Arabs in History by Bernard Lewis (Oxford Paperbacks, 2002)
An examination of the key issues of Arab development: their identity, the national revival which cemented the creation of the Islamic state, and the social and economic pressures that destroyed the Arab kingdom and created the Islamic empire. An essential introduction to the Arabs and their history.
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Arguing for Atheism: An introduction to the philosophy of religion by Robin Le Poidevin
(Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd, 1996)
Asks whether theism – the view that there is a transcendent creator of the universe – solves the deepest mysteries of existence.
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Atheism: A very short introduction by Julian Baggini (Oxford University Press, 2003)
This book sets out to dispel the myths that surround atheism and show how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral.
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The Bible in English by David Daniell (Yale University Press, 2003)
The Bible has now been translated into English from its original Greek and Hebrew more than 3,000 times. Biblical scholar David Daniell charts the impact successive versions have had on individuals and communities.
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Conflict in Northern Ireland by Reg Grant (Hodder Wayland, 2001)
Opening with a dramatic recount of the Omagh bomb attack, the following chapters relate the history of the conflict, from its origins in the 17th century to the present day.
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Creation of the Sacred: Tracks of biology in early religions by Walter Burkert (Harvard University Press, 1998)
Why are sacrifice and other religious rituals and concepts shared by so many different cultures? Offers insight to religious thought, past and present, and raises questions about the reasons for, and meaning of, human religiousness.
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The Crisis of Islam: Holy war and unholy terror by Bernard Lewis (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2003)
Islamic scholar Bernard Lewis addresses the events of 11 September and the reasons behind Islamic terrorism in the modern world. Bush labelled it a 'War Against Terrorism', but for the other side it will always be a religious war. A detailed investigation into Islamic fundamentalism.
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Cultures in Conflict: Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Age of Discovery by Bernard Lewis (Oxford University Press Inc USA, 1996)
The author uses 1492, a year laden with epic events and political debate, to explore the clash between the Jews, Christendom and Islam, as well as that between the New World and the Old.
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Darwin's Cathedral: Evolution, religion, and the nature of society by David Sloan Wilson (University of Chicago Press, 2002)
One of the great intellectual battles of modern times is between evolution and religion, until now considered completely irreconcilable theories of origin and existence.
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Educational Politics: Pressure Groups and Faith-based Schools by Geoffrey Walford (Avebury, 1995)
An account of the political activity of pressure groups, such as the Christian Schools Campaign, and their influence on government educational policy.
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The Fateful Triangle: The United States, Israel and the Palestinians by Noam Chomsky (Pluto Press, 2003)
Sixteen years after its first publication, Chomsky has revised and updated this study into the intricacies of the US-Israeli-Palestinian relationship.
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The Findhorn Book of Community Living by Bill Metcalf (Findhorn Press, May 2004)
A basic introduction to community living that should interest all who search for an alternative, more satisfying and meaningful life.
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The Findhorn Garden: Pioneering a vision of humanity and nature in co-operation with a foreword by George Trevelyan (Findhorn Press, 2003)
Since the early 1970s, the Findhorn has been a significant element in the inner search for spiritual fulfilment and living a life of environmental awareness. This is the history of Findhorn that also looks at the emerging Findhorn eco-village.
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Formations of the Secular: Christianity, Islam, Modernity by Talal Asad (Stanford University Press, 2003)
Explores the concepts, practices and political formations of secularism, with emphasis on the major historical shifts that have shaped secular sensibilities in the modern West and Middle East.
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The Genesis of Doctrine: A study in the foundation of doctrinal criticism by Alister E McGrath (Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 1997)
What is doctrine? How may a doctrinal statement made in the past have any authority in the modern period? This study presents an investigation of the conditions under which Christian doctrine came into existence, and the nature of doctrine itself.
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God Is Dead: Secularization in the West (Religion in the Modern World) by Steve Bruce (Blackwell Publishers, 2002)
Many commentators maintain that religious sentiment remains strong despite declining levels of church involvement, and insist that secularisation is an academic myth. The author defends secularisation.
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The Golden Bough: A study in magic and religion by James George Frazer (Oxford Paperbacks, 1998)
This classic study of the beliefs and institutions of humanity, and the progress through magic and religion to scientific thought, has unique status in modern anthropology and literature.
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In Search of the Magic of Findhorn by Karin Bogliolo and Carly Newfeld (Findhorn Press, 2002)
Karin Bogliolo lived in the Findhorn Community for 25 years. After an absence of several years she returned in a quest to rediscover the magic of Findhorn. This is her story.
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Infidels: The conflict between Christendom and Islam 638-2002 by Andrew Wheatcroft (Viking, 2003)
Traces the long history of the troubled relationship between Christians and Muslims, including the battle that is still being waged today, through the press and books, television, radio and the internet.
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Law and Religion: A critical anthology by Stephen M Feldman (Editor) (New York University Press, 2000)
Few issues arouse as much passionate debate as the relationship between church and state. Political parties and coalitions have long jockeyed for position in the battle to either keep the two separate, or to unify them in one nation indivisible from God.
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Letters to Auntie Fori: 5000 years of Jewish history by Martin Gilbert (Orion, 2003)
The whole of Jewish history told in 70 letters. An elderly Indian friend of the author, known to him as Auntie Fori, revealed that she was actually Jewish and asked him to recommend a history of the Jews. He wrote it for her, in letter form, week by week. This book is the result.
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The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their nature and legacy by Ronald Hutton (Blackwell Publishers, 1993)
A study of religious beliefs in the British Isles from the Old Stone Age to the coming of Christianity. The author reveals the rethinking about Christianisation and shows that the pagans of ancient Britain were more creative, complex, enigmatic and dynamic than has previously been supposed.
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The Sociology of Religion: Theoretical and comparative perspectives by Malcolm Hamilton (Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd, 2001)
A clear and comprehensive discussion of the diversity of religious beliefs and practices.
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The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Scientific ideas accessibly written: in this international bestseller Dawkins argues that genes use organisms in a competition to perpetuate themselves rather than the other way round.
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The Templar Revelation: Secret guardians of the true identity of Christ by Lynn Picknett, Clive Prince (Corgi Adult, 1998)
An investigation into the secret guardians of Christ's true identity. In the course of their investigations into Leonardo da Vinci and the Turin Shroud, the authors found clues that pointed to the existence of a secret underground religion.
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What Is God? by Etan Bortzer, Robbie Marantz (Illustrator) (Firefly Books Ltd, 2002)
When children ask the question 'What is God?' where do you start to explain? This book is an excellent non-denominational approach. Beautifully illustrated and written in simple direct language, it looks at universality of different religions and the spirituality which links people of all creeds, cultures and beliefs.
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White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth-century India by William Dalrymple (Perennial, 2003)
Set in Hyderabad at the beginning of the 19th century, White Mughals tells the story of the love affair and marriage between James Achilles Kirkpatrick, a rising star in the East India Company, and Khair-un-Nisa, a Hyderabadi princess. However, White Mughals is by no means just an exotic love story. It is a vehicle for Dalrymple's understanding of the complex legacy of the English Empire in India.
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Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate by Leila Ahmed (Yale University Press, 1993)
Historical overview of women and gender in Islam. It is written from a feminist perspective, using the analytic tools of contemporary gender studies.
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The Wordsworth Dictionary of Mythology by Fernand Comte (Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 1994)
This guide includes gods from ancient civilisations such as Aphrosire, Quetzacoatl and Vishnu and legendary heroes from Achilles to Visvamitra. It provides information on the genealogies and pantheons of the gods and their sanctuaries and cults.
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The World's Religions by Ninian Smart (Cambridge University Press, 1998)
This book looks at the world's religions in terms of world history, and as constantly developing systems of belief. Religions are described through their symbols, rituals, followers, architecture and art, with references, statistics, maps and pictures.
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