No description available.

No description available.

This thesis presents Dr. Ali Shariati vis-a-vis the mystical tradition of Islam, focusing particularly on his inner spiritual and mystical orientation. Shariati is well known as a sociologist of religion, as a political activist, and as "the Teacher of Revolution" in Iran. Yet in his much neglected personal writings he reveals quite a different dimension of his being, a dimension which is clearly mystical in character. This study investigates the hidden mystical aspect of Shariati, and analyzes its relation to the other aspects of his personality. What is disclosed is the existence of a continuous struggle between Shariati's intellectual convictions and his spiritual intuitions, or rather between his mind and heart, as well as Shariati's repeated attempts to reconcile these two conflicting dimensions of his person.

The story of Abraham, as understood by Christians and Muslims, has always had a formative influence on the central theological dicta of Christianity and Islam. In theologies that perceive class struggle and oppression of the poor as issues distinctly within the purview of religion to address, the role of Abraham is remarkably significant. In re-telling the story of Abraham from the perspective of the oppressed, Abraham becomes an archetypal monotheist within a new reading of history, one which sees God on the side of the exploited masses. / This thesis examines and compares the socio-theological themes connected to the interpretation and application of the life story of Abraham in these two faith traditions. it does so by comparing the position of the Iranian religious ideologue known to many as one who had a major role in inspiring the Iranian youth to revolution in 1978--79, Dr. 'Ali Shari'ati, with Latin American liberation theology. It suggests that the affinity of their goals leads them to use similar methodologies---symbolism and constant interplay between text, context and reader---and ultimately, to create images of Abraham that are as much related to each other as they are to their own faith tradition.

No description available.

No description available.