Concise Introduction to World Religions / Edition 2

by Willard G. Oxtoby

Overview

Ideal for a one-semester course, this new text—based on the two-volume introduction published in 2001 and edited by Willard G. Oxtoby—covers the major world religions, addressing their significance in today's society and culture and also in historical perspective. Each chapter is written by an esteemed scholar and covers a different tradition, focusing on six areas: the origins of the movement; the crystallization of its teachings; its major divisions in regional and historical perspective; the practices of the tradition's adherents and religious specialists; its influences on society, literature, and the arts; and the modern-day intellectual, social, and technological challenges it faces.
Each chapter is structured in the same format—in order to facilitate comparative analysis—opening with a "Tradition at a Glance" feature that provides basic details about the tradition in outline form. Sidebar features include sayings of the founder or other figures, biographical sketches of major historical and modern thinkers, and illustrations of important symbolism and iconography. A glossary, tables of basic facts, maps, timelines, lists of key geographical sites, questions, and further readings are also included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2900195437743
Publication date:	12/09/2011
Pages:	640
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

The late Willard G. Oxtoby, the original editor of this work, was Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, where he launched the graduate program in the study of religion. His books include Experiencing India and The Meaning of Other Faiths.

Alan F. Segal is Professor of Religion and Igeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish studies at Barnard College, Columbia University. He has written extensively in the fields of comparative religion, Judaism, and early Christianity. His books include Rebecca's Children, Paul the Convert, and Life after Death.

Table of Contents

Maps     vii
Contributors     viii
Introduction   Alan F. Segal   Willard G. Oxtoby     2
Indigenous Religious Traditions   Robert M. Baum     10
The Jewish Tradition   Alan F. Segal     60
The Christian Tradition   Alan F. Segal   Willard G. Oxtoby     130
The Islamic Tradition   Amir Hussain   Mahmoud M. Ayoub     198
The Hindu Tradition   Vasudha Narayanan     258
The Sikh Tradition   Vasudha Narayanan   Willard G. Oxtoby     326
The Jain Tradition   Vasudha Narayanan     352
The Buddhist Tradition   Roy C. Amore   Julia Ching     376
Chinese Religions Confucianism and Daoism   Roy C. Amore   Julia Ching     440
Korean and Japanese Religions   Roy C. Amore   Julia Ching     500
The Nature of Religion   Alan F. Segal   Willard G. Oxtoby     540
Credits     567
Index     569

Editorial Reviews

"This is a good, solid edition usable in a wide variety of classroom settings."—William Acres, Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario

"A Concise Introduction to World Religions is a clear and accessible text that will surely hold students' attention. Among the numerous introductory texts on world religions, I consider it one of the best."—Tim Labron, Concordia University College

"This is one of the most clearly written of all the world religions textbooks I have viewed. My students would appreciate the clear writing style." —Curtis D. Smith, Penn State University

From the Publisher