God-Optional Judaism

God-Optional Judaism

Author: Judith Seid

Publisher: Citadel Press

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 9780806521909

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Here is a handbook for Jews looking for creative & meaningful new ways to express their own ways of being Jewish. The book discusses the historical evolution of the Jewish religion and takes up the question of what it means to be a 'cultural Jew'. God-optional Judaism provides alternative, nontheistic ways to celebrate every Jewish holiday and all the rites of passage in life, including baby naming ceremonies, bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings and funerals


Book Synopsis God-Optional Judaism by : Judith Seid

Download or read book God-Optional Judaism written by Judith Seid and published by Citadel Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a handbook for Jews looking for creative & meaningful new ways to express their own ways of being Jewish. The book discusses the historical evolution of the Jewish religion and takes up the question of what it means to be a 'cultural Jew'. God-optional Judaism provides alternative, nontheistic ways to celebrate every Jewish holiday and all the rites of passage in life, including baby naming ceremonies, bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings and funerals


God-Optional Religion in Twentieth-Century America

God-Optional Religion in Twentieth-Century America

Author: Isaac Barnes May

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2022-12-13

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 0197624235

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"This book is about the relationship between the American religious left and secularization. It explores how three liberal religions -liberal Quakers, Unitarians, and Reconstructionist Jews- attempted to preserve their traditions in the modern world by redefining what it meant to be religious. Between the 1920s and the 1960s, these groups underwent the most massive theological change imaginable, allowing their members to opt not to believe in a personal God. As the God of traditional theism did not seem to fit into a post-Darwinian framework, these traditions took the dramatic step of redefining that concept to make a "God" that did fit, and eventually they went even further by making belief in God a matter of purely personal preference. This book narrates how, over the course of the twentieth century, believing in God and being religious became increasingly disconnected. It documents the continuance of these religious communities even after the theological rationales that originally brought them together disappeared, their communal identities instead becoming focused on humanitarian service and political commitments, which began to replace a shared adherence to theism. The radical religious views of these small liberal denominations became influential among the wider society, and eventually became accepted in American popular culture and law"--


Book Synopsis God-Optional Religion in Twentieth-Century America by : Isaac Barnes May

Download or read book God-Optional Religion in Twentieth-Century America written by Isaac Barnes May and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-12-13 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book is about the relationship between the American religious left and secularization. It explores how three liberal religions -liberal Quakers, Unitarians, and Reconstructionist Jews- attempted to preserve their traditions in the modern world by redefining what it meant to be religious. Between the 1920s and the 1960s, these groups underwent the most massive theological change imaginable, allowing their members to opt not to believe in a personal God. As the God of traditional theism did not seem to fit into a post-Darwinian framework, these traditions took the dramatic step of redefining that concept to make a "God" that did fit, and eventually they went even further by making belief in God a matter of purely personal preference. This book narrates how, over the course of the twentieth century, believing in God and being religious became increasingly disconnected. It documents the continuance of these religious communities even after the theological rationales that originally brought them together disappeared, their communal identities instead becoming focused on humanitarian service and political commitments, which began to replace a shared adherence to theism. The radical religious views of these small liberal denominations became influential among the wider society, and eventually became accepted in American popular culture and law"--


God, Torah, Israel

God, Torah, Israel

Author: Louis Jacobs

Publisher: Hebrew Union College Press

Published: 1990-12-31

Total Pages: 115

ISBN-13: 0878204717

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In these three lectures, the eminent British rabbi and theologian Louis Jacobs defines and defends his position as a liberal supernaturalist and halakhic nonfundamentalist in those areas where the religious Jew is confronted with the conflicting truth claims of modern knowledge and traditional belief. Jacobs begins by contrasting the theistic belief in a personal God with some of its alternatives; he argues that the liberal supernaturalist's position is both the closest in approximation to the traditional Jewish view and still the most coherent way to deal with the fundamental mysteries of the universe, even after Freud, Darwin, Marx, and modern technology have replaced a God-centered universe with a universe the center of which is man. The second lecture explores the impact of modern science and scholarship on the doctrine of Torah min hashamayim, divine revelation of the Written and Oral Torah. Acknowledging the influence of geology, astronomy, anthropology, comparative religion, Wissenschaft des Judentums, and Textual Criticism on the development of the Torah, Jacobs argues that one can be objective without any sacrifice of piety if one accepts the premise that "the totality we call Torah is human imbued with the divine." Finally, in the third lecture, Jacobs discusses traditional interpretations of the doctrine of the Chosen People and examines some of the tensions it generates today in terms of interreligious tolerance, the Jewish people and the Jewish state, and the demands of the group versus the needs of the individual. In addition, he contrasts fundamentalist and nonfundamentalist attitudes toward various eschatological idead, advocating a position of "reverent agnosticism" with regard to belief in the Messiah and resurrection of the dead but affirming acceptance of the immortality of the soul as a basic principle of modern Jewish faith.


Book Synopsis God, Torah, Israel by : Louis Jacobs

Download or read book God, Torah, Israel written by Louis Jacobs and published by Hebrew Union College Press. This book was released on 1990-12-31 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In these three lectures, the eminent British rabbi and theologian Louis Jacobs defines and defends his position as a liberal supernaturalist and halakhic nonfundamentalist in those areas where the religious Jew is confronted with the conflicting truth claims of modern knowledge and traditional belief. Jacobs begins by contrasting the theistic belief in a personal God with some of its alternatives; he argues that the liberal supernaturalist's position is both the closest in approximation to the traditional Jewish view and still the most coherent way to deal with the fundamental mysteries of the universe, even after Freud, Darwin, Marx, and modern technology have replaced a God-centered universe with a universe the center of which is man. The second lecture explores the impact of modern science and scholarship on the doctrine of Torah min hashamayim, divine revelation of the Written and Oral Torah. Acknowledging the influence of geology, astronomy, anthropology, comparative religion, Wissenschaft des Judentums, and Textual Criticism on the development of the Torah, Jacobs argues that one can be objective without any sacrifice of piety if one accepts the premise that "the totality we call Torah is human imbued with the divine." Finally, in the third lecture, Jacobs discusses traditional interpretations of the doctrine of the Chosen People and examines some of the tensions it generates today in terms of interreligious tolerance, the Jewish people and the Jewish state, and the demands of the group versus the needs of the individual. In addition, he contrasts fundamentalist and nonfundamentalist attitudes toward various eschatological idead, advocating a position of "reverent agnosticism" with regard to belief in the Messiah and resurrection of the dead but affirming acceptance of the immortality of the soul as a basic principle of modern Jewish faith.


God

God

Author: Josh Barkin

Publisher: Torah Aura Productions

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 1934527084

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Rabbinical students, young Jewish teachers and other young Jews give their personal answers to difficult questions about God.


Book Synopsis God by : Josh Barkin

Download or read book God written by Josh Barkin and published by Torah Aura Productions. This book was released on 2008 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rabbinical students, young Jewish teachers and other young Jews give their personal answers to difficult questions about God.


Finding God

Finding God

Author: Rifat Sonsino

Publisher: Urj Press

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13:

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This is a book about God, specifically about the different ways Jews have spoken of God throughout history. In its examination of 4,000 years of Jewish thought, it presents the broad spectrum of theological opinions that have been explored and affirmed by great Jewish thinkers, ancient and modern. Many Jews today avoid speaking about God. Unable to accept the traditional notions presented to them as authoritative, they often turn to other faiths or cults that offer the possibility of spiritual expression more in keeping with their personal God concept. Unaware of the variety within Judaism, they abandon their religious community in the mistaken impression that their longing for God cannot be satisfied within the faith of their ancestors. In this book, the authors skillfully present ten distinct Jewish theological perspectives, each of which has something to say to us today about our lives as individuals and as Jews. Each grapples with the following crucial questions: What is God? Is there more than one God? What is God's name? How can we know God? What is God's relationship to the world? Does God have a special relationship with the Jewish people? What does God "want" from us? How does God relate to me? Why is there evil in the world? "If we make it possible for one Jew to reclaim his or her Jewish spiritual identity", the authors write, "if we help others to begin to talk about God without ambivalence or embarrassment, if we serve as a catalyst for further study of these and other Jewish thinkers, we will consider our work worthwhile".


Book Synopsis Finding God by : Rifat Sonsino

Download or read book Finding God written by Rifat Sonsino and published by Urj Press. This book was released on 1986 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a book about God, specifically about the different ways Jews have spoken of God throughout history. In its examination of 4,000 years of Jewish thought, it presents the broad spectrum of theological opinions that have been explored and affirmed by great Jewish thinkers, ancient and modern. Many Jews today avoid speaking about God. Unable to accept the traditional notions presented to them as authoritative, they often turn to other faiths or cults that offer the possibility of spiritual expression more in keeping with their personal God concept. Unaware of the variety within Judaism, they abandon their religious community in the mistaken impression that their longing for God cannot be satisfied within the faith of their ancestors. In this book, the authors skillfully present ten distinct Jewish theological perspectives, each of which has something to say to us today about our lives as individuals and as Jews. Each grapples with the following crucial questions: What is God? Is there more than one God? What is God's name? How can we know God? What is God's relationship to the world? Does God have a special relationship with the Jewish people? What does God "want" from us? How does God relate to me? Why is there evil in the world? "If we make it possible for one Jew to reclaim his or her Jewish spiritual identity", the authors write, "if we help others to begin to talk about God without ambivalence or embarrassment, if we serve as a catalyst for further study of these and other Jewish thinkers, we will consider our work worthwhile".


What Do Jews Believe?

What Do Jews Believe?

Author: David S. Ariel

Publisher: Schocken

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13:

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In this fresh and lucid study, Ariel presents the fundamentals of Jewish thought on the profound issues of God, human destiny, good and evil, Torah, and messianism, guiding the reader toward a definition of the beliefs that shape Jewish identity. This lively exploration of Jewish ideas and beliefs provides a rationale and stimulus for anyone seeking to understand or reconnect to the rich and diverse spiritual tradition of Judaism.


Book Synopsis What Do Jews Believe? by : David S. Ariel

Download or read book What Do Jews Believe? written by David S. Ariel and published by Schocken. This book was released on 1995 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this fresh and lucid study, Ariel presents the fundamentals of Jewish thought on the profound issues of God, human destiny, good and evil, Torah, and messianism, guiding the reader toward a definition of the beliefs that shape Jewish identity. This lively exploration of Jewish ideas and beliefs provides a rationale and stimulus for anyone seeking to understand or reconnect to the rich and diverse spiritual tradition of Judaism.


Religion of Reason

Religion of Reason

Author: Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

Publisher: Mesora of NY Inc

Published:

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13:

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Is Torah mystical… or rational, just like God’s natural laws? It’s time a book unveiled the truth. Is Torah like all other religions: incomprehensible mysticism, as Kabbalists suggest…or perfectly rational? Religion of Reason not only unveils widespread “Jewish” mystical beliefs as false, but true Torah insights are presented in their rational form…just like God’s natural laws. No powers exist besides God. And as Ibn Ezra writes, God prohibits belief in mysticism, for reasons you will learn. Talmudic and Torah sections are explained metaphorically as our Rishonim say they must be understood, offering astonishing and pleasing insights. Finally, Jews can understand the falsehoods they have accepted and abandon them in place of true Torah, gaining a deep appreciation for God’s wisdom.


Book Synopsis Religion of Reason by : Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

Download or read book Religion of Reason written by Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim and published by Mesora of NY Inc. This book was released on with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is Torah mystical… or rational, just like God’s natural laws? It’s time a book unveiled the truth. Is Torah like all other religions: incomprehensible mysticism, as Kabbalists suggest…or perfectly rational? Religion of Reason not only unveils widespread “Jewish” mystical beliefs as false, but true Torah insights are presented in their rational form…just like God’s natural laws. No powers exist besides God. And as Ibn Ezra writes, God prohibits belief in mysticism, for reasons you will learn. Talmudic and Torah sections are explained metaphorically as our Rishonim say they must be understood, offering astonishing and pleasing insights. Finally, Jews can understand the falsehoods they have accepted and abandon them in place of true Torah, gaining a deep appreciation for God’s wisdom.


Judaism Beyond God

Judaism Beyond God

Author: Sherwin T. Wine

Publisher: Ktav Publishing House

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13:

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Judaism Beyond God presents a new secular and humanistic alternative to any of the forms of conventional Judaism. It provides new answers to old questions - questions about the essence of Jewish identity, about the real meaning of Jewish history, the significance of the Jewish personality, and, not least, it includes questions about the nature of Jewish ethics. It also provide a radical new way of being Jewish - new ways of celebrating Jewish holidays and ceremonies of the Jewish life cycle, a new approach to dealing with intermarriage and conversion, a new way of reinforcing Jewish identity.


Book Synopsis Judaism Beyond God by : Sherwin T. Wine

Download or read book Judaism Beyond God written by Sherwin T. Wine and published by Ktav Publishing House. This book was released on 1995 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Judaism Beyond God presents a new secular and humanistic alternative to any of the forms of conventional Judaism. It provides new answers to old questions - questions about the essence of Jewish identity, about the real meaning of Jewish history, the significance of the Jewish personality, and, not least, it includes questions about the nature of Jewish ethics. It also provide a radical new way of being Jewish - new ways of celebrating Jewish holidays and ceremonies of the Jewish life cycle, a new approach to dealing with intermarriage and conversion, a new way of reinforcing Jewish identity.


The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion

The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion

Author: Mordecai M. Kaplan

Publisher: Wayne State University Press

Published: 1995-01-01

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 0814339921

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In this book, Kaplan enlarges on his notion of functional reinterpretation and then actually applies it to the entire ritual cycle of the Jewish year-a rarity in modern Jewish thought. This work continues to function as a central text for the Reconstructionist movement, whose influence continues to grow in American Jewry.


Book Synopsis The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion by : Mordecai M. Kaplan

Download or read book The Meaning of God in Modern Jewish Religion written by Mordecai M. Kaplan and published by Wayne State University Press. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, Kaplan enlarges on his notion of functional reinterpretation and then actually applies it to the entire ritual cycle of the Jewish year-a rarity in modern Jewish thought. This work continues to function as a central text for the Reconstructionist movement, whose influence continues to grow in American Jewry.


Understanding Judaism

Understanding Judaism

Author: Rabbi Benjamin Blech

Publisher: Jason Aronson, Incorporated

Published: 1992-09-01

Total Pages: 374

ISBN-13: 1461632374

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Judaism is primarily a religion of actions rather than beliefs. When the Jewish people accepted God's covenant, they committed themselves first to obedience and practice, and then to striving to understand the message implicit in the Torah. In Understanding Judaism: The Basics of Deed and Creed, a perfect textbook for independent and classroom study, Rabbi Benjamin Blech presents a comprehensive explication of the Jewish faith. What does it meant to be a Jew? How does religion affect the ways in which Jewish people think and act? What are the basic concepts of Judaism? This volume answers these vital questions.


Book Synopsis Understanding Judaism by : Rabbi Benjamin Blech

Download or read book Understanding Judaism written by Rabbi Benjamin Blech and published by Jason Aronson, Incorporated. This book was released on 1992-09-01 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Judaism is primarily a religion of actions rather than beliefs. When the Jewish people accepted God's covenant, they committed themselves first to obedience and practice, and then to striving to understand the message implicit in the Torah. In Understanding Judaism: The Basics of Deed and Creed, a perfect textbook for independent and classroom study, Rabbi Benjamin Blech presents a comprehensive explication of the Jewish faith. What does it meant to be a Jew? How does religion affect the ways in which Jewish people think and act? What are the basic concepts of Judaism? This volume answers these vital questions.