Book Discussion “The Battle for GOD”

Posted on 24/5/2014

Book Discussion

EVENT DETAILS

Pearl Institute (Formerly was known as Anatolia Cultural & Dialogue Centre) is giving a start to a view to bringing people together and achieving critical, open and meaningful discussion series.

PI organizes a range of book discussion groups in different formats throughout the year at its office in Wan Chai.

Book discussions include a wide range of issues related to Dialogue and Social areas of interest, encompassing topics, and speakers, beyond the usual remit of social organizations.

These discussions attract diverse policy-makers, academics, researchers, journalists, professionals, students, community leaders and others.

Through this engaging and expansive environment, readers and members of the groups engage in constructive and critical dialogue on a miscellany of issues affecting their personal, professional and communal lives.

Such events provide a rigorous, methodical context for the scrutiny and evaluation both of dialogue practices and of social and political issues pertinent to these. They also encourage fruitful interaction between people engaged in academia, policy, and the community.

We seek to further aims of a just and equitable society by promoting dialogue as a path to social harmony.

Reading Group Choices selects discussible books and suggests discussion topics for reading groups.

If you are, or know, someone who loves to read and discuss books with his or her friends, please have them contact us.

In our supposedly secular age governed by reason and technology, fundamentalism has emerged as an overwhelming force in every major world religion. Why? This is the fascinating, disturbing question that bestselling author Karen Armstrong addresses in her brilliant new book The Battle for God. Writing with the broad perspective and deep understanding of human spirituality that won huge audiences for A History of God, Armstrong illuminates the spread of militant piety as a phenomenon peculiar to our moment in history.

Contrary to popular belief, fundamentalism is not a throwback to some ancient form of religion but rather a response to the spiritual crisis of the modern world. As Armstrong argues, the collapse of a piety rooted in myth and cult during the Renaissance forced people of faith to grasp for new ways of being religious–and fundamentalism was born. Armstrong focuses here on three fundamentalist movements: Protestant fundamentalism in America, Jewish fundamentalism in Israel, and Islamic fundamentalism in Egypt and Iran–exploring how each has developed its own unique way of combating the assaults of modernity.

Blending history, sociology, and spirituality, The Battle for God is a compelling and compassionate study of a radical form of religious expression that is critically shaping the course of world history.

Funding

Book discussion membership is free but do not provide funding for the operation of the scheme. Book donations or bequests are always welcome.

PI book groups are designed to:

– work towards a just and equitable society

– broaden minds through reading and discussion

– strengthen communities by meeting community learning needs

– encourage a sense of community and social cohesion

– provide pleasure of reading and lifelong learning

– encourage critical thinking

– create awareness of social issues and cultural diversity.

– Last but not least, the philosophy of the Dialogue in all areas of discussion. Giving the conclusion to the problems in the books which mirroring our life through dialogue.

Quick Start Guide

How do we drive these Discussion Groups: 5 questions and 5 Answers.

1- What kind of book discussion?

Somewhere between highly social and seriously academic.

2- What kind of books?

Literary genre or a mix of genres: fiction (current or classic), poetry, drama, mystery, sci-fi, current events, history, or biography.

3- How many people?

6 to 12 people are best: if several are absent, will take place but not too many, make discussions unwieldy.

4- How often?

Once a month. Some maybe every 6 weeks.

5- When is the discussion period?

Weekdays: mid-morning, lunchtime, dinner, evening—depends on jobs, childcare, family dinners or difficulty driving at night.

Weekends: Saturday evenings.

6- Where should we meet?

At Pearl Institute or good meeting places.

* A free Event

* Some refreshments will be served

Venue: 909 CCWU Building, 302-308 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, HK

Time: 24th May 2014, 6.30-8.30 pm

The views and opinions expressed on this posts/pages are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Pearl Institute, its staff, other authors, members, partners, or sponsors.