Philip Jenkins

The subject of empire and empires is now one of the most active fields of historical writing, and that is especially true in the context of religion. Throughout history, religions and religious ideas have contributed powerfully to making successive empires, and in turn, the history of those empires is crucial for understanding the development of religious systems worldwide. In recent years, historians have become increasingly aware of the imperial character of American history, from colonial days through the modern era. Although Americans have often been reluctant to admit the fact of their empire, it has always been a reality, from initial contacts with Native peoples through later expansion into new territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean, and subsequently into the Cold War era. Throughout this imperial history, religion has played an essential role. Religious beliefs originally justified the colonial enterprises into the New World, while later generations claimed to trace the divine will in a Manifest Destiny to conquer the whole continent. In turn, missionary dreams provided the justification for overseas expansion, and often supplied the practical means for undertaking such ventures. Repeatedly too, imperial confrontations have affected the homeland, and have done much to form American both racial and religious stereotypes and nightmares. But the relationship between religion and empire in the American context is anything but a story of cynical alliances between church and state, between faith and political power. To the contrary, religious beliefs have often provided the conquered with an essential basis for resistance, and have mobilized anti-imperial movements. Without understanding empire, we are missing a vital part of the history of American religion. Empire, in fact, is the missing dimension in that story. Acknowledging that fact is all the more urgent in a United States increasingly populated by the descendants of nations and societies that were themselves the subjects of that sprawling American empire.

Offering an insightful and concise introduction to the history of the United States from pre-European contact up to the present day, this book succinctly depicts the major themes and patterns in American history incorporating social, economic, cultural, religious and political topics. This newly revised and updated edition begins before European settlement, and takes the reader through the revolutions, expansion and nation-building of the 18th century, the Civil War and industrialization of the 19th century, war and global supremacy of the 20th, up to the culture wars and social revolutions of the 21st. With two new chapters on Native America and Contemporary America (including the 2024 election) and more focus on gender, race and the environment throughout, the 6th edition boasts a new, improved structure and expanded notes and citations. A definitive introduction to the history of the United States, and written by a leading scholar in the field, this book is essential reading for any student looking to gain a better understanding of the various facets of American life, and the evolution of this great nation.

Offering an insightful and concise introduction to the history of the United States from pre-European contact up to the present day, this book succinctly depicts the major themes and patterns in American history incorporating social, economic, cultural, religious and political topics. This newly revised and updated edition begins before European settlement, and takes the reader through the revolutions, expansion and nation-building of the 18th century, the Civil War and industrialization of the 19th century, war and global supremacy of the 20th, up to the culture wars and social revolutions of the 21st. With two new chapters on Native America and Contemporary America (including the 2024 election) and more focus on gender, race and the environment throughout, the 6th edition boasts a new, improved structure and expanded notes and citations. A definitive introduction to the history of the United States, and written by a leading scholar in the field, this book is essential reading for any student looking to gain a better understanding of the various facets of American life, and the evolution of this great nation.

Throughout history, the world's great religions have been profoundly shaped by their encounters with successive empires. Secular empires have provided the means by which religions achieve their global scale, and any worthwhile historical account of those religions must reckon with that imperial dimension. In some cases, empires have favored and supported particular faiths, while in other instances they have suppressed traditions they feared or distrusted. Empires build cities and communication systems, they mix population groups from previously unconnected parts of the world, and crucially, they spread common languages. Taken together, such actions allow faiths to develop and spread, and eventually to achieve worldwide diffusion. Kingdoms of This World is the first full-length study of the imperial contexts of the world's religions. Philip Jenkins offers extensive coverage of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism and other faiths, and ranges widely in tracing the imperial histories of many different parts of the world. This study also considers the religious consequences of the dissolution of empires in modern times. Drawing on the very extensive contemporary scholarship about empires, the book is an innovative and thoroughly researched survey of a critical topic in the history of religion. In the modern era, we see that the main centers of the different faiths closely imitate the imperial maps of centuries past. Moreover, those religions inherit much from older empires in terms of their institutions, their art, and even their theologies. At so many points, we can see the ghosts of bygone empires in our own religious context. Kingdoms of This World gives voice to the interaction between religion and empire, providing a nuanced understanding of the past as well as its continual influence upon the present.

This work represents the current and most relevant content on the studies of how Christianity has fared in the ancient home of its founder and birth. Much has been written about Christianity and how it has survived since its migration out of its homeland but this comprehensive reference work reassesses the geographic and demographic impact of the dramatic changes in this perennially combustible world region. The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook of Christianity in the Middle East also spans the historical, socio-political and contemporary settings of the region and importantly describes the interactions that Christianity has had with other major/minor religions in the region.

In the eighth century, the Byzantine Empire began a campaign to remove or suppress sacred images that depicted Christ, the Virgin, or other holy figures, whether in painting, mosaics, murals, or other media. In some cases, the campaign extended to breaking or wrecking images through what became known as iconoclasm. Over the following years, the emperors' zealous movement involved other acts that closely foreshadowed the Reformation movement that would sweep Western Europe in the sixteenth century. Like that later Reformation, iconoclasm marked an authentic revolution in religious sensibility, with all that implied for theology, culture, and visual perceptions of holiness. This was a pivotal moment in the definition of Christianity and its relationship to the material creation. It was also a time of critical encounters with the other Abrahamic religions of Judaism and Islam. With A Storm of Images, Philip Jenkins offers a compelling retelling of the saga of how the iconoclastic movement detonated ferocious controversy within the church and secular society as icon supporters challenged the image breakers. Decades of internal struggle followed, marked by rebellions and civil wars, purges and persecutions, plotting and coups d'etat. After their cause triumphed, the image supporters made the cult of icons ever more central to the faith of Orthodox Christianity. Iconoclasm marked a watershed in the history of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, and it contributed to Western attempts to establish new empires. The questions raised during these struggles are all the more relevant at a time when such controversy rages over the public depictions of history and the removal of statues, monuments, and names associated with hated figures. As in those earlier times, debates over images serve as vehicles for authentic cultural revolutions.

Perhaps more than any generation that has preceded them, today's teens are messengers. With innumerable ways to communicate to their friends as well as to followers they've never even met, teens have access along the communication superhighway to larger audiences than ever before. God had His own messengers. We know them as prophets. They, too, spoke with audiences of their day, pointing toward the One who would one day arrive, fulfilling Scripture. In this study from Andrew Phillips and Philip Jenkins, teens will learn how they are like those messengers of God: bold, determined, stubborn, hopeful, willing, unwilling, obedient, and disobedient as they study the character of these men and women of Scripture. Teens will learn to think critically about their own faith development as well as what it takes to serve God as they share the prophets.

Jews and Christians alike have made Psalm 91 one of the most commonly used and cited parts of the Bible. For over two thousand years, the psalm has played a pivotal role in discussions of theology and politics, of medicine and mysticism. In He Will Save You from the Deadly Pestilence, acclaimed religion scholar Philip Jenkins illustrates how the evolving uses of Psalm 91 map developing ideas about religion and the supernatural. Depending on the era, Psalm 91 is protective; it is triumphalist; it is messianic; it is millenarian and apocalyptic; it is therapeutic. It has shaped theories of politics and government. In different ages, it has borne many different names: the Song of Evil Spirits, the Soldier's Psalm, and most broadly, the Protection Psalm. As the Song of Plagues, it has gained a whole new relevance in an age of global pandemic. In the New Testament, Satan himself quotes the psalm, and ever since, that text has both reflected and shaped changing concepts of evil and the demonic. It can be read as a lesson in exalted monotheistic theology, but it was and is used for magical purposes, including for exorcism and demon-fighting. As threats have evolved in various societies, so interpretations of Psalm 91 have developed to accommodate each new reality. The psalm's language about demons and evil forces has repeatedly come into play when Christianity encounters other religious traditions. At every stage, interpretations have to be understood in the larger context of social, spiritual, and practical concerns—indeed, a biography of Psalm 91 is also a history of critical themes in Western religion.

This textbook provides a dynamic and concise overview of the Cold War. Offering balanced coverage of the whole era, it takes a firmly global approach, showing how at various times the focus of East-West rivalry shifted to new and surprising venues, from Laos to Katanga, from Nicaragua to Angola. Throughout, Jenkins emphasises intelligence, technology and religion, as well as highlighting themes that are relevant to the present day. A rich array of popular culture examples is used to demonstrate how the crisis was understood and perceived by mainstream audiences across the world, and the book includes three ‘snapshot’ chapters, which offer an overview of the state of play at pivotal moments in the conflict – 1946, 1968 and 1980 – in order to illuminate the inter-relationship between apparently discrete situations. This is an essential introduction for students studying Cold War, twentieth century or Global history.

One of the world's leading scholars of religious trends shows how climate change has driven dramatic religious upheavals. Long before the current era of man-made climate change, the world has suffered repeated, severe climate-driven shocks. These shocks have resulted in famine, disease, violence, social upheaval, and mass migration. But these shocks were also religious events. Dramatic shifts in climate have often been understood in religious terms by the people who experienced them. They were described in the language of apocalypse, millennium, and Judgment. Often, too, the eras in which these shocks occurred have been marked by far-reaching changes in the nature of religion and spirituality. Those changes have varied widely - from growing religious fervor and commitment; to the stirring of mystical and apocalyptic expectations; to waves of religious scapegoating and persecution; or the spawning of new religious movements and revivals. In many cases, such responses have had lasting impacts, fundamentally reshaping particular religious traditions. In Climate, Catastrophe, and Faith historian Philip Jenkins draws out the complex relationship between religion and climate change. He asserts that the religious movements and ideas that emerge from climate shocks often last for many decades, and even become a familiar part of the religious landscape, even though their origins in particular moments of crisis may be increasingly consigned to remote memory. By stirring conflicts and provoking persecutions that defined themselves in religious terms, changes in climate have redrawn the world's religious maps, and created the global concentrations of believers as we know them today. This bold new argument will change the way we think about the history of religion, regardless of tradition. And it will demonstrate how our growing climate crisis will likely have a comparable religious impact across the Global South.

This work represents the current and most relevant content on the studies of how Christianity has fared in the ancient home of its founder and birth. Much has been written about Christianity and how it has fared since its migration out of its homeland but this comprehensive reference work reassess the geographic and demographic impact of the dramatic changes in this perennially combustible world region. The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook of Christianity in the Middle East also spans the historical, socio-political and contemporary settings of the region and importantly describes the interactions that Christianity has had with other major/minor religions in the region.

Demography drives religious change. High-fertility societies, like most of contemporary Africa, tend to be fervent and devout. The lower a population's fertility rates, the greater the tendency for people to detach from organized or institutional religion. Thus, fertility rates supply an effective gauge of secularization trends. In Fertility and Faith, Philip Jenkins maps the demographic revolution that has taken hold of many countries around the globe in recent decades and explores the implications for the future development of the world's religions. Demographic change has driven the secularization of contemporary Western Europe, where the revolution began. Jenkins shows how the European trajectory of rapid declines in fertility is now affecting much of the globe. The implications are clear: the religious character of many non-European areas is highly likely to move in the direction of sweeping secularization. And this is now reshaping the United States itself. This demographic revolution is reshaping Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism. In order to accommodate the new social trends, these religions must adapt to situations where large families are no longer the norm. Each religious tradition will develop distinctive emphases concerning morality, gender, and sexuality, as well as the roles of clergy and laity in the faith's institutional structures. Radical change follows great upheaval. The tidal shift is well underway. With Fertility and Faith, Philip Jenkins describes this ongoing phenomenon and envisions our collective religious future.

The US continues to be the world’s most powerful nation, an enormous driver of culture and technology. The present century has witnessed many momentous (and controversial) developments, the full significance of which may take many years to assess. Rethinking a Nation offers an ambitious, historically-informed analysis to help readers understand the current state of US affairs and their likely future course. Providing a survey of US history since 2000, and considering the current state of the nation in light of the events of the past two decades, Philip Jenkins discusses the impact of the 9/11 attacks and the two lengthy wars that ensued; the causes and outcome of the economic near-collapse of 2008; critical debates over the proper role of the state in matters like health care; and the stark decline of traditional industries and working class communities. At the fore in his exploration are themes of the growing gulf between old and new Americas; the crisis of whiteness; the challenge to masculinity; the pervasive impacts of technology; surging inequality; and the new American role in a multipolar world. With chapters covering topics and issues such as race and immigration, the Obama government, protest movements, gender and sexuality, climate change debates, social media, fracking, the Trump election, and the US in global context, this is an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate students of American history and anyone seeking to understand the contemporary US.

One of America's foremost scholars of religion examines the tumultuous era that gave birth to the modern Judeo-Christian traditionIn The Crucible of Faith, Philip Jenkins argues that much of the Judeo-Christian tradition we know today was born between 250-50 BCE, during a turbulent "Crucible Era." It was during these years that Judaism grappled with Hellenizing forces and produced new religious ideas that reflected and responded to their changing world. By the time of the fall of the Temple in 70 CE, concepts that might once have seemed bizarre became normalized-and thus passed on to Christianity and later Islam. Drawing widely on contemporary sources from outside the canonical Old and New Testaments, Jenkins reveals an era of political violence and social upheaval that ultimately gave birth to entirely new ideas about religion, the afterlife, Creation and the Fall, and the nature of God and Satan.

Offers an inviting way to understand the facts and implications of the major demographic shifts happening within Christianity. By 2025, 75 percent of Catholics in the world will be non-European the new global church will have its center of gravity in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. This fascinating brief explores the metamorphosis taking place in the global community of believers: the church's new life comes from what historically has been labeled the periphery. The book also looks into the radical ramifications for all churches.

This textbook offers an insightful, introductory overview of the history of American society from its inception right up to present day. With coverage starting at the European Settlement in 1492 right through to the 2016 Presidential Election, this fully revised new edition succinctly depicts the major themes and patterns of American history, thus providing a solid foundation for those wishing to expand their knowledge through further reading or research. Written by a leading scholar in the field of History, the author provides a clear analysis of the various facets of American life, incorporating social, economic, cultural, religious and political history. A definitive introduction to American history, this textbook is essential reading for any student looking to gain a better understanding of the evolution of this great nation. New to this Edition:- Fresh material on technological change, sport, and themes of prosperity, consumerism and leisure- A thoroughly updated chapter on contemporary America to include issues such as Black Lives Matter, the legalisation of gay marriage, and the 2016 Presidential Election

Rich in detail but vigorous, authoritative and unsentimental, A History ofModern Wales is a comprehensive and unromanticised examination of Wales as it was and is. It stresses both the long-term continuities in Welsh history, and also the significant regional differences within the principality.

The standard account of early Christianity tells us that the first centuries after Jesus' death witnessed an efflorescence of Christian sects, each with its own gospel. We are taught that these alternative scriptures, which represented intoxicating, daring, and often bizarre ideas, were suppressed in the fourth and fifth centuries, when the Church canonized the gospels we know today: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The rest were lost, destroyed, or hidden. In The Many Faces of Christ , the renowned religious historian Philip Jenkins thoroughly refutes our most basic assumptions about the Lost Gospels. He reveals that dozens of alternative gospels not only survived the canonization process but in many cases remained influential texts within the official Church. Whole new gospels continued to be written and accepted. For a thousand years, these strange stories about the life and death of Jesus were freely admitted onto church premises, approved for liturgical reading, read by ordinary laypeople for instruction and pleasure, and cited as authoritative by scholars and theologians. The Lost Gospels spread far and wide, crossing geographic and religious borders. The ancient Gospel of Nicodemus penetrated into Southern and Central Asia, while both Muslims and Jews wrote and propagated gospels of their own. In Europe, meanwhile, it was not until the Reformation and Counter-Reformation that the Lost Gospels were effectively driven from churches. But still, many survived, and some continue to shape Christian practice and belief in our own day. Offering a revelatory new perspective on the formation of the biblical canon, the nature of the early Church, and the evolution of Christianity, The Many Faces of Christ restores these Lost Gospels to their central place in Christian history.

The war was fought by the world's leading Christian nations, who presented the conflict as a holy war. A steady stream of patriotic and militaristic rhetoric was served to an unprecedented audience, using language that spoke of holy war and crusade, of apocalypse and Armageddon. But this rhetoric was not mere state propaganda. Philip Jenkins reveals how the widespread belief in angels, apparitions, and the supernatural, was a driving force throughout the war and shaped all three of the Abrahamic religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - paving the way for modern views of religion and violence. The disappointed hopes and moral compromises that followed the war also shaped the political climate of the rest of the century, giving rise to such phenomena as Nazism, totalitarianism, and communism. Connecting remarkable incidents and characters - from Karl Barth to Carl Jung, the Christmas Truce to the Armenian Genocide - Jenkins creates a powerful and persuasive narrative that brings together global politics, history, and spiritual crisis. We cannot understand our present religious, political, and cultural climate without understanding the dramatic changes initiated by the First World War. The war created the world's religious map as we know it today.