Heirs to forgotten kingdoms : journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East / Gerard Russell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Russell, Gerard.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Religious minorities.

Middle East--Religion.

Middle East.

Religion.

Religious minorities--Middle East.

Physical Description:

xix, 320 pages : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Basic Books, [2014]

Summary:

Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia, Babylon, Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. Their followers have learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face greater challenges than ever before.

Contents:

Introduction

Mandaeans

Yazidis

Zoroastrians

Druze

Samaritans

Copts

Kalasha

Epilogue: Detroit.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 281-300) and index.

ISBN:

9780465030569

0465030564

OCLC:

873007675