Spiritualities: Past, Present, and Future - An Introduction

ISBN: 147832032X

Author: Kollar, Dr. Nathan R.

Condition: New

Product Description Spiritualities: Past, Present, and Future - An Introduction is a scholarly analysis of contemporary spiritualities written in everyday language. Aside from describing the history, feelings, signposts, and sources of spirituality in this liminal age, it offers descriptions of ten classical and twenty marginal spiritualties that influence current spiritual ways of life. How these past and present spiritualities respond to the ever present realities of suffering and death and the contemporary challenges of diversity, environmental degradation, and injustice, challenges readers as to how they will grow their future spiritualities. This is a primer for those interested in understanding spiritualities and helping others deepen their own spirituality. It provides condensed information and common sense categories that enable a reader to intelligently read, discuss, and choose among the forty three million offerings on the web. The short history of spirituality in the West enables one to understand how spirituality has developed over the centuries and, especially, its current fragile relationship with the Classical religions. Anyone who reads this book will have at their fingertips the print and web resources for updating their information about these spiritualities, a glossary of key terms for discussing spiritualities, a list of dos and donts for spiritual listening, and a spiritual compass for making a spiritual journey. About the Author Dr. Nathan R. Kollar is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY, retired adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education, University of Rochester, NY, and co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. He is author of Death and Other Living Things, Songs of Suffering, Defending Religious Diversity in Public Schools, and Soul Searching: A Handbook for Discovering, Developing, and Talking about Your Spirituality. He is editor of Rituals of Life and Death and Options in Roman Catholicism. He has also authored over two hundred book chapters, articles, and reviews. Among his numerous awards and grants is the Trustees' Award for Distinguished Scholarly Achievement at St. John Fisher College, the highest award for a faculty member.