The meanings of death
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The meanings of death
（Cambridge paperbacks, Religion）（Canto）
Cambridge University Press, 1993
- : hbk
- : pbk
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Note
Includes bibliography (p. 232-237) and index
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: hbk ISBN 9780521391177
Description
While recognising the limitations of a book about death, where words are sometimes used which cannot bear the weight, John Bowker here puts forward, with integrity and honesty, a compelling case for the creative significance of death, and shows how value and dignity can be maintained at the limits of life without an illusory search for compensation. The author's view is that the religious exploration of death has nothing to do (as has often been maintained) with the projection of compensating paradises to those who cannot face the reality of oblivion; it has everything to do, however, with the affirmation of value, right up to the boundary of death. By examining the themes of sacrifice and friendship, in both eastern and western contexts, Bowker argues that in both these themes there are points of vital contact with secular understandings of death, and that religious and secular interpretations can reinforce and support one another in the human response to death. A recovery of the value of death, the author maintains, is important for all of us, not least in how we come to react to bereavement and in the treatment of the terminally ill in hospital and hospice work.
Table of Contents
- PART I Introduction
- 1. Death and the origins of religion
- PART II Religions and the origin of death
- 2. Judaism
- 3. Christianity
- 4. Islam
- 5. Hinduism
- 6. Buddhism
- PART III Conclusion
- 7. Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index.
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780521447737
Description
In The Meanings of Death, John Bowker offers a major contribution to debates about the value of death and its place in both Western and Eastern religions. Examining the themes of friendship and sacrifice in the world's major religions, Bowker argues that there are points of vital contact with secular understandings of death, and that religious and secular attitudes can support and reinforce one another. An affirmative recovery of the value of death is important in our response to bereavement, and in the treatment of the terminally ill. By indicating how value can be maintained at the limit of life, without a search for illusory compensation in an afterlife beyond it, Bowker enriches our experience and understanding of the 'final question' in a way which is always sensitive and often moving.
Table of Contents
- Part I. Introduction: 1. Death and the origins of religion
- Part II. Religions and the origin of death: 2. Judaism
- 3. Christianity
- 4. Islam
- 5. Hinduism
- 6. Buddhism
- Part III Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index.
by "Nielsen BookData"
