Product Description

The Times World Religions presents a fully-comprehensive survey of the origins, developments, beliefs and distribution of the world’s religions. Full-colour maps, pictures and a comprehensive and accessible text combine to form a unique global overview of human faith and a key to understanding its role in the modern world

In the 21st century Religion retains its power to move: from the astonishing devotion felt for religious leaders such as the Pope and the Dalai Lama, to the more sinister role faith plays at the heart of many of today’s conflicts, in the Middle East to India, in Kosovo and Chechenia.
Yet the evolution and history, the beliefs and practices of today’s world faiths are often poorly understood. The books coverage ranges from faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism to cover issues such as secularism, less well-known belief systems such as Pacific Cargo Cults and includes a section on religion in the ancient world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1843066 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Review
It's easy to see how important religion is, and how it's linked with what's going on in the world. This book presents a fully-comprehensive survey of the origins, developments, beliefs and distribution of the world's religions.

From the Publisher
A comprehensive guide to the religions of the world. This breadth of coverage, together with full-colour mapping and an accessible text combine to produce a truely-comprehensive history of faith.

From the Back Cover

In the 21st Century Religion retains its power to move: from the astonishing devotion felt for the religious leaders such as the Pope and the Dalai Lama, to the more sinister role faith plays at the heart of many of today's conflicts, in the Middle East, in India, in Kosovo and in Chechenia. Yet the evolution and history, the beliefs and practices of today's world faiths are often poorly understood. 'The Times World Religions' covers all the major world religions from Christianity to Judaism and Islam, and from Hinduism to Buddhism and Sikhism. It also focuses on issues such as secularism, indigenous and traditional beliefs, and includes a section on religions of the ancient world. This breadth of coverage, together with full-colour mapping and an accessible text combine to produce a truly-comprehensive history of faith.

THE ROOTS OF RELIGIONS
The origins and the nature of religious belief

ANCIENT RELIGIONS
The gods of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Scandinavia.
From Enil to Horus, from Zeus to Thor

INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS
The belief systems of indigenous peoples of the world today, from the Maoris and Maya to Japanese Shintoism and traditional African religions.

WORLD RELIGIONS
The major global faiths, from Sikhism to Islam, from Buddhism to Judaism, from Christianity to Hinduism.

NEW RELIGIONS
An account of the world's newer religions, including Rastafarianism and Melanesian Cargo Cults.

RELIGIONS AND THE MODERN WORLD
The encounter of religion and modernity; Communism, Capitalism and religion; Scientific Rationalism and faith; the growth of multi-faith societies.