Sexual Morality in the World's Religions

by Geoffrey Parrinder

Overview

An exploration of sex and religion together within the historical and contemporary contexts of each of the world's major living religions, from the ancient traditions and practices of both Eastern and Western religions to the modern influences of medicine, psychology and women's rights. The book covers a wide range of subjects, including marriage and celibacy, monogamy and polygamy, homosexuality, passion and love, veiling and harems, Yoga and Tantra, Yin and Yang, mystical union and symbolism

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781851681082
Publisher:	Oneworld Publications
Publication date:	01/01/1996
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Geoffrey Parrinder is Professor Emeritus of the Comparative Study of Religions at the University of London. After his ordination as a Methodist Minister, he spent twenty years teaching in West Africa and studying African religions. He has written many highly successful books that have been translated into twelve languages, and has travelled widely, lecturing on the comparative study of religions in Australia, America, India, Japan and at Oxford.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1
2. Sacred Sex In India 5
3. Buddhist Renunciation 41
4. Other Indian Traditions 59
5. Chinese Yin and Yang 77
6. Japan's Floating World 103
7. Traditional Africa 127
8. Islamic Customs 151
9. Hebrew Affirmations 178
10. Christian Diversity 202
11. Baha'I Ideals 242
12. Modern Influences 252

Editorial Reviews

Parrinder (religion, King's Coll., London) offers a seminal work in a field that rarely gets explored-sex as discussed, expounded, and advocated in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Taoism, Shintoism, Baha'i, and various African and Indian religions. The author has done a good job of reading through the many sacred texts and has written a nonerotic and non-sex hating study that is highly readable and entertaining. Not a scholarly tome-it lacks the necessary footnotes and extensive exposition-it has the flavor of an exploratory or invitational work, suggesting to the reader that here is an untouched area ready for deep, scholarly investigation. Recommended for public and academic libraries.-Glenn Norio Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., Honolulu

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