This fourth volume in a series of state-of-the-art reviews of religious studies programs in Canadian provinces traces the formative role of religion in the establishment of the universities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Despite strong roots in denominational colleges, with their confessionally oriented study of religion, by the 1960s, “there was a diffused sense in the culture of the need for a religious perspective, and even a quest for religious experience, but at the same time there was a growing dissatisfaction with the conventional ways of being religious.” This new perspective, coupled with rising enrollments and increased funding, both a result of the explosion of post-secondary education in Canada, was reflected in a shift away from the theological study of religion to an academic one. New Religious Studies departments that reflected a “science of religion” philosophy were founded, and faculty hired and curricula developed to meet these broader concerns. Current issues, such as graduate studies, research and publication, and faculty hiring are also treated, as are the Bible colleges and theological seminaries which play such an important role in both provinces. Assessments of religious studies research programs and their relation to the general community situate the programs in a wider context and indicate future directions. This solid, sensitively written volume adds considerably to our knowledge of religious studies in Canada and illustrates how yet another region is meeting the needs of a pluralistic society by providing new contexts for the study of religion.

Religious Studies in Manitoba and Saskatchewan: A State-of-the-Art Review (Study of Religion in Canada, 4)

Religion & Spirituality

Badertscher, John M.

Harland, Gordon

Miller, Roland E.

Religious Studies

Wilfrid Laurier University Press

Thorough exploration of the distinct culture of the Mappila Muslims of Kerala, India.

Mappila Muslim Culture: How a Historic Muslim Community in India Has Blended Tradition and Modernity (SUNY Series in Religious Studies)

History

Asia

State University of New York Press

Thorough exploration of the distinct culture of the Mappila Muslims of Kerala, India. This book provides a comprehensive account of the distinct culture of the Mappila Muslims, a large community from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Although they were the first Muslim community in South Asia, the Mappilas are little-known in the West. Roland E. Miller explores the Mappilas’ fourteen-century-long history of social adaptation and their current status as a successful example of Muslim interaction with modernity. Once feared, now admired, Kerala’s Mappilas have produced an intellectual renaissance and renewed their ancient status as a model of social harmony. Miller provides an account of Mappila history and looks at the formation of Mappila culture, which has developed through the interaction of Islamic and Malayali influences. Descriptions of current day life cycles, religion, ritual, work life, education, and leadership are included.

The author's five decades of personal experience leads him to conclude that it is possible to be a witness to the Gospel and be a friend to Muslims at the same time. The author outlines key factors in the Muslim understanding of the Gospel, examines some bridges, and defines the art of sharing. He concludes by assessing the possibilities of such a mission.

Muslims and the Gospel: Bridging the Gap

Christian Books & Bibles

Lutheran University Press

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Books by Miller, Roland E.