* Why the Star of David became the Jewish counterpart of the Christian cross
* What mortal remains of the Buddha are venerated today
* How the diamond engagement ring became a standard
* That the first pope was a happily married man
* How Hindu thinkers arrived at their concept of reincarnation
* Why Jews don't eat pork, why some Muslims don't eat certain vegetables, and how some Christians came to observe meatless Fridays
Sacred Origins of Profound Things is an indispensable resource for all those interested in the history of religion and the history of ideas--and an inspiring guide to those seeking to understand their faith.
What We Believe: Introduction
Part 1. Popular Piety
1. Prayer Postures: Hands Joined to Heads Covered
2. Best-Loved Prayers: Apostles' Creed to Agnus Dei
3. Acts of Devotion: Rosary to Hajj
Part II. Heavenly Hosts
4. Angels: Messengers to Guardians
5. Archangels and Demons: Michael to Metatron
Part III. Wise Words
6. Moral Codes: Ten Commandments to Golden Rule
7. Biblical Phrases: "Writing on the Wall" to "Eye to Eye"
Part IV. Rites and Rituals
8. Sacred Symbols: Halo to Star of David
9. Dressed to Kill: Vestments to Vessels
10. Sacraments: Godparents to Seven Deadly Sins
11. Vows That Bind: Celibate Priests to Ordained Women
Part V. Feasts And Festivals
12. Christian Feasts: Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday
13. Jewish Feasts: Passover to Hanukkah
Part VI. Saints And Their Bones
14. Saints: Abused Virgins to Celibate Clerics
15. Relics: Buddha's Tooth to Christ's Cross
16. Patron Saints: AIDS to Cyberspace
Part VII. Celestial Personae
17. God: Appearance to Existence
18. Christ: Son to Trinity
19. Allah: Abraham to Koran
Part VIII. I Do
20. Marriage: Mazal Tov to Diamond Ring
21. Divorce: Get to Jackie Kennedy Onassis
22. Annulment: Impotency to Senator Edward Kennedy
Part IX. Extraordinary Evil
23. Satan: Lucifer to Genies
24. Exorcism: Satan to Dybbuk
25. Antichrist: "666" to Apocalypse Now
Part X. Divine Dos And Dont's
26. Forbidden Foods: Pork Chops to Meatless Fridays
27. Forbidden Sex: Gay to Lesbian
28. Contraception: Condoms to Crushed Testicles
Part XI. Religious Realms
29. Heaven: Soul to Immortality
30. Hell: Hot to Hotter
31. Purgatory: Divine Comedy to Sale of Indulgences
32. Limbo: Original Sin to the Harrowing
Part XII. Acts Of Faith
33. Miracles: Raising the Dead to Stigmata
34. Virginity of the Virgin: Immaculate Conception to Virgin Birth
35. Visions of the Virgin: Guadalupe to Medjugorje
36. Papal Infallibility: Tradition to Dogma
References and Reading
Index
* Why the Star of David became the Jewish counterpart of the Christian cross
* What mortal remains of the Buddha are venerated today
* How the diamond engagement ring became a standard
* That the first pope was a happily married man
* How Hindu thinkers arrived at their concept of reincarnation
* Why Jews don't eat pork, why some Muslims don't eat certain vegetables, and how some Christians came to observe meatless Fridays
Sacred Origins of Profound Things is an indispensable resource for all those interested in the history of religion and the history of ideas--and an inspiring guide to those seeking to understand their faith.
What We Believe: Introduction
Part 1. Popular Piety
1. Prayer Postures: Hands Joined to Heads Covered
2. Best-Loved Prayers: Apostles' Creed to Agnus Dei
3. Acts of Devotion: Rosary to Hajj
Part II. Heavenly Hosts
4. Angels: Messengers to Guardians
5. Archangels and Demons: Michael to Metatron
Part III. Wise Words
6. Moral Codes: Ten Commandments to Golden Rule
7. Biblical Phrases: "Writing on the Wall" to "Eye to Eye"
Part IV. Rites and Rituals
8. Sacred Symbols: Halo to Star of David
9. Dressed to Kill: Vestments to Vessels
10. Sacraments: Godparents to Seven Deadly Sins
11. Vows That Bind: Celibate Priests to Ordained Women
Part V. Feasts And Festivals
12. Christian Feasts: Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday
13. Jewish Feasts: Passover to Hanukkah
Part VI. Saints And Their Bones
14. Saints: Abused Virgins to Celibate Clerics
15. Relics: Buddha's Tooth to Christ's Cross
16. Patron Saints: AIDS to Cyberspace
Part VII. Celestial Personae
17. God: Appearance to Existence
18. Christ: Son to Trinity
19. Allah: Abraham to Koran
Part VIII. I Do
20. Marriage: Mazal Tov to Diamond Ring
21. Divorce: Get to Jackie Kennedy Onassis
22. Annulment: Impotency to Senator Edward Kennedy
Part IX. Extraordinary Evil
23. Satan: Lucifer to Genies
24. Exorcism: Satan to Dybbuk
25. Antichrist: "666" to Apocalypse Now
Part X. Divine Dos And Dont's
26. Forbidden Foods: Pork Chops to Meatless Fridays
27. Forbidden Sex: Gay to Lesbian
28. Contraception: Condoms to Crushed Testicles
Part XI. Religious Realms
29. Heaven: Soul to Immortality
30. Hell: Hot to Hotter
31. Purgatory: Divine Comedy to Sale of Indulgences
32. Limbo: Original Sin to the Harrowing
Part XII. Acts Of Faith
33. Miracles: Raising the Dead to Stigmata
34. Virginity of the Virgin: Immaculate Conception to Virgin Birth
35. Visions of the Virgin: Guadalupe to Medjugorje
36. Papal Infallibility: Tradition to Dogma
References and Reading
Index
