Praeger Women's and Men's Liberation: Testimonies of Spirit: 45 (Contributions in Philosophy)

This collection of spiritual testimonies is committed to the idea that genuine dialogue between men and women that acknowledges the essential fully-gendered human aspect of each is the foundation for achieving true liberation of the sexes. This study looks to the traditions of the five major religions of the world for guidance. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are examined by five women who, drawing on their own personal experiences, individually address how the issues of justice and equality are manifested in their respective religions, and search for teachings within those traditions that would promote meaningful dialogue. Of central concern to the text is the concept that both sexes have responsibility for extracting the core lessons from their own particular cultural and religious framework, and the inclusion of writings by men as partners in this pursuit evidences the work's dialogical approach. Hopeful that men and women will witness the essential equality that is the heart of our belief systems, the work concludes with an outline of educational methods designed to encourage the kind of dialogue that can promote authentic freedom. About the Author LEONARD GROB is Professor of Philosophy and Chairperson of the Department of Philosophy at Fairleigh Dickinson University. His previous publications include Education for Peace: Testimonies from World Religions, as well as articles in Judaism, the Journal of Jewish Studies, Educational Theory, and Leadership: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. RIFFAT HASSAN is Associate Professor of Religion at the University of Louisville. She is the author of numerous articles and two books on the Muslim thinker Allam Muhammued Iqbal. Dr. Hassan is currently completing a book, Equal Before Allah?, a study of issues relating to woman-man equality discussed in light of the Quran and the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions. HAIM GORDON is Senior Lecturer, Department of Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. He is the author of Naguib Mahfouz's Egypt: Existential Themes in His Writings and Make Room for Dreams: Spiritual Challenges to Zionism (Greenwood Press, 1990 and 1989, respectively), and other books, scholarly papers, and book reviews.