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This course provides an introduction to some major religious traditions in the world from a phenomenological and historical point of view. Topics include Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and local religions, etc.
This book discusses what is living and significant in the world’s major religious traditions and in various new movements, providing an account of the development, doctrines, and practices of the major faiths followed today. The beginning chapter looks at religious phenomena as a whole, bringing out patterns that transcend differences between the various faith. The second chapter notes the continued existence of people still practicing their native lifeways to some extent, despite the subversive influences of global religions and global culture. The following chapters examines various religious traditions, including, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism. The final chapter looks into new religious movements.
This book provides an overview of world religions, including indigenous traditions, Jewish traditions, Christian traditions, Muslim traditions, Hindu traditions, Jaina traditions, Buddhist traditions, Sikh traditions, Chinese and Korean traditions, Japanese traditions, as well as new religions and movements. This edition has many highlighted features. “Traditions at a Glance” boxes provide summaries of numbers, distribution, founders and leaders, deity, authoritative texts, and noteworthy teachings. “Sacred Texts” tables summarize the most important texts in each tradition, including composition/compilation, revision, and the uses made of them. “Document” boxes provide selection of excerpts from scripture and other important writings. “Sites” boxes provide visions of locations of special significance to each tradition.
This book argues that persistent attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Prothero looks into eight religious traditions to observe the problems and solutions these religions present to their followers- the way of submission by Islam, the way of salvation by Christianity, the way of propriety by Confucianism, the way of devotion to Hinduism, the way of awakening by Buddhism, the way of connection by Yoruba Religion, the way of exile and return by Judaism, and the way of flourishing by Daoism. The final chapter adds the way of reason by Atheism.
This is an anthology of religious scriptures. Texts that are considered most sacred by the religions themselves, texts that are more peripheral, and texts that are sectarian texts but considered scripture by members of that sect are all included. The selected texts are arranged according to either their original dates of composition or their historically structured narratives. Texts selected include those in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, Australian Aboriginal religion, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’I Faith, and Indigenous religions of the West. This book also traces the origin as the Greek Myths.
This book explores the rich and complex religious and philosophical traditions that have developed and flourished in China, and provides a historical overview of Chinese forms of worship with individual chapters focusing on Shang-Zhou religion, religion in the Han and medieval periods, Sui-Tang religion, Song religion, and religion in late imperial China. It also addresses the main Chinese religious traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, as well as readings on Christianity and Islam. A range of contemporary religious topics are discussed, including gods and spirits, ritual, text, nature, gender, asceticism, violence, divination, material culture, and lineage.
This book shows how that decisive moment, when Friedrich Max Müller and James Legge classified Confucianism as a world religion in the new discourse of “world religions” and the emerging discipline of comparative religion, continues to influence the understanding of Confucianism in the contemporary world. The three themes- the historical process of the making of concepts and classifications regarding Confucianism in the nineteenth century, the problems with social science methodology in our study of Confucianism in the twentieth century, and the multifaceted realities of the revival of Confucianism in contemporary China in the twenty-first century- constitute the three parts of the book.
This book collects nine essays, focusing on religious changes, and especially the role of the state and market in affecting religious developments in mainland China and Taiwan. The topics covered include the growing interest in the study of religion, the methods used by Christians to be able to coexist with a communist government, revival techniques being used by Buddhist monks, the strategies of Daoist priests and sect leaders to attract followers, the significance of mass-circulating morality books, and the ongoing debate about the significance and nature of Confucianism. Information was gathered by participant observation and interviews primarily, and the analysis of documents secondarily.
