Islamic Modernism and the Re-Enchantment of the Sacred in the Age of History

Monica M. Ringer's book explores the complex relationship of religion to modernity, arguing that modernity should be understood as the consequence of the 19th century's intellectual landscape. She uncovers the epistemology and methodology of historicism that penetrated the Middle East and South Asia, forcing and enabling a recalibration of the definition, nature, function, and place of religion. Muslim Modernists engaged in a sophisticated project of theological reform to marry their commitments to religion and modernity, in conversation with European scholarship and Catholic modernism and their own complex Islamic traditions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2020
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book delves into the intricate relationship between religion and modernity, challenging the conventional notion that modernity is the primary cause of the new intellectual landscape of the 19th century. Monica M. Ringer contends that modernity should be viewed as a consequence rather than the root cause of this transformation. Through the lens of Islamic modernism, she unveils the epistemology and methodology of historicism that permeated the Middle East and South Asia during this period, exerting both external pressure and internal impetus for a reevaluation of the definition, nature, function, and place of religion. Ringer highlights the efforts of Muslim Modernists, akin to their counterparts in other religious traditions, to engage in a profound theological reform aimed at harmonizing their devotion to religion and their embrace of modernity. Their engagement extended beyond mere interaction with European scholarship and Catholic modernism; it also involved a deep exploration of their own intricate Islamic traditions.

Weight: 476g
Dimension: 163 x 240 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474478731