The Sacred Quest takes a thematic and comparative approach to the study of religion. It gives equal weight to theoretical issues and practices reflected in the major world religions. The text identifies the theoretical issues surrounding the study of religion and focuses on fundamental topics such as ritual and sacred language.

Describing his own struggle with addiction and the resulting brokenness that led him to explore the teachings of both evangelical and charismatic spirituality, the author shares his journey seeking the word and power. Through key lessons from both traditions, Banister outlines his spiritual discoveries and applies them to various settings.

Why do we travel? Ostensibly an act of leisure, travel finds us thrusting ourselves into jets flying miles above the earth, only to endure dislocations of time and space, foods and languages foreign to our body and mind, and encounters with strangers on whom we must suddenly depend. Travel is not merely a break from routine; it is its antithesis, a voluntary trading in of the security one feels at home for unpredictability and confusion. In Bewildered Travel Frederick Ruf argues that this confusion, which we might think of simply as a necessary evil, is in fact the very thing we are seeking when we leave home. Ruf relates this quest for confusion to our religious behavior. Citing William James, who defined the religious as what enables us to "front life," Ruf contends that the search for bewilderment allows us to point our craft into the wind and sail headlong into the storm rather than flee from it. This view challenges the Eliadean tradition that stresses religious ritual as a shield against the world’s chaos. Ruf sees our departures from the familiar as a crucial component in a spiritual life, reminding us of the central role of pilgrimage in religion. In addition to his own revealing experiences as a traveler, Ruf presents the reader with the journeys of a large and diverse assortment of notable Americans, including Henry Miller, Paul Bowles, Mark Twain, Mary Oliver, and Walt Whitman. These accounts take us from the Middle East to the Philippines, India to Nicaragua, Mexico to Morocco--and, in one threatening instance, simply to the edge of the author’s own neighborhood. "What gives value to travel is fear," wrote Camus. This book illustrates the truth of that statement.

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. Examines the main ideas that characterize all religious thought and practice. The Sacred Quest takes a thematic and comparative approach to the study of religion. It gives equal weight to theoretical issues and practices reflected in the major world religions. The text identifies the theoretical issues surrounding the study of religion and focuses on fundamental topics such as ritual and sacred language. Learning Goals Upon completing this book readers will be able to: Recognize main ideas that characterize all religious thought and practice Identify theoretical issues surrounding the study of religion Recognize fundamental topics of religion: ritual, sacred communication, and morality Note: MySearchLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MySearchLab, please visit: www.mysearchlab.com or you can purchase a ValuePack of the text + MySearchlab (at no additional cost): ValuePack ISBN-10: 0205797237 / ValuePack ISBN-13: 9780205797233.

This book provides a clear, concise introduction to the study of religion. It focuses on such fundamental topics as ritual, sacred language, ethics, salvation, and the problem of evil. KEY TOPICS: Explores the essential questions in religion; contains thought experiments in each chapter and has a complete glossary of religious terms and references.

Happiness. It is something we all say we want but so few possess. Why do some people seem to be so happy all the time while others struggle to find joy in their lives? Answers to these questions have come mainly from traditional psychological and religious understandings. The Sacred Quest looks at happiness through a spiritual lens as well but finds answers from a unique Pagan perspective.