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
203.82 22	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ONLINE	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

This bold, pioneering book explores rites of passage in America by sifting through the accounts of influential thinkers who experienced them. Arthur J. Magida explains the underlying theologies, evolution, and actual practice of Jewish bar and bat mitzvahs, Christian confirmations, Hindu sacred thread ceremonies, Muslim shahadas and Zen jukai ceremonies. In rare interviews, renowned artists and intellectuals such as Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, holistic guru Deepak Chopra, singer Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), actress/comedienne Julia Sweeney, cartoonist Roz Chast, interfaith maven Huston Smith, and many more talk intimately about their religious backgrounds, the rites of passage they went through, and how these events shaped who they are today.

Magida compares these coming of age ceremonies' origins and evolution, considers their ultimate meaning and purpose, and gauges how their meaning changes with individuals over time. He also examines innovative rites of passage that are now being "invented" in the United States. Passionate and lyrical, this absorbing book reveals our deep, ultimate need for coming-of-age events, especially in a society as fluid as ours.

Conversations with: Bob Abernethy, Huston Smith, Julia Sweeney, Roz Chast, Harold Kushner, Ram Dass, Elie Wiesel, Deepak Chopra, Robert Thurman, Coleman Barks, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), And others

Author Notes

Magida Arthur :

Arthur J. Magida is Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University and author of The Rabbi and the Hit Man, Prophet of Rage, and How to Be a Perfect Stranger.