Beacons of Light: One hundred holy people who have shaped the spiritual history of humanity
Book Details
Author(s)Marcus Braybrooke
PublisherBraybrooke Press
ISBN / ASINB00SU6I4HW
ISBN-13978B00SU6I4H2
Sales Rank2,347,589
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
Beacons of Light highlights the life-story and spiritual wisdom of one hundred people who have shaped the spiritual history of humanity
We are today heirs to the spiritual wisdom of every age and every religion. Yet so often our knowledge is still parochial. Although we live in a world, at least for some people, of global communications and travel, we know too little about the cultures and religions of each other. Yet if we are to live together in our global village we need to become aware of this rich and varied cultural and spiritual inheritance. I hope this book will contribute to this by helping a wider public learn about some of the people of different religious traditions and from many countries and centuries who have shaped the spiritual life of humankind.
The last century and especially the last two decades have seen a very significant, although often unrecognised, development in the religious life of humankind. This is thanks to the devoted work of scholars and translators. Not only the scriptures of most religions, but also the writings of innumerable holy people, are now available in English and other modern languages and often easily accessible on the World Wide Web.
How do you decide who has had the greatest influence on the spiritual life of the world? Maybe it is by founding a religion or a significant movement within a religion. Maybe it is by the influence of writing, whether by devotional works, theological studies or poetry. Others have been influential by their practical work for peace and in care for the suffering and by setting an example for others to copy. Many of those I have included were very holy people, but the key word is influence not holiness. I do not presume to anticipate the work of the recording angel.
Most people are influenced by those who have gone before them. The book, therefore, is arranged historically.
The book is intended to be read as a whole and not just used as a reference book or dictionary to look up particular people – although of course it can be used in this way. The interaction between spiritual movements through the ages is fascinating. Interfaith dialogue may only date from the end of the nineteenth century, but different religions over the centuries, have in many places interacted sometimes by disputation, sometimes by borrowing and learning from each other. I have found it helpful to picture the spiritual history of humankind as a great river with various springs, sources and tributaries, always changing, sometimes dividing, maybe with backwaters, but moving forwards and enriching the present with what is carried forward from the past and opening up new vistas for the future. All of us contribute to the rivers of our traditions. We do not know how we will change the river or be changed as we experience its currents.’2
The book centres on people, but it becomes a history of the world’s religions, because as Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American mystical thinker, said ‘There is properly no history, only biography.’
Religion of course includes doctrines, rituals and much more. Yet essentially, I believe it is a meeting with the Divine. The people about whom I have written speak of the wonders of this meeting, which transformed their lives. My hope is that as we all become more aware of the varied spiritual heritage which we now share we shall discover the spiritual resources to enable us to live together in peace, to relieve the suffering of the hungry and marginalized and to treasure the planet that has been entrusted to us.
Marcus Braybrooke is a retired Anglican parish priest who has been a leading international interfaith activist for fifty years. He is President of the World Congress of Faiths, Co-Founder of the Three Faiths Forum, Peace Councillor and author of books on several religions as well as book on spirituality and has edited an anthology of prayers from many faiths and countries: '1,OOO World Prayers
We are today heirs to the spiritual wisdom of every age and every religion. Yet so often our knowledge is still parochial. Although we live in a world, at least for some people, of global communications and travel, we know too little about the cultures and religions of each other. Yet if we are to live together in our global village we need to become aware of this rich and varied cultural and spiritual inheritance. I hope this book will contribute to this by helping a wider public learn about some of the people of different religious traditions and from many countries and centuries who have shaped the spiritual life of humankind.
The last century and especially the last two decades have seen a very significant, although often unrecognised, development in the religious life of humankind. This is thanks to the devoted work of scholars and translators. Not only the scriptures of most religions, but also the writings of innumerable holy people, are now available in English and other modern languages and often easily accessible on the World Wide Web.
How do you decide who has had the greatest influence on the spiritual life of the world? Maybe it is by founding a religion or a significant movement within a religion. Maybe it is by the influence of writing, whether by devotional works, theological studies or poetry. Others have been influential by their practical work for peace and in care for the suffering and by setting an example for others to copy. Many of those I have included were very holy people, but the key word is influence not holiness. I do not presume to anticipate the work of the recording angel.
Most people are influenced by those who have gone before them. The book, therefore, is arranged historically.
The book is intended to be read as a whole and not just used as a reference book or dictionary to look up particular people – although of course it can be used in this way. The interaction between spiritual movements through the ages is fascinating. Interfaith dialogue may only date from the end of the nineteenth century, but different religions over the centuries, have in many places interacted sometimes by disputation, sometimes by borrowing and learning from each other. I have found it helpful to picture the spiritual history of humankind as a great river with various springs, sources and tributaries, always changing, sometimes dividing, maybe with backwaters, but moving forwards and enriching the present with what is carried forward from the past and opening up new vistas for the future. All of us contribute to the rivers of our traditions. We do not know how we will change the river or be changed as we experience its currents.’2
The book centres on people, but it becomes a history of the world’s religions, because as Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American mystical thinker, said ‘There is properly no history, only biography.’
Religion of course includes doctrines, rituals and much more. Yet essentially, I believe it is a meeting with the Divine. The people about whom I have written speak of the wonders of this meeting, which transformed their lives. My hope is that as we all become more aware of the varied spiritual heritage which we now share we shall discover the spiritual resources to enable us to live together in peace, to relieve the suffering of the hungry and marginalized and to treasure the planet that has been entrusted to us.
Marcus Braybrooke is a retired Anglican parish priest who has been a leading international interfaith activist for fifty years. He is President of the World Congress of Faiths, Co-Founder of the Three Faiths Forum, Peace Councillor and author of books on several religions as well as book on spirituality and has edited an anthology of prayers from many faiths and countries: '1,OOO World Prayers
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