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Living with the Gods
- The BBC Radio 4 Series
- Narrated by: Neil MacGregor
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
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Publisher's summary
In this major new BBC radio series, Neil MacGregor investigates the role and expression of shared beliefs through time and around the world.
One of the central facts of human existence is that every society shares a set of beliefs and assumptions - a faith, an ideology, a religion - that goes far beyond the life of the individual. These beliefs are an essential part of a shared identity. They have a unique power to define - and to divide - us, and are a driving force in the politics of much of the world today. Throughout history they have most often been, in the widest sense, religious.
Yet this is not a history of religion, nor an argument in favour of faith. It is about the stories which give shape to our lives, and the different ways in which societies imagine their place in the world. Looking across history and around the globe, it interrogates objects, places and human activities to try to understand what shared beliefs can mean in the public life of a community or a nation, how they shape the relationship between the individual and the state, and how they help give us our sense of who we are.
For in deciding how we live with our gods, we also decide how to live with each other.
Using specially selected objects from the British Museum and beyond, talking to experts from various disciplines and visiting key locations from the river Ganges to Jerusalem, he examines how rituals and systems of belief have shaped our societies. Looking at communities from the distant past to the present day, both in Europe and worldwide, his focus moves from the beginnings of belief and the elemental worship of fire, water and the sun, through festivals, pilgrimages and sacrifices, to power struggles and political battles between faiths and states.
Among the objects featured are the Lion Man, a small ivory sculpture which is about 40,000 years old; a 16th century ivory and gold qibla, used to find the direction of Mecca; and the Lampedusa Cross, made from pieces of a refugee boat wrecked off the Italian coast in 2013.
Produced by BBC Radio 4 in partnership with the British Museum, this enlightening series explores humanity's enduring need to believe, belong and connect with the cosmos.
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"The new blockbuster by the museums maestro Neil MacGregor [...] The man who chronicles world history through objects is back [...] examining a new set of objects to explore the theme of faith in society." (Sunday Times)
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Overall
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At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
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What a journey!
- By Anonymous User on 08-11-18
By: Joseph Campbell
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Consider the Women
- A Provocative Guide to Three Matriarchs of the Bible
- By: Debbie Blue
- Narrated by: Sheri Beth Dusek
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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A timely and compelling new look at three key women in the biblical narrative. Among the mostly male-dominated narratives in Scripture, the stories of women can be game-changing. In this book Debbie Blue looks closely at Hagar (mother of Islam), Esther (Jewish heroine), and Mary (Christian matriarch) - and finds in them unexpected and inviting new ways of navigating faith and life.
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The Full Spectrum Nature Of God Extolled
- By C. C. Dawn on 05-26-19
By: Debbie Blue
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The Secret History of the World
- By: Jonathan Black
- Narrated by: Robert Powell
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Abridged
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Here, for the first time, is a complete history of the world based on the beliefs and writings of secret societies, researched with the help of an initiate of more than one secret society.
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Not for beginners
- By Being of Light on 09-13-12
By: Jonathan Black
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How Do We Look
- The Body, the Divine, and the Question of Civilization
- By: Mary Beard
- Narrated by: Mary Beard
- Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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From prehistoric Mexico to modern Istanbul, Mary Beard looks beyond the familiar canon of Western imagery to explore the history of art, religion, and humanity. Conceived as an accompaniment to How Do We Look and The Eye of Faith, the famed Civilizations shows on PBS, renowned classicist Mary Beard has created this elegant volume on how we have looked at art.
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Really needs a PDF
- By Britt Elin Gihleengen on 12-06-18
By: Mary Beard
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12 Major World Religions
- The Beliefs, Rituals, and Traditions of Humanity's Most Influential Faiths
- By: Jason Boyett
- Narrated by: Aaron Abano, Paul Hodgson, Alison Larkin, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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For billions of people, having a religious belief system provides purpose in life. For some, religion serves as a guide for moral behavior. After many years exploring the foundations of various world religions, Jason Boyett has written this comprehensive, easy-to-understand exploration of the 12 major world religions through a meticulous, yet unbiased lens. 12 Major World Religions offers an impartial look at where each of these belief systems intersects, how they differ, and why some have been - or are currently - misunderstood.
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It’s a must
- By Bogdan on 11-22-20
By: Jason Boyett
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The Bright Ages
- A New History of Medieval Europe
- By: Matthew Gabriele, David M. Perry
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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The word medieval conjures images of the “Dark Ages”. But the myth of darkness obscures the truth; this was a remarkable period in human history. The Bright Ages recasts the European Middle Ages for what it was, capturing this 1,000-year era in all its complexity and fundamental humanity, bringing to light both its beauty and its horrors. The Bright Ages takes us through 10 centuries and crisscrosses Europe and the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa, revisiting familiar people and events with new light cast upon them.
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Does exactly what it claims to clarify
- By Aaron Rapozo on 12-13-21
By: Matthew Gabriele, and others
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Norse Paganism
- A Comprehensive Guide to Viking History and Culture - Gods, Rituals, Runes & Magic, Afterlife, and the Nine Realms of Norse Mythology
- By: Erik Hansen
- Narrated by: Aries Studio
- Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Committed to a life of learning and teaching, author Erik Hansen shares his knowledge and passion in this book. As a recognized expert in Norse history and mythology, his interest in this fascinating culture was sparked by his Norwegian ancestry. If you share that passion for ancient history and religion, this book is for you.
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A great introduction to Norse Paganism
- By L.B. on 12-04-22
By: Erik Hansen
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The Good Kings
- Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World
- By: Kara Cooney
- Narrated by: Kara Cooney
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Written in the tradition of historians like Stacy Schiff and Amanda Foreman who find modern lessons in ancient history, this provocative narrative explores the lives of five remarkable pharaohs who ruled Egypt with absolute power, shining a new light on the country's 3,000-year empire and its meaning today.
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Ancient Egypt as Metaphor for the Trump Administration
- By Orlando R. Murgado on 12-09-21
By: Kara Cooney
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Chinese Mythology: A Comprehensive Guide to the Myths from the Orient
- By: John Feisel
- Narrated by: Ric Chetter
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Indulge in the crazy, mystical, mythical aspects of Chinese folklore. You will learn about the most basic background information, the setting, the time period in which these tales were created, and so much more. Among others, you will become familiar with things like the myth of the sun and the moon; cultural aspects of ancient oriental society; amazing facts about Confucius and Confucianism; Buddhism and its role in China and mythology; stories about gods, heroes, stars, and saints; and so many other things.
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This deserves a positive review
- By Juan on 11-19-19
By: John Feisel
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Chinese Mythology: Gods, Goddesses, Monkeys, Eternal Beings, and More
- By: Sally Stephens
- Narrated by: Kenneth Ellison
- Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The sociology and mythology of the Chinese culture has a long, extended history, and the creatures and superpowers in them have often been neglected by western culture. But not for long! As you listen to this gem of an audiobook, you will find all kinds of answers to questions related to Chinese mythology.
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Awesome
- By Anonymous User on 12-04-19
By: Sally Stephens
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God and Empire
- Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now
- By: John Dominic Crossan
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In contrast to the oppressive Roman military occupation of the first century, Crossan examines the meaning of the non-violent Kingdom of God prophesized by Jesus and the equality advocated by Paul to the early Christian churches. Crossan contrasts these messages of peace with the misinterpreted apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation, which has been misrepresented by modern right-wing theologians and televangelists to justify US military actions in the Middle East.
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Smart Book
- By Wesley Bishop on 07-01-22