World Religions: A Beginner's Guide: Questions and Answers for Humanity's 7 Oldest and Largest Faiths

by Jill Carroll

Overview

Your guide to understanding seven of the world's most prominent religions

If you're interested in learning about world religions, this book is the place to start. Packed with informative fact sheets and answers to common questions, this beginner's guide fills you in on the most important aspects of each religion. You'll learn about fascinating histories, rituals, and festivals as you grow to better understand the belief systems that offer meaning and purpose to billions of people around the globe.

This beginner's guide to major world religions features:

• Seven world religions—Discover the basic tenets and practices of Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Shikhism.
• Digestible snapshots—Learn key dates, major sects, primary texts, the most recognizable symbols, and everyday practices at a glance.
• A Q&A format—By presenting facts through questions and answers, this book uses a conversational tone that makes information easier to understand and remember.

Build your knowledge of world religions with this beginner's guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781648769153
Publisher:	Callisto
Publication date:	06/17/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	194
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Jill Carroll has taught world religions in university and community settings for 30 years and provides religious diversity training for corporations and groups. Jill has given hundreds of talks and keynote addresses around the world on issues of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence between people of all faiths and no faith.

Editorial Reviews

As a classroom teacher, I'm always looking for resources to help me make my classroom more inclusive of and responsive to students and families from cultures other than my own—and religious differences are not often addressed as a component of a school community's diversity. The clear and concise answers to the ‘Burning Questions’ and the ‘On the Calendar’ feature are particularly useful for educators committed to creating culturally-sustaining classrooms.” —Courtney Rath, high school teacher and PhD educator

“Jill Carroll's contribution to introducing world religions is the product of a top-rate scholar and a seasoned teacher. Her direct and approachable style is well-organized and refreshingly jargon-free but doesn't overlook the complexity of religions. Reading this book will not only help you understand these religions more deeply but also will help you see the similarities between religions. In a time when people can feel more isolated, I cannot think of a book more important to help build bridges.” —Greg Han, scholar and interfaith activist

“Jill Carroll has written a very informative beginner's guide to seven of the world's major religions. Each faith is given roughly 20 pages to discuss its history, origins, major beliefs, primary thinkers/founders, important divisions, symbols, and how the religion relates to other religions. Each faith is presented in a nonjudgmental manner, and aspects of the faith are examined via a series of questions that cover topics previously noted. If you desire a grounding in the basic understanding of each faith, as a tool to start a larger study, this is an excellent beginning. And the book's nonjudgmental manner makes it good for use in the classroom.” —Kevin Fontenot, educator

From the Publisher