By explaining religious diversity and complex themes within a historical context, religions of the world helps students relate to cultures very different from their own. Revised and updated edition new edition ebook 9780310866060 by george a. There are two world religions which have formed the cultural and ethical basis of the world as we know it. Our great wisdom traditions 9780062508119 by smith, huston and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Descriptive religionworld religion wikibooks, open books. The book s superb reproduction allows the symbolism and meaning in religious imagery and iconography to be revealed in great detail. For example, theism is any religion that contains gods, and polytheism is a form of theism. This book was intended to be a brief survey without an indepth analysis. Derived from the encyclopedia britannica book of the year, 2003. List of religions and spiritual traditions wikipedia. We encourage students at home participating in online learning to use travel facts, as well as the world factbook, for their studies of geography and national customs. It affirms the existence of one god, yahweh, who entered into covenant with the descendants of abraham, gods chosen people. When religions are sifted for those truths, a different, cleaner side appears.
The worlds religions, by beloved author and pioneering professor huston smith tales of wonder, is the definitive classic for introducing the essential elements and teachings of the worlds predominant faiths, including hinduism, buddhism, confucianism, taoism, judaism, christianity, islam, as well as regional native traditions. The worlds religions by huston smith, paperback barnes. In a context of world history, the hindu emphasis placed upon social divisions as ample means for a productive society led to the highly stratified caste system in which birth and socioeconomic position determined semipermanent placement. Discover the historical importance of religion in the world s cultures closely edited for clarity and readability, and conceived for students with little or no background in the academic study of religions, religions of the world offers the most uptodate and historically accurate coverage of the world s major religions. Enjoy same store prices at national book store online.
Smith attempts to show each religion at its best and is more concerned with the founding principals of the religions than any mistakes their believers may have made. Larson analyzes dozens of world religions and spiritual movementsfrom islam to ufos, from the new age movement to witchcraftand presents the information in a reliable encyclopedia format. Introduction to world religions top results of your surfing introduction to world religions start download portable document format pdf and ebooks electronic books free online rating news 20162017 is books that can provide inspiration, insight, knowledge to the reader. The encyclopedias six volumes offer entries on every country of the world, with particular emphasis on the larger nations, as well as indonesia and the latin american countries that are. Hinduism, buddhism, islam, christianity, judaism etc. The basic beliefs and history of a religion is often found in its sacred or revered texts. We have a very wide range of interviews recommending books on all the worlds major religions, as well as others looking at contemporary and historical. A holy man reading the guru granth sahib, the holy book of sikhism. Some religions welcome the thoughts of all other religions, some reject all thoughts but their own. The book of giants is an apocryphal jewish book which expands the urzeit to endzeit primeval creation to end of time narrative of the hebrew bible and, by its multifaceted elaborations on divine decrees of warning and doom, ties the ancient prophet enoch. Convenient online shopping for school and office supplies, arts and crafts, gifts for all occasions, and the latest bestselling books. Hinduism, buddhism, confucianism, taoism, islam, judaism, and christianity. The religions of the world and ecology conference series, hosted by the center for the study of world religions cswr at harvard divinity school, was the result of research conducted. Revised edition provides young adults with reliable, unbiased information on the world s religions, from ancient times to the present day.
This is a good book, but not the best introduction to world religion. Irving hexhams introductory world religions text explores various religions under the broad categories of african religions, the. Abrahamic religions combine to claim over half of the global populace. Religions of the world, thirteenth edition is also available via revel, an immersive learning experience designed for the way todays students read, think, and learn. Religions of the world, thirteenth edition guides students as they explore each of the world s major faiths, imparting the knowledge they need to better understand todays world. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Dec 23, 20 the years 10 most intriguing religion books by john. Offering accurate, comparative descriptions of a broad range of religions, it gives background material on religious theory and study, while exploring living religions in terms of the historical and cultural factors that produced them. List of world religions and founders, religious books, place.
These two religions together cover the religious affiliation of more than half of the world s population. Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Covering all the main faith traditions, it combines historical context, contemporary beliefs and practices, and original theory, with numerous study features and valuable overviews. The worlds religions, by beloved author and pioneering professor huston smith tales of wonder, is the definitive classic for. So, what are the holy books of the five major world religions. Banerjee, president, united mission, calcutta 171 notes on religiousby prof. These four are followed by approximately 80 percent of the world s population. Access study documents, get answers to your study questions, and connect with real tutors for philosophy phil 230. Aimed at younger readers, it introduces the history and scriptures, beliefs and customs of some of humanitys most enduring religious traditions, and looks at their place in the lives of men, women and children across the world. Here is the list of top 10 must read holyreligious books in the world.
I was expecting a relatively equal, solid overview of the major existing religions, and this book. It consists of 114 suras or chapters which shows the impassioned appeals for belief in god. Religions of the world ebook by neil wenborn rakuten kobo. Brett hendrickson is an assistant professor of religious studies at lafayette college in easton, pennsylvania, where he teaches courses on the religious history of the americas, religion and healing, religion and public life, and the introductory course on world religions.
He is not part of the clergy, or any theological or philosophical group. Nov 05, 2015 one of the worlds most famous religions is christianity, with about 2. Swami vivekanandas first speech at the parliament of world religions, chicago, brought the ancient philosophies of vedanta and yoga to the western world. The planets major religions each have their own beliefs about the end of the world, the triumph of good over evil and judgment day. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. Based on numbers, the third largest group is the religiously unaffiliated. Religions of the world welcome to religions of the world, a single semester course in comparative religion. Judaism is the smallest of the world religions with a little over 16 million adherents. It was originally authored by lewis hopfe, a dedicated teacher and scholar whose vision for teaching the world religions course combined a sense of history with an appreciation of keeping the subject alive by focusing on contemporary trends in religions and the role of religion in world.
Ahl alkitab is an islamic term which refers to jews, christians, sabians, and zoroastrians. Its not biased toward any particular religion, but from what i hear, it has a more subtle bias toward stressing the equal worth and appreciation of all religions. Some academics studying the subject have divided religions into three broad categories. Read the appropriate material in huston smiths book and in this study guide well in advance of the session. But books like osbornes seem especially needed in our current climate of religious strife, uncivil. Items in lower case italics are classes of religion and not actual religions. What is each religion s role, what is their purpose. Religions of the world at southern new hampshire university.
Ebook introduction to world religions as pdf download. A spectrum of faith is available for purchase at beaverdale books, the drake university bookstore, and the des moines area religious councils administrative office a spectrum of faith. This book is not a balanced account of its subject but of religion at its best. It is simply impossible to list all varieties of religion 1 as we as a species have created an almost infinite variety of religious and transcendental ideas. It is more for the older child as it is quite detailed and uses a more mature approach to its explanations of the various religions of the world. List of world religions, place of worship, religious text and founder.
Encyclopedic dictionary of cults, sects, and world religions. They vary by geographical spread, number of adherents, language, hierarchy and, of course. A decent overview of world religions, but definitely skewed towards western christianjewish religions and traditions. Here, nicholas king, a jesuit priest and biblical scholar, chooses five books to help you start getting to grips with what is, arguably, the world s alltime bestselling book. List of world religions and founders, religious books, place of worship teachings and beliefs of world religions. Judaisms holy writings reveal how god has been present with them throughout their history. In preparing the eleventh edition of religions of the world, mark woodward drew on his. The empowering theological and metaphysical truths of the world s religions are, this book is prepared to argue, inspired. The everything worlds religions book explore by shonaseal issuu. Whether youre devoted to your faith or havent stepped foot inside a place of worship, the following eight books dive into the pasts of christianity, judaism, buddhism, and morewhile also opening a door into the history of the world. Beyond osbornes book, many others address parenting along with trying to explain religions or a specific faith.
Understanding the worlds religions can be led by ministers, laypersons, or a combination. Such sloppiness detracts from the books usefulness and questions its necessity. Kochanowski, university, poland 172 the rhythm of sacrifice and the rhythm of. There are well over 4000 different religions in the world today. It helped me come to understand how people can take an idea and run with it when it comes to their view of religion. A comprehensive encyclopedia of beliefs and practices is an extraordinary work, bringing together the scholarship of some 225 experts from around the globe.
Beyond christianity, according to the oxford world encyclopedia, the term scripture has referred to a text accepted to contain the sacred writings of a religion, while the concise oxford dictionary of world religions states it refers to a text having religious authority and often collected into an accepted canon. Religions of the world tells the remarkable story of some of the faiths which have helped to shape the way we live today. The worlds religions by huston smith is considered a classic in the genre by many. Religions is a valuable resource, covering the beliefs and practices of 10 major religions and lavishly illustrated with color photos, maps, diagrams, and charts. Almost every school of religious thought and belief has its own central texts to guide its followers. Religions of the world in americas heartland invites readers on a vivid journey through words and pictures into the diverse religious communities of greater des moines. The best books on religion expert recommendations on five books. The top 4 religions of the world world religion news. The religions of the world chapter vii section i the ideas of religion religion by h. This big religion chart is our attempt to summarize the major religions and belief systems of the world buddhism, christianity, hinduism, islam, judaism, and dozens more into a quickreference comparison chart. Explain religions of world to children with this book. The worlds religions ebook by 97816851926 rakuten kobo. It describes a broad sweep of religions such as those practiced by the australian aborigines, by the native american indians of north and south america and the religions of the interior of africa. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Religion powers all of human history, touching every aspect of life, from morality and worship to family and commerce. Field listing religions the world factbook central. Explore the beliefs, traditions, and cultures of ancient and modern religions kenneth shouler. Looking for a book with unbiased descriptions of the. The years 10 most intriguing religion books the washington. Data from the world almanac and book of facts, 2004, page 612. Buddhism 376 million followers tripitaka pali canon 5. Read the world s religions by available from rakuten kobo. The article below explains the list of world religions, details of origin, details about their godmessiahprophet and other interesting facts associated with different religions.
The encyclopedias six volumes offer entries on every country of the world, with particular emphasis on the larger nations, as well as indonesia and. These adherents, called jews, belong to the same family of religions as christianity and islam, the abrahamic religions. The very obvious overlook of native american religions and little coverage of nonwestern religions were significant drawbacks. The bahai faith is one of the youngest of world s major religions. This bestselling introduction to world religions is ideal for readers with no previous exposure to the subject. So, this book is comparative, asking these same questions of each religion, the major religions.
It is often described as a way of life and is widely practiced in india and other parts of the indian. All religions throughout history have encompassed diverse expressions, beliefs, and practices, even within a single group. The language and religion entries in the world factbooks travel facts have all been recently updated. Religious pluralists are those who argue that the real god is actually a mix of the gods of all the religions combined ie. This book was a great help as far as understanding the basics of other religions. The distinctive identities of different faiths are explored in world religions by studying the main principles and thinking of each religion. It is also used in judaism to refer to the jewish people and by members of some christian denominations to refer to themselves the quran uses the term in reference to jews, christians, sabians and zoroastrians in a variety of contexts. The origin of christianity is israel, and christians follow the prophet jesus, and they believe that jesus is a son of god, and he accepted the penalty of the cross just for his followers. The world s religions huston smith excellent book discussing the origins and philosophies of the major world religions with one chapter devoted to each religion. List of world religions and founders, religious books. Its easy to go too far in the other direction, though, so i dont want to single smith out. Over the course of 18 lessons, students will explore the similarities and differences among religions around the world.
Understanding the religions of the world offers a new approach to the study of religion which moves away from the purely descriptive and instead helps students understand how religions actually work. Its such a respected book that its often used as a university textbook in world religion classes. What are the most widely practiced religions of the world. Parents should decide if one of these fits their familys values best. Hinduism is believed to have the oldest roots among all religions.
Individual religions are held by particular people or span the globe. World historyworld religions wikibooks, open books for an. Religions of the world and ecology book series yale. The historical importance of religion in world cultures. Top 10 must read holy religious books in the world omg top. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet. It consists of lessons and teaching that shows moral life, ethics governing the social and religious life of muslims. Conceived for students with little or no background in the academic study of religions, religions of the world offers the most broad coverage of world religions supported by primary source documents, coverage of religions as they exist today, and integrated media resources. This theory began in the 18th century with the goal of recognizing the relative levels of civility in societies which in many modern cultures would be considered offensive. Apr 07, 2017 the souls of china by ian johnson the resurgence of religion after mao the author meets taoist musicians, rebel christians and celebrity zen buddhists but communism is the official faith. Whether youre new to the religion or have an interest in learning more about your faith, christopher webbers book is an accessible. An indispensable reference tool for parents, students, and pastors alike. Religions of the world and ecology series description. Gives an account of the history, the theological basis, the practice and the current state of the study of religion an.
Nor is it always obvious how or where to start reading it. And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world. Second, the religions of man, apparently revised as the world s religions, by huston smith. Excellent book discussing the origins and philosophies of the major world religions with one chapter devoted to each religion. Understanding world religions book details zondervan. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book.
The world s principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, although this is by no means a uniform practice. It runs the gamut from atheistic and agnostic philosophies to ancestor worship to ethical monotheism. Amongst its outstanding attributes is 1 its intensely visual and easily accessible introduction. Top books about the world religions katinka hesselink. With huston smith as a personal guide, listeners examine the defining perspectives within the worlds central religionsand learn how they differ. This overview of the world s major religions offers a quick understanding of the ideas, texts, and theology behind the biggest and most influential faiths in the world. Closely edited for clarity and readability, and conceived for students with little or no background in the academic study of religions, religions of the world not only explains why it is imperative to study religion, but offers the most uptodate and historically accurate coverage of the world s major religions supported by.
Unlike other books, religions of the world includes chapters on native american and african religions as well as the smaller textbased religions, such as jainism, sikhism, zoroastrianism, and bahai. This israeli city is considered holy by three of the world s largest religions jews, muslims, and christians. If all non religious people formed a single religion, it would be the world. The book of mormon maintains there was an appearance of jesus in the new world. This is definitely a good resource for your home library. China, india, israel, and greece were once the four major regions of the ancient world.