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What is Anglicanism? How is it different from other forms of Christianity, and how did it come to have so many different versions throughout the world? Although originally united by location and a common belief, Anglicanism has gradually lost its pre-eminence as the English state church due to increasing pluralisation and secularisation. There is little sense of unity in Anglicanism today. This Very Short Introduction, highlights the diversity of contemporary Anglicanism by exploring its history, theology, and structures. It reveals what it is that holds Anglicanism together despite the recent crises that threaten to tear it apart. Author: Mark Chapman. (168 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Interdisciplinary projects etc.

• Anglicanism is the English state church with more than 70 million followers throughout the world.
• How Anglicanism fits into the broader picture of Christianity. Is it largely Catholic? Or Protestant? Looks at life, worship, and teaching in different churches.
• Takes the reader on an accessible history of the Anglican Church.
• Looks at current controversies, such as homosexuality and women priests, and offers suggestions for the future of Anglicanism.

Contents: 1: What is Anglicanism?; 2: Establishing the Church; 3: Struggles for Identity; 4: The Global Communion; 5: The Future of Anglicanism

Cults often hit the headline for all the wrong reasons: brainwashing, mass suicide etc. But where does the dividing line go between cults and legitimate religions? And how should society treat them? Editor: Katherine Swarts. (107 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

This work maps out the history, beliefs, influence and interactions of the world's religions:

The world's religions have emerged as one of the great geopolitical forces shaping our lives. Understanding these beliefs is crucial to understanding ethnic tension and the clash of cultures as well as being fundamental to world peace. Even where people have moved away from formal religious practices, the legacies of traditional beliefs continue to inform their sense of self, and their values and customs. This atlas maps the current impact of major religions and their divisions. It shows country by country how religions spread their influence through broadcasting, missionary work, schooling and banking; how they relate to government, laws and world hunger; and the role they play in wars. It traces the emergence of new religious movements, the survival of traditional beliefs, and the presence of atheism and agnosticism. It also maps the origins of each of the major religions as well as their heartlands and the sacred places of the world. For essential background, there is also a table on the fundamental beliefs of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and Taoism. Authors: Joanne O’Brien and Martin Palmer (advisers to the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture, WWF, the World Bank, the World Council of Churches and UNESCO).

Contents: Introduction • Part I: Beginnings • Part II: Beliefs • Part III: Structures • Part IV: Conflicts And Tensions • Part V: Contemporary Challenges • Part VI: The Heartlands • Part VII: World Table • Index

Level: Library/Interdisciplinary projects at all level of the gymnasium

Buddhism (from the Atlas)

An English Roman Catholic priest, David Anderton, moves to a parish in Scotland, where old sectarian tensions live on. Here he experiences prejudice from his Protestant neighbours, never quite connects with his own parishioners (who don't share his love of good food, fine wines and reading), and only manages to have a successful relationship with his house-keeper (a relationship which also reveals his failings when she falls ill with cancer and he only has a spurious hope to offer her). Anderton eventually makes contact with the local youth, but his immaturity and childlikeness (his background is a Benedictine boarding school, Oxford University and a seminary in Rome) and his loneliness mean that he is ill-prepared to deal with these relationships. The relationships that develop are reckless and irresponsible, but he is desperate for human contact however dubious the company. His friendhsip with Mark and Lisa, two rebellious local teenagers, ignites the suspicions and smoldering hatred of a town that resents strangers. Father David soon finds himself facing accusations of abuse. Even in this situation grace still comes Anderton's way, for instance from his mother and we see that no crime is quite as straightforward as it as first seems.This novel is an excellent exploration of the emotional and moral contradictions of religious life in a faithless age. Author: Andrew O'Hagan. (278 pages)
Level A/(B)

(Replaces: Grief and Loss)

Everyone will experience a bereavement at some point, yet the death of a loved one is always a shock, even after a long illness. This book takes a sensitive look at the issues surrounding grief and loss, covering the feelings experienced after a bereavement, healthy and unhealthy ways to grieve, young people and mourning, funerals and memorials and practical matters which need to be dealt with following a death.

Chapters: 1. Bereavement and Loss; 2. Grief and Young People; 3. Handling the Formalities

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Additional Resources;  Index

30% Discount until the 1st of September!

Should religion and politics be separate? Is religion's role growing? What roles do Christian Fundamentalists and Black Evangelists play? Should pastors be allowed to endorse political candidates in sermons? The articles in this book look at the issues. Editor: Stefan Kiesbye. Click “Flere oplysninger” to view the Contents. (114 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

The mini-series based on the novel by Ken Follett. Set against the backdrop of the civil war in the 12th century, the series chronicles the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge and the intertwining stories of the people involved in the project. A unique picture of early medieval England.

• Directed by: Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
• Starring: Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland, AlisonPill, Matthew MacFadyen, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne, Natalia Wörner
• Running time: 7 hours 8 minutes
• Widescreen
• Extras: Making Of Documentary
• Subtitle option: English

This volume provides a readable and concise overview of the key sects and new religious movements — a subject of increasing relevance in our multi-cultural society. It offers a concise overview of the main new religious movements that have come to prominence in the western world in recent years. It can also be used as a reference work where you can find information about a particular movement.  It features information on 40 major sects and religious movements, including:
• The Church of Scientology
• Falun Gong
• The Mormons
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• The Unification Church
• Christian Science
• The Family (Children of God)
• Satya Sai Baba Society
• Paganism
• UFO Religions
(254 pages)
Level: Library/Depot/Students' papers/Projects

Today only 29% of people would say that they are religious, but a recent study showed that media coverage of religion has risen since the early 1980s. The controversy surrounding Muslim women who choose to wear the burqa, discussions over whether some Christians are discriminated against because of their beliefs and a rise in applications to set up ‘free’ faith schools are just a few of the debates hitting the headlines. This book examines the issues.
Level: 8.-10. kl./AVU + HG C-F etc.

It's hard to think of a single aspect of American culture, past or present, in which religion has not played a major role. The roles religion plays, moreover, become more bewilderingly complex and diverse every day. For all those who want a fuller understanding of the current reality of religion in America, this Very Short Introduction is the book they need. Timothy Beal describes many aspects of religion in contemporary America that are typically ignored in other books on the subject, including religion in popular culture and counter-cultural groups; the growing phenomenon of "hybrid" religious identities, both individual and collective; the expanding numbers of new religious movements, or NRMs, in America; and interesting examples of "outsider religion," such as Paradise Gardens in Georgia and the People Love People House of God in Ohio. He also offers an overview of the history of religion in America, from Native American traditions to the present day. Beal sees three major forces shaping the present and future of religion in America: first, unprecedented religious diversity, which will continue to grow; second, the information revolution and the emergence of a new network society; and third, the rise of consumer culture. These forces offer the potential to create a new American pluralism that would enrich society ... but also also threaten the great ideal of e pluribus unum.

Contents: Local landscapes: exploring the neighborhood — The big picture: religion in America by the numbers, and then some — Looking back: uneasy inheritances — Looking ahead: forces of change — To coin a phrase: e pluribus unum as ideal and dilemma. 

(Replaces Religious Beliefs)

This book looks at the different faiths and faith-based cultures at work in our communities. It covers all the majors faiths in Britain today, and looks in detail at some of the recent debates surrounding religion, such as whether people of faith are discriminated against by new equalities legislation, if it is right to create more faith schools and whether Britain should follow the example of France and ban full face veils for Muslim women. It also covers trends in religion and worship, such as the decline in regular church attendance and whether Britain can still be called a 'Christian country'.

Key Facts;  Glossary;  Additional Resources (websites etc.);  Index.

A novel about love, prejudice, and the war on terror:
At a cafe table in Lahore, a bearded Pakistani man converses with a suspicious, and possibly armed, American stranger. As dusk deepens, he begins the tale that has brought them to this fateful meeting. Changez is living out an immigrant's dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he is snapped up by an elite firm that specializes in the “valuation” of companies ripe for acquisition. He thrives on the energy of New York and the intensity of his work, and his infatuation with regal Erica promises entree into Manhattan society at the same exalted level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore. For a time, it seems as though nothing will stand in the way of Changez’s meteoric rise to personal and professional success. But in the wake of September 11, he finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his budding relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. And Changez’s own identity shifts as well — allegiances more fundamental than money, power, and perhaps even love, reappear. This novel is an exploration of a divided and yet ultimately indivisible world. The author Mohsin Hamid grew up in Lahore, studied and worked the USA for several years and now lives in London. (184 pages)
Level: B/(partnership with Religion/Samfundsfag)

The debate between science and religion is never out of the news: emotions run high, fuelled by polemical bestsellers like The God Delusion and, at the other end of the spectrum, high-profile campaigns to teach Intelligent Design in schools. But, as Thomas Dixon shows, many have seen harmony rather than conflict between faith and science. He explores not only the key philosophical questions that underlie the debate, but also the social, political, and ethical contexts that have made 'science and religion' such a fraught topic in the modern world, offering perspectives from non-Christian religions and examples from across the physical, biological, and social sciences. Along the way, he examines landmark historical episodes such as the trial of Galileo by the Inquisition in 1633, and the famous debate between 'Darwin's bulldog' Thomas Huxley and Bishop Wilberforce in Oxford in 1860.The Scopes 'Monkey Trial' in Tennessee in 1925 and the Dover Area School Board case of 2005 are explained with reference to the interaction between religion, law, and education in modern America.

Contents: 1. What are science-religion debates really about?; 2. Galileo and the philosophy of science; 3. Does God act in nature?; 4. Darwin and evolution; 5. Creationism and Intelligent Design; 6. Mind and morality; References and Further Reading

Should religious symbols be forbidden in public places? Would that be a victory for religious tolerance? Or a victory for radical secularism? Here are both sides of the US debate. Click "Flere oplysninger" to view the Contents. Editors: Louise Gerdes. (128 pages)
Level: Mainly Second and Third year Gymnasium

My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.
Living through the final stages of leukemia, Sam collects stories, questions, lists, and pictures that create a moving portrait of how a boy lives when he knows his time is almost up. Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer. This is a powerful and uplifting novel that will appeal to pupils, through the compelling voice of its narrator. Themes include family, friendship, growing up, death and grief, self-discovery and hope. Accessible to all pupils. Author: Sally Nicholls. (202 pages)
Level: 9-10. kl./C-D/1st year of the Gymnasium (kan læses i uddrag)