A comprehensive and accessible textbook which explores the traditions and beliefs of the world’s living religions – the fully updated and revised new edition The World Religions Reader is an inclusive, student-friendly examination of the history, teaching, practices, and appeal of the world’s major religions. Covering both the fundamentals and complexities of each religious tradition, this popular textbook brings together significant texts from scriptures and scholars, as well as writings from philosophers and other significant thinkers throughout history. Students are provided with an introduction and overview of the tradition, taken through its primary texts, and presented with a text which seeks to persuade the student of the tradition’s merits. This new edition has been thoroughly updated to be even more accessible for students new to interreligious engagement and to reflect current trends and developments in religions worldwide. Every chapter opens with a substantial overview which orients the new student and then flows into a carefully chosen set of texts - a regular textbook is now combined with a Reader. New content examines areas such as the Rastafarian tradition, while revised chapters cover secular humanism and indigenous and emerging religious traditions. The methodology of the book focuses on an empathetic approach – representing each tradition from the perspective of a conventional adherent – enabling students to develop understanding of each tradition and appreciate similarities and differences in their most typical forms. Invites students to study each tradition from the perspective of a follower, aiming to understand why the tradition is popular and powerful Explores representative passages, world-views, rituals and institutions, ethical expressions and modern outlooks for each religion Features discussions of interfaith perspectives on the role of women in religious traditions and the impact of world events and politics on interfaith communication Encourages students to consider questions of truth, the relation of religion and society, and the changing nature of a tradition in the modern world Includes a complete set of pedagogical tools and instructor resources, including end-of-chapter fact sheets, topic summaries, key term sections, and essay and discussion questions The World Religions Reader, Fourth Edition is an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in religion, especially for liberal arts and non-affiliated colleges, as well as general readers wishing to increase their knowledge of the world’s religious traditions.

This wide-ranging reader combines some of the best and most valuable contemporary perspectives from leading and significant writers, teachers, and thinkers who together address critical challenges and opportunities for the world's religions in a post 9/11 world. Edited by Arvind Sharma and organized by topic, the essays in this reader consider broad questions such as, What influence does religion have on contemporary life? The thematic arrangement of topics includes diverse religious perspectives on: war, terror, peace, human rights, pluralism, diversity, gender, spirituality, the interreligious dialogue, international diplomacy and globalization.

Gathers together material on six of the world's most influential faiths, with readings drawn from a broad range of historical and contemporary sources.

Globalization and high-speed communication put twenty-first century people in contact with adherents to a wide variety of world religions, but usually, valuable knowledge of these other traditions is limited at best. On the one hand, religious stereotypes abound, hampering a serious exploration of unfamiliar philosophies and practices. On the other hand, the popular idea that all religions lead to the same God or the same moral life fails to account for the distinctive origins and radically different teachings found across the world’s many religions. Understanding World Religions presents religion as a complex and intriguing matrix of history, philosophy, culture, beliefs, and practices. Hexham believes that a certain degree of objectivity and critique is inherent in the study of religion, and he guides readers in responsible ways of carrying this out. Of particular importance is Hexham’s decision to explore African religions, which have frequently been absent from major religion texts. He surveys these in addition to varieties of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

User-Friendly Beginner's Guide to World Religions The world is becoming more integrated. What once seemed like the religions of exotic faraway lands are now practiced by families next door. These short, easily digestible readings give an overview of the beliefs, histories, and practices of dozens of religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and many more. Garry Morgan blends the knowledge of a college professor with real-world experience and an accessible style. Broken into forty brief chapters, this book can be used as a reference for those who need quick and clear answers or read straight through by curious readers.

Created by two of the field’s leading experts, this unique introduction to international religious demography outlines the challenges in interpreting data on religious adherence, and presents a contemporary portrait of global religious belief. Offers the first comprehensive overview of the field of international religious demography – detailing what we know about religious adherents around the world, and how we know it Examines religious freedom and diversity, including agnostics and atheists, on a global scale, highlighting trends over the past 100 years and projecting estimates for the year 2050 Outlines the issues and challenges related to definitions, taxonomies, sources, analyses, and other techniques in interpreting data on religious adherence Considers data from religious communities, censuses, surveys, and scholarly research, along with several in-depth case studies on the global Muslim population, religion in China, and the religious demography of recently created Sudan and South Sudan Argues against the belief that the twentieth-century was a ‘secular’ period by putting forward new evidence to the contrary Provides resources for measuring both qualitatively and quantitatively important data on the world's religious situation in the twenty-first century

Individual books for each unit build important social studies concepts through on-level text and strong visual images. May be purchased as a single copy or in packs of six copies of the same title.The Student Package includes 1 copy of all 8 Student BookThe Teacher Package includes 1 copy of all 8 Teacher Guides plus a FREE Teacher Binder