Open AccessAn Historical Assessment of the Narrative Uses of the Words “Kabbalah,” “Cabala,” and “Qabala/h”: Discerning the Differences for Theological Libraries
Author(s) -
Anthony J. Elia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
theological librarianship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1937-8904
DOI - 10.31046/tl.v2i2.111
Subject(s) - kabbalah , cataloging , terminology , confusion , subject (documents) , narrative , history , linguistics , philosophy , epistemology , sociology , literature , library science , computer science , theology , judaism , art , psychology , psychoanalysis
Terminology surrounding the subject of “Kabbalah” has long been notoriously inconsistent and complex. What limited scholarly attention has been devoted to this quandary has in some cases served only to increase the confusion, resulting in significant problems for cataloging and for reference services.
This essay explores the background of variant orthographies, including origins, definitions, and usages, and considers the implications of this inconsistency for libraries. A bibliography of pertinent literature is included.