2015, ISBN: 9780615184272

Hardcover

Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London England: 2015. Hardcover with dustjacket. Brand new book. Marking a departure in our understanding of Christian views of th… More...

Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London England: 2015. Hardcover with dustjacket. Brand new book. Marking a departure in our understanding of Christian views of the afterlife from 250 to 650 CE, The Ransom of the Soul explores a revolutionary shift in thinking about the fate of the soul that occurred around the time of Rome's fall. Peter Brown describes how this shift transformed the Church's institutional relationship to money and set the stage for its domination of medieval society in the West. Early Christian doctrine held that the living and the dead, as equally sinful beings, needed each other in order to achieve redemption. The devotional intercessions of the living could tip the balance between heaven and hell for the deceased. In the third century, money began to play a decisive role in these practices, as wealthy Christians took ever more elaborate steps to protect their own souls and the souls of their loved ones in the afterlife. They secured privileged burial sites and made lavish donations to churches. By the seventh century, Europe was dotted with richly endowed monasteries and funerary chapels displaying in marble splendor the Christian devotion of the wealthy dead. In response to the growing influence of money, Church doctrine concerning the afterlife evolved from speculation to firm reality, and personal wealth in the pursuit of redemption led to extraordinary feats of architecture and acts of generosity. But it also prompted stormy debates about money's proper useÑdebates that resonated through the centuries and kept alive the fundamental question of how heaven and earth could be joined by human agency. Peter Brown is Philip and Beulah Rollins Professor of History, Emeritus, at Princeton University. "In this visionary short study, Peter Brown links two themes which are rarely brought together: Christian views of the afterlife between the second and seventh centuries,and the way in which relations between God and the faithful, living and dead, were mediated by wealthÉ Beginning with the teaching of Jesus that one should give away what one has, Brown traces a trajectory of almsgiving over six centuriesÉ Brown has rarely published a book without creating a new field of study and endowing it with new research questions, and here he does it again. This beautifully written volume which is eminently accessible to non-specialists holds special interest for Catholics. As it leads reader from the ancient into the early medieval world, it speaks especially to the evolution of Catholic tradition and doctrineÉ This is an absorbing, thought-provoking book, which prompts reflection on the modern as well as the ancient world, and on the secular as well as the religious sphere."ÑTeresa Morgan, The Tablet "[An] extraordinary new bookÉ The new work, which is one of [Brown's] shortest, is also prodigiously originalÑan astonishing performance for a historian who has already been so prolific and influentialÉ [It's] a completely fresh look at the issue of Christian wealth and giving, with special attention to changing perspectives from the mid-third century to the late seventhÉ [An] extraordinarily vivid panorama of money in the early churchÉ Peter Brown's subtle and incisive tracking of the role of money in Christian attitudes toward the afterlife not only breaks down traditional geographical and chronological boundaries across more than four centuries. It provides wholly new perspectives on Christianity itself, its evolution, and, above all, its discontinuities. It demonstrates why the Middle Ages, when they finally arrived, were so very different from late antiquity."ÑG. W. Bowersock, The New York Review of Books "The most erudite and elegant historian of Christian life in late antiquityÉ Peter Brown subtly explores the hopes and fears of those who lived through the revolution that was the spread of Christianity and the transformation of the ancient world into Christian Europe. Where many have seen almsgiving and charity as crass and mechanical exchanges, he sees in these charitable activities women and men imagining anew in perilous times the certainty of death and the uncertainty of its aftermath."ÑMiri Rubin, Literary Review "Brilliantly capturesÉthe hard-fought debate about alternatives to renunciationÉ It is Peter Brown's great achievement to have demonstrated so clearly that what might be taken for granted as 'part of the common sense of Latin Christianity' is tightly bound up with the history of the western Roman Empire and its dissolution in the fourth to sixth centuries."ÑChristopher Kelly, London Review of Books "[A] revelatory bookÉ The Ransom of the Soul shows [Brown] to be as sparkling as ever; and it takes us, as his books always do, on a tour of depths that he is uniquely qualified to explore. The outward turn of events, be it the fall of empires or the founding of kingdoms, snarls and swirls on the surface like Neapolitan traffic; but deep underground, lit by flickering torches, there are frescoes, and ancient graves, and rows of skulls to be found. How fortunate we are to have Brown as our guide to them."ÑTom Holland, New Statesman "Brown is one of those writers you could read at any length and still want moreÉ Indispensable and quite cheeringly effervescentÉrich in scholarly goodies [and] revelatory."ÑSteve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly "Peter Brown's explorations of the mindsets of late antiquity have been educating us for nearly half a centuryÉ His latest book, relatively short in volume but very wide in scope, explores Christian attitudes to the afterlife, from the time of Cyprian of Carthage (martyred in 258) to that of Julian, Bishop of Toledo in the late seventh centuryÉ Brown shows brilliantly in this book how the future life of Christians beyond the grave was influenced in particular by money."ÑA. N. Wilson, The Spectator "If historians resemble their subjects, Peter Brown is the first consul of late antiquity. Urbane and judicious, Brown has toured the tottering administrations of the provinces, taken the temperature of the Christian sects, and assessed the depredations of the barbarians. On his travels, Brown noticed that Latin Christians developed more elaborate theories on the afterlife than pagans, Jews, Muslims, or even Greek Christians. In The Ransom of the Soul, he explains why this happened, and how early Christian debates on the pneuma fostered the institutions of medieval Christendom. It is a brilliant and readable study in the kind of history that Nietzsche called the 'pneumatic interpretation.'"ÑDominic Green, Standpoint "The most subversive notion in Liberation Theology is the conviction that we should look at the social and economic context in which doctrines have been developed. The Ransom of the Soul by the doyen of historians of early Christianity, Peter Brown, does exactly that about Christian understanding(s) of the afterlife. Like all Brown's writings, it is both scholarly and accessible."ÑMichael Walsh, The Tablet "Peter Brown's prose is dazzling and his argument novel. The tabulation of penances, the exposure of sins in confession and the corresponding requirement to repay debts thus built up became hallmarks of western medieval Christianity. There was no escape: the roots of the system stretched back as far as the early days of Christianity and, except for martyrs and saints, sin was everyone's lot. In this 'arms race' the richer you were, the more you were expected to pay."ÑAveril Cameron, History Today "This book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in late antiquity and early medieval Christianity."ÑA. W. Klink, Choice "Thoroughly researched and deftly written, Brown's discussion provides a unique, valuable addition to historical and religious scholarship."ÑJennifer Harris, Library Journal "In this brilliant, brief, and densely elegant study in the history of ideas, Brown, a renowned scholar of early Christian history, vividly illustrates the complex evolution of ideas about wealth and its role in the afterlife from the Christianity of the second century to the seventh century C.E.É Brown lucidly reveals the details and personalities of these centuries as he continually articulates the dynamic character of early Christianity."ÑPublishers Weekly "The Ransom of the Soul is a splendid book connecting secular power, religious authority, and the fate of the soul through the later Roman Empire and into Early Medieval Europe. Peter Brown vivifies the imperative on the wealthy to pave their way to heaven by alms-giving and monetary support of the church. His study includes fascinating and sympathetic portraits of the principal figures and of the miracles and dreams that the bishops of the time incorporated in their sermons, to validate their dire accounts of the soul's afterlife. Religious history, philosophy, politics, and society are skillfully integrated here. This is a book for every kind of reader, while specialist historians will turn to it for its novel findings and impeccable research."ÑA. A. Long, University of California, Berkeley "How did Christians come to believe that money spent by the living could benefit the souls of the dead? With characteristic verve and elegance, with unsurpassed scholarship, and with the deep moral sympathy that his readers have always admired, Peter Brown tracks the elusive answer to this question through four centuries, from 250 to 650 CE, and through all of Europe, from Spain to Babylon and from North Africa to IrelandÑand in doing so helps us understand our own deepest needs and anxieties."ÑGlenn W. Most, Scuola Normale Superiore, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London England: 2015, Cambridge, MA: Oelgeschlager, Gunn & Hain, Publishers, Inc, 1981. Trade paperback. Very good. xxv, 307 pages. Chronology of Post-Mao Years. Romanized Forms of Chinese Names. Occasional Footnotes. Selected Bibliography. Index. Name of previous owner present. Publisher's "Booknote" laid in. Lucian W. Pye (21 October 1921 - 5 September 2008) was a political scientist, sinologist and comparative politics expert considered one of the leading China scholars in the United States. Educated at Carleton College and Yale University, Pye chose to focus on the characteristics of specific cultures in forming theories of political development of modernization of Third World nations, rather than seeking universal and overarching theories like most political scientists. As a result, he became regarded as one of the foremost contemporary practitioners and proponents of the concept of political culture and political psychology. Pye was a teacher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 35 years and served on several Asia-related research and policy organizations. He wrote or edited books and served as advisor to Democratic presidential candidates, including John F. Kennedy. The tension between consensus and faction is in large measure the most basic dynamic of Chinese politics. Pulling in one direction is the cultural imperative of conformity and consensus -- within the ranks of the elite there should be only harmony and cooperation, never unseemly competition and disagreements. There is a cultural imperative that pulls in the other direction, which says that security is to be found only in personal relations that ensure that one has special ties with both superiors and inferiors. This book seeks to examine the ramifications of this driving force for so much of Chinese political behavior. There is the ideal of unanimity, the principle of collective conformity, of never causing waves or being out of step. And there is the irresistible compulsion to find security by seeking out special relationships. Behind the curtain of consensus there is an endless process of forming and reforming of clusters and networks of officials, which at times consolidate into fairly coherent factions. Chinese leaders know that this process takes place. Those upholding the consensus tend to be suspicious that others are acting against it, and therefore threaten the others and cause them to do the very things they are suspected of., Oelgeschlager, Gunn & Hain, Publishers, Inc, 1981, New Delhi, India: Pragati Publications, 2003. Preface Part I : NATURE AND STUDY OF THE ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. What ORGANISATIONAL Behaviour is? 2. Historical Perspective and Approaches to ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 3. Foundation of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 4. Models of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour Part II : HUMAN Relations AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. Historical Background of Development of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 2. The Hawthorne Studies 3. Understanding Human Relations 4. Human Relations : All Dimensional Importance and Values 5. Human Relations : Tools, Methods and Techniques Part III : MOTIVATION IN ORGANISATIONS AND ITS EFFECT ON BEHAVIOUR : 1. Motivation and Behaviour 2. Motivation : Theories and their Applicability 3. Motivation : Job Satisfaction and Morale 4. Motivation : How To Promote Intrinsic Motivation Part IV : INDIVIDUAL AND INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. Individual Difference in an Organization 2. Foundation of Individual Interpersonal Behaviour 3. Attitudes 4. Attitudes, Perceptions and Attributions in Organisations 5. Individual Differences, Values, Beliefs, Attitudes and Ethics 6. Conflict in the Organization 7. Transactional Analysis Part V : PERCEPTUAL PROCESSES AND DEVELOPING PERCEPTUAL SKILLS : 1. Perceptual Processes and Developing Perceptual Skills Part VI : PERSONALITY AND LEADERSHIP : 1. Personality Predispositions and Managerial Effectiveness 2. Leadership : Its Nature and Impact in Organisations Part VII : GROUP BEHAVIOUR, WORK GROUPS AND GROUP DYNAMICS : 1. Group Behaviour in Organisations 2. Work Groups and Group Dynamics in Organisations Part VIII : STRESS Management AND LABOUR FORCE : 1. Diagnosing the Environment 2. The Dynamics and Management of Stress 3. International Workforce Management Part IX : MACRO-LEVEL ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOUR : 1. Learning : Understanding and Adoption to the Work Environment 2. Influence, Power and Politics in Organisations 3. Managing Change in the Organization 4. Training : Other Methods and Techniques Part X : DECISION-MAKING, COMMUNICATION AND TRANSFORMATION : 1. Analytical Managerial Decision-Making in Organisations 2. Communication in Organisations 3. Transformation of Management in the Next Millennium 4. The Alphabet of Success Printed Pages: 997.. First Edition. Softcover. New., Pragati Publications, 2003, New Delhi, India: Pragati Publications, 2003. First Edition. Softcover. New. Preface Part I : NATURE AND STUDY OF THE ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. What ORGANISATIONAL Behaviour is? 2. Historical Perspective and Approaches to ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 3. Foundation of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 4. Models of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour Part II : HUMAN Relations AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. Historical Background of Development of ORGANIZATIONAL Behaviour 2. The Hawthorne Studies 3. Understanding Human Relations 4. Human Relations : All Dimensional Importance and Values 5. Human Relations : Tools, Methods and Techniques Part III : MOTIVATION IN ORGANISATIONS AND ITS EFFECT ON BEHAVIOUR : 1. Motivation and Behaviour 2. Motivation : Theories and their Applicability 3. Motivation : Job Satisfaction and Morale 4. Motivation : How To Promote Intrinsic Motivation Part IV : INDIVIDUAL AND INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOUR : 1. Individual Difference in an Organization 2. Foundation of Individual Interpersonal Behaviour 3. Attitudes 4. Attitudes, Perceptions and Attributions in Organisations 5. Individual Differences, Values, Beliefs, Attitudes and Ethics 6. Conflict in the Organization 7. Transactional Analysis Part V : PERCEPTUAL PROCESSES AND DEVELOPING PERCEPTUAL SKILLS : 1. Perceptual Processes and Developing Perceptual Skills Part VI : PERSONALITY AND LEADERSHIP : 1. Personality Predispositions and Managerial Effectiveness 2. Leadership : Its Nature and Impact in Organisations Part VII : GROUP BEHAVIOUR, WORK GROUPS AND GROUP DYNAMICS : 1. Group Behaviour in Organisations 2. Work Groups and Group Dynamics in Organisations Part VIII : STRESS Management AND LABOUR FORCE : 1. Diagnosing the Environment 2. The Dynamics and Management of Stress 3. International Workforce Management Part IX : MACRO-LEVEL ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOUR : 1. Learning : Understanding and Adoption to the Work Environment 2. Influence, Power and Politics in Organisations 3. Managing Change in the Organization 4. Training : Other Methods and Techniques Part X : DECISION-MAKING, COMMUNICATION AND TRANSFORMATION : 1. Analytical Managerial Decision-Making in Organisations 2. Communication in Organisations 3. Transformation of Management in the Next Millennium 4. The Alphabet of Success Printed Pages: 997., Pragati Publications, 2003, London: G. Bell Two-volume set, both Bell hardbacks with maroon boards and no dustjackets, published in the 1960s. Good, light wear, clean contents, light speckles along edge of page block. Book 1 - pub. 1969, x + 293pp. Contents : Relative worth of the pieces; Centre formations; Various formations; The struggle for open lines; Weak pawns. Book 2 - pub. 1965, xi + 346pp. Contents: The initiative; Attacking the King; The art of defence; The technique of manoeuvring; Liquidation; Familiar failings; Personal style (38 players with example games). Descriptive notation.. Hard Cover. Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall., G. Bell, A.C.C.E.S.S. Art Corp International. Paperback. New. Paperback. 72 pages. Dimensions: 11.0in. x 8.2in. x 0.1in.Write for Life is a creative writing process grounded in the movement of our lives. Twelve steps of background theory and exercise provide tools to access both your personal stories and social and cultural narratives. Techniques amplify psychosocial dynamics and perception to work as powerful tools across genres, empowering writers to structure the content of their lives with meaningful form. An antidote to fear of the blank page, inoculation against writers block--this is Write for Life. This item ships from multiple locations. Your book may arrive from Roseburg,OR, La Vergne,TN., A.C.C.E.S.S. Art Corp International<