World Religions Today » (2nd Edition)

Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service

University of South Florida

College of the Holy Cross

Taking a fresh approach, World Religions Today explores world religious traditions as dynamic, ongoing forces in the lives of individuals and in the collective experience of modern societies. In contrast with most other books on world religions, this unique work does not adopt a historical perspective that focuses on the past; instead, it makes use of past beliefs and practices as backdrops for understanding how different faiths have evolved up to the present day.

Ch. 1 Introduction 3

Ch. 2 Indigenous religions 35

Ch. 3 The many stories of Judaism : sacred and secular 75

Ch. 4 Christian diversity and the road to modernity 147

Ch. 5 Islam : the many faces of the Muslim experience 213

Ch. 6 Hinduism : myriad paths to salvation 301

Ch. 7 Buddhism : ways to Nirvana 389

Ch. 8 East Asian religions : traditions of human cultivation and natural harmony 471

Ch. 9 Globalization : from new to New Age religions 561

Index