Short History Of Marriage Marriage Rites Customs And Folklore In Many Countries And All Ages

How and when did the kiss become a vital sign of romance and love? In this wide-ranging book, pop culture expert Marcel Danesi takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the history of the kiss, from poetry and painting to movies and popular songs, and argues that its romantic incarnation signaled the birth of popular culture.

Reveals how many of our customs and wedding rituals were the product of sophisticated advertising campaigns, merchandising promotions, and entrepreneurial innovations. The businesses and entrepreneurs, from jewelers to bridal consultants and caterers, set the stage for today's multibillion-dollar industry.

Why do we: • Christen ships and sailing vessels or refer to them as ‘she’? • Avoid the number thirteen, breaking mirrors or walking under ladders? • Use the phrase having a ‘skeleton in the cupboard’? • Dress baby boys in blue, speak of ‘true blue’ or ‘blue-blooded’? • Decorate the Christmas Tree or eat Easter Eggs? • Kiss under the mistletoe or 'trick or treat’ on Halloween? In this easy-to-read book – a revised and updated re-publication of her previous book, Curious and Curiouser! – author, lecturer and public speaker, Dr. Monica-Maria Stapelberg, shares the results of her many years of research to uncover the historical background behind numerous commonly-held beliefs and traditions. These range from general popular beliefs to the more specific and enlightening traditions of western culture. Strange but True also brings to light how many of our day-to-day words, phrases and actions are anchored in past ritual or sacrificial observances, or simply based on fearful superstitious notions. This book is a must read for a curious mind!

At the five-hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses and the dawn of the Protestant movement, Indulgences: Luther, Catholicism, and the Imputation of Merit sets forth a revised theological interpretation of the Church’s practice of indulgences. Author Mary C. Moorman argues that Luther’s sola fide theology merely absolutized the very logic of indulgences which he sought to overthrow, while indulgences in their proper context remain an irreducible witness to the Church’s corporate nuptial covenant with Christ, by which penitents are drawn into deeper fellowship with the Church and the Church’s Lord. As Robert W. Shaffern, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Scranton, writes in his foreword to Indulgences, “Mary Moorman’s book joins a number of recent scholarly studies that revise substantially the old convictions about indulgences. She is mostly interested in how theological thinking about indulgences should be done today, with of course the help that patristic, medieval, and early modern authorities might lend. She brings to bear a broad range of primary and secondary sources on the issue of indulgences and constructs an impressive series of covalent images with which to understand the role of indulgences in today’s Christian Church.”

Gain profound insights into the dynamics of marriage, family, and societal roles with "Motherhood and the Relationships of the Sexes" by C. Gasquoine Hartley. This thought-provoking work delves into the intricate web of relationships between men and women, offering perspectives on marriage, family life, and the evolving roles of women in society. Explore themes of love, social and moral questions, and the transformative power of motherhood. An enlightening read for those interested in gender studies, social issues, and family dynamics.