Martyrdom, Self-Sacrifice, and Self-Immolation

Religious Perspectives on Suicide

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Reference, Psychology of Religion, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Sociology, Marriage & Family, Comparative Religion
Cover of the book Martyrdom, Self-Sacrifice, and Self-Immolation by , Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9780190656515
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: May 1, 2018
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9780190656515
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: May 1, 2018
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

Suicide in the forms of martyrdom, self-sacrifice, or self-immolation is perennially controversial: Should it rightly be termed suicide? Does religion sanction it? Should it be celebrated or anathematized? At least some idealization of such self-chosen deaths is found in every religious tradition treated in this volume, from ascetic heroes who conquer their passions to save others by dying, to righteous warriors who suffer and die valiantly while challenging the status quo. At the same time, there are persistent disputes about the concepts used to justify these deaths, such as altruism, heroism, and religion itself. In this volume, renowned scholars bring their literary and historical expertise to bear on the contested issue of religiously sanctioned suicide. Three examine contemporary movements with disputed classical roots, while eleven look at classical religious literatures which variously laud and disparage figures who invite self-harm to the point of death. Overall, the volume offers an important scholarly corrective to the axiom that religious traditions simply and always embrace life at any cost.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Suicide in the forms of martyrdom, self-sacrifice, or self-immolation is perennially controversial: Should it rightly be termed suicide? Does religion sanction it? Should it be celebrated or anathematized? At least some idealization of such self-chosen deaths is found in every religious tradition treated in this volume, from ascetic heroes who conquer their passions to save others by dying, to righteous warriors who suffer and die valiantly while challenging the status quo. At the same time, there are persistent disputes about the concepts used to justify these deaths, such as altruism, heroism, and religion itself. In this volume, renowned scholars bring their literary and historical expertise to bear on the contested issue of religiously sanctioned suicide. Three examine contemporary movements with disputed classical roots, while eleven look at classical religious literatures which variously laud and disparage figures who invite self-harm to the point of death. Overall, the volume offers an important scholarly corrective to the axiom that religious traditions simply and always embrace life at any cost.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book Pure and Modern Milk by
Cover of the book Faith in Reading by
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Well-Being and Public Policy by
Cover of the book Gandhi - With Audio Level 4 Factfiles Oxford Bookworms Library by
Cover of the book Classroom English - Oxford Basics by
Cover of the book Your Brain on Food:How Chemicals Control Your Thoughts and Feelings by
Cover of the book The Documentary Film Reader by
Cover of the book Chest Imaging Cases by
Cover of the book The Invention of Satanism by
Cover of the book The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction by
Cover of the book In Battle for Peace (The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois) by
Cover of the book After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies by
Cover of the book On Concepts, Modules, and Language by
Cover of the book Words and Stones by
Cover of the book Democracy of Sound by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy