Background
Driver, Tom Faw was born on May 31, 1925 in Johnson City, Tennessee, United States. Son of Leslie Rowles and Sarah (Broyles) Driver.
(In Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Pow...)
In Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Power of Ritual, Tom F. Driver illuminates the making of ritual by removing it from its churchly wrappings and presenting it as something raw, basic, and central to all living beings. He examines the varied ways humans use ritual to give order to their lives, to deepen feelings of communal belonging, and to transform the status quo. Driver looks closely at how ritual, viewed as creative performance, is essential to religion and to the movement from bondage to freedom, whether in society or the individual. His analyses use examples drawn from a wide variety of cultures and religions -- Haiti, Korea, South Africa, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, and more, in addition to the author's own North American Protestantism. The result is an accessible and engaging discussion, ideal for introductions to religion, the psychology of religion, the sociology of religion, and studies in ritual and liturgy. Many general readers also will find the book fascinating because it makes explicit so many unspoken feelings about the human longing for rituals that 'work,' combining meaning with power.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419642103/?tag=2022091-20
(This imaginative discourse, offering a fresh appreciation...)
This imaginative discourse, offering a fresh appreciation of the meaning of ritual and its role in effecting both personal and social transformation, is now available in paperback. "Driver has persuaded me that ritual . . . is our best hope for transformation and innovation. A lovely, original, and hopeful book." -- Carolyn G. Heilbrun.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060618973/?tag=2022091-20
(Originally published as The Magic of Ritual.In his introd...)
Originally published as The Magic of Ritual.In his introduction to Liberating Rites, Tom Driver writes, "At its most elemental level, this book is a response to what I shall call 'ritual boredom.' This is a condition in which people have become fundamentally weary of rituals available to them for giving their lives shape and meaning." Driver proceeds to illuminate ritual anew by removing it from its liturgical wrappings and presenting it as something raw, basic, and central to all living beings. He then examines the varied ways humans use ritual to give order to their lives, to provide a sense of security and control, especially in the face of extreme danger (witness the new wave of pilgrimage to Oklahoma City federal building's fenced-off shell). From there, Driver looks closely at how ritual creativity and performance are central to enacting religious beliefs and how rituals serve to transform individuals into members of communities.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813334551/?tag=2022091-20
theologian writer justice/peace advocate
Driver, Tom Faw was born on May 31, 1925 in Johnson City, Tennessee, United States. Son of Leslie Rowles and Sarah (Broyles) Driver.
AB, Duke University, 1950. Master of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary, 1953. Doctor of Philosophy, Columbia University, 1957.
Doctor of Letters, Denison University, 1970.
Director youth work, Riverside Church, New York City, 1955-1956;
faculty, Union Theological Seminary, New York City, 1956-1993;
Paul J. Tillich professor theology and culture, Union Theological Seminary, 1973-1993;
emeritus, Union Theological Seminary, since 1993. Drama critic Christian Century, 1956-1962, Station WBAI-FM, 1960-1961, The Reporter, 1963-1964. Visiting associate Professor of English Columbia University, 1964-1965.
Visiting associate professor religion Barnard College, 1965-1966, Fordham University, 1967. Consultant humanities and arts College Old Westbury (New York), 1970. William Evansvis. professor religion U. Otago, New Zealand, 1976.
Visiting professor religion VassarColl., 1978, Montclair State College, 1981. Visiting Professor of English literature Doshisha U., Kyoto, Japan, 1983.
(This imaginative discourse, offering a fresh appreciation...)
(In Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Pow...)
(Sense Of History In Greek And Shakespearean Drama, by Dri...)
(Originally published as The Magic of Ritual.In his introd...)
(Very god book in excellent condition)
(religious)
Board directors department worship and arts National Council Churches, 1958-1963, Foundation Arts, Religion and Culture, 1963-1967. Affiliate member Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, member Holston conference, United Methodist Church. Member American Civil Liberties Union, American Academy Religion, New Haven Theological Group, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Witherspoon Society (co-recipient Andrew Murray award 2006), Witness for Peace, Veterans for Peace, Society for Arts, Religion and Contemporary Culture, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa.
Married Anne L. Barstow, June 7, 1952. Children: Katharine Anne, Paul Barstow, Susannah Ambrose.