John C. Hawley Book order

Exploring the religious imagination, this collection of interdisciplinary essays delves into a wide array of historical and denominational perspectives. By analyzing the works of various thinkers, from philosophers to artists, the authors tackle the profound questions posed by Jesus regarding identity and perception. The essays investigate themes of transcendence within both the traditional Christian context and the modern world, highlighting a landscape where religious boundaries are increasingly fluid, and the presence and absence of God coexist in complex ways.

Focusing on literary interpretations of historical conversion sites, this collection features thirteen essays that span from the Renaissance to modern times. It examines the works of various authors, including Beaumont and Fletcher, Lope de Vega, and Rigoberta Menchu, exploring the intentions of missionaries and their perceptions in different cultural contexts. The essays offer a critical analysis of how these narratives reflect the complexities of conversion and cultural exchange throughout history.

When the Ayatollah Khomeini pronounced the fatwa against the novelist Salman Rushdie in 1989, the world awoke to the question which unifies the fifteen essays in this What is the contentious relationship between the world's fastest growing religion and an increasingly secular literary world? Recognizing the convergence between Islam's religious concerns and the political agenda it shares with many postcolonial emerging nations, noted international scholars address issues of authorization, the role of gender, and the pluralism among Islamic (and non-Arabic) cultures. After providing a historical context for current crises, the essayists discuss the coming cultural enrichment and potential threat.