Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle EastDespite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia, Babylon, Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. Their followers have learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face greater challenges than ever before. In Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms, former diplomat Gerard Russell ventures to the distant, nearly impassable regions where these mysterious religions still cling to survival. He lives alongside the Mandaeans and Ezidis of Iraq, the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Copts of Egypt, and others. He learns their histories, participates in their rituals, and comes to understand the threats to their communities. Historically a tolerant faith, Islam has, since the early 20th century, witnessed the rise of militant, extremist sects. This development, along with the rippling effects of Western invasion, now pose existential threats to these minority faiths. And as more and more of their youth flee to the West in search of greater freedoms and job prospects, these religions face the dire possibility of extinction. Drawing on his extensive travels and archival research, Russell provides an essential record of the past, present, and perilous future of these remarkable religions. |
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LibraryThing Review
Gebruikersrecensie - nmele - LibraryThingRussell has written an elegiac and informative account of ancient faiths which range from Coptic Christianity with millions of followers to Kalasha, with a few thousand, to the Samaritan community ... Volledige review lezen
LibraryThing Review
Gebruikersrecensie - MiaCulpa - LibraryThingComing from a non-religious family in Australia, perhaps the most secular nation on Earth, there is much for me to learn about religion, and Russell has provided me with an excellent introduction to ... Volledige review lezen
Overige edities - Alles weergeven
Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the ... Gerard Russell Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2014 |
Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the ... Gerard Russell Geen voorbeeld beschikbaar - 2015 |
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
Abu Shihab Afghanistan Alawites American ancient Angra Angra Mainyu Arab Aramaic asked Assyrian Azem Babylon Babylonian Baghdad believe Benny British Cairo caliph called celebrate century Chitral Christian church converts Coptic Copts country’s culture customs Druze Egypt Egyptian Empire evil faith father festival Greek Harranians Hassan Hindu Kush holy Iran Iranian Iraq Iraq’s Iraqi Islam Israel Israeli Jerusalem Jewish Jews Jumblatt Kafiristan Kafirs Kalasha killed Koran Kurdish Kurds Lalish language Lebanese Lebanon lived looked Mandaeans marry Middle East Minya Mirza mosque mountains Muslim Nablus Nadia never Nuristan once pagan Pakistan Palestinians Passover percent Persian pharaohs philosophy Photo pray prayer priest Prophet Pythagoras reincarnation religion religious ritual rule Samaritans Sheikh Shi’a Sinjar survived Syria temple thousand told traditions tribe University valley village wanted Wazir woman women worship wrote Yazd Yazidis Zoroastrians