A Doubter's Guide to World Religions: A Fair and Friendly Introduction to the History, Beliefs, and Practices of the Big Five

by John Dickson

Overview

For believers and skeptics alike, A Doubter's Guide to World Religions introduces the five major world religions so that you can explore their similarities and differences in a fair and engaging way.

The world is a very religious place. Wherever you look, people are worshipping, praying, believing, following, even dying for their faith. But what does it mean to be religious? Are all religions the same? Do they all call on the same God simply using different names? Are their beliefs and practices simply cultural expressions of the same spiritual longings?

Written by historian and theologian John Dickson in his characteristically engaging style, this book presents each of the world's five major systems of faith, carefully outlining the history, doctrines, beliefs, and spiritual practices of:

• Hinduism ("The Way of Release")
• Buddhism ("The Way of Enlightenment")
• Judaism ("The Way of the Torah")
• Christianity ("The Way of the Christ")
• Islam ("The Way of Submission")

In his own words, Dickson acts as an art curator in a gallery, presenting each of these "works of art" in their best light and letting each have their say. Along the way, he demonstrates the importance of religion in general—to society and to individual believers—and addresses many of the universal questions that all of these serious and ancient religions ask:

• Who are we?
• What is our worth?
• How should we live?
• Are we alone?

At the end of each section is a bibliography of helpful books and websites for those who are interested in learning even more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310118336
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John Dickson (Ph D, Macquarie University) serves as the Jean Kvamme Distinguished Professor of Biblical Evangelism and Distinguished Scholar in Public Christianity at Wheaton College. A speaker, historian, and media presenter, John is the author of more than 20 books, two of which became television documentaries. He also cohosted the documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than you Ever Imagined. He is an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Sydney, a Visiting Academic in the Faculty of Classics at Oxford University (2016-2021), and Distinguished Fellow in Public Christianity at Ridley College Melbourne. John presents Australia’s no.1 religion podcast, Undeceptions, exploring aspects of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that are either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten.

Table of Contents

Preface: The Feast of Ideas xi

Part 1 A Word or Two to Spectators

1 So You're Going to Write a Book on Religion 3

2 Tips for Reading the Religions 8

Part 2 Hinduism, The Way of Release

3 Origins of the "Eternal Religion" 21

4 Gods, Drugs, and Sacrifice: the Vedas 25

5 God, the Soul, and Entrapment: the Upanishads 30

6 Caste, Duty, and Salvation: the Smriti Literature 42

Hinduism on a page; facts on Hinduism; good books and sites 56

Part 3 Buddhism, The Way of Enlightenment

7 Origins of Buddhism 63

8 Buddha's Critique of Hinduism 69

9 The Four Noble Truths 80

10 The Eightfold Path 91

11 Types of Buddhism 98

Buddhism on a page; facts on Buddhism; good books and sites 108

Part 4 Judaism, The Way of the Torah

12 Many Judaisms 115

13 Foundational Judaism 118

14 Interim Judaisms 131

15 Classical Judaism 137

16 Modern Judaisms 155

Judaism on a page; facts on Judaism; good books and sites 163

Part 5 Christianity, The Way of the Christ

17 Jesus and the Sources of Christianity 171

18 The Life of Jesus of Nazareth 177

19 From Christ to the New Testament 188

20 Major Teachings of Christianity 193

21 Three Branches of Christianity 204

Christianity on a page; facts on Christianity; good books and sites 217

Part 6 Islam, The Way of Submission

22 Getting Beyond September 11 225

23 From Merchant to Messenger of God: the Life of Muhammad 227

24 Types of Islam 243

25 The Five Pillars of Islam 251

Islam on a page; facts on Islam; good books and sites 268

Part 7 Letting The Religions Have their Say

26 What's Wrong with Jesus 275

27 Ducks, Rabbits, and the Elephant 286

Glossary 299

Index 305