World Religions

Presenting both the histories and the prevalent worldviews of the major world religions, Matthews's WORLD RELIGIONS, Sixth Edition, methodically introduces the richness and diversity of these traditions. The "Worldview" sections in particular make this book helpful for comparative analyses of the religions. These sections show how the different religions approach a common set of ten themes that are fundamental to all traditions, including the nature of the Absolute, the place of humans in the world, rituals and symbols, and the prospects for life after death. Furthermore, this text combines insightful, engaging prose with maps, photographs, timelines, excerpts from sacred texts, and other helpful pedagogical aids that provide a comprehensive yet accessible survey of world religions. Front Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Brief Contents......Page 8 Contents......Page 10 Preface ......Page 22 Introduction......Page 24 Sacred Stories......Page 25 Rituals......Page 26 Historical Development......Page 27 Worldview......Page 29 Vocabulary......Page 33 I: Religions of Tribes and City-States......Page 34 CHAPTER 1 Religions of the Americas......Page 36 Religions of North America......Page 37 Worldview: Common Features of North American Religions......Page 47 Historical Development......Page 51 Worldview: Aztecs......Page 52 Historical Development......Page 54 Worldview: Incas......Page 55 Worldview: Common Features of Mesoamerican and South American Religions......Page 59 Vocabulary......Page 60 Readings......Page 61 CHAPTER 2 Religions of Africa......Page 64 Historical Development......Page 66 Worldview: Ancient Egyptians......Page 67 Worldview: Basongye......Page 73 The Zulu Peoples of South Africa......Page 75 Worldview: Zulu Peoples......Page 76 Worldview: Yoruba Peoples......Page 79 Worldview: Common Features of Religions in Sub- Saharan Africa......Page 81 Rituals and Symbols......Page 82 Vocabulary......Page 83 Readings......Page 84 II: Religions Arising in India......Page 86 CHAPTER 3 Hinduism......Page 88 Historical Development: The Origins of Hinduism......Page 90 Shruti and Smriti: Revelation and Scriptures......Page 91 The Upanishads......Page 95 Karma, Samsara, and Castes......Page 97 The Bhagavad Gita......Page 98 The Laws of Manu......Page 100 Duties of the Four Stages of Life......Page 101 Four Goals for Hindus Today......Page 102 Popular Hinduism: Four Ways of Salvation......Page 103 Orthodox Hindu Systems of Philosophy......Page 106 Hindu Responses to Western Influence......Page 107 Historical Development: Independent India......Page 111 Worldview: Hinduism......Page 112 Rituals and Symbols......Page 117 Questions for Review......Page 121 Notes......Page 122 Readings......Page 123 CHAPTER 4 Buddhism......Page 126 Historical Development: The Life of the Buddha......Page 128 The Four Noble Truths......Page 134 The Buddha on Samsara and Karma......Page 137 Historical Development: Buddhism after the Buddha......Page 138 Two Ways of Experiencing the Buddha......Page 140 Buddhism in Asia......Page 144 Historical Development: Buddhism and the West......Page 153 Worldview: Buddhism......Page 155 Rituals and Symbols......Page 160 Questions for Review......Page 162 Notes......Page 163 Readings......Page 164 CHAPTER 5 Jainism and Sikhism......Page 168 Jainism......Page 169 Worldview: Jainism......Page 173 Sikhism......Page 179 Worldview: Sikhism......Page 185 Rituals and Symbols......Page 187 Notes......Page 190 Readings......Page 191 III: Religions of China and Japan......Page 192 CHAPTER 6 China and Japan......Page 194 Beliefs in China before the Sages......Page 195 Historical Development: Daoism......Page 197 Worldview: Daoism......Page 202 Confucianism......Page 204 Historical Development: Confucianism......Page 205 Historical Development: The Rise and Fall of Confucianism......Page 214 Worldview: Confucianism......Page 215 Historical Development: Shinto......Page 219 Worldview: Shinto......Page 226 Rituals and Symbols: A Visit to a Shinto Shrine......Page 228 Questions for Discussion......Page 231 Notes......Page 232 Readings......Page 233 IV: Religions That Influenced East and West......Page 236 CHAPTER 7 Ancient Religions of Iraq and Iran......Page 238 Historical Development: Mesopotamian Civilizations......Page 239 Worldview: Mesopotamia......Page 243 Iranian Religion......Page 246 Historical Development: Zoroastrianism......Page 247 Worldview: Zoroastrianism......Page 250 Rituals and Symbols......Page 253 Notes......Page 256 Readings......Page 257 V: Religions of the Family of Abraham......Page 258 CHAPTER 8 Judaism......Page 260 The Jewish Bible......Page 261 Abraham......Page 263 Historical Development: Life under the Egyptians......Page 264 Moses......Page 265 Historical Development: Settlement in Canaan......Page 267 The Hebrew Prophets......Page 268 Historical Development: Destroyed Kingdoms, Exiled Leaders......Page 270 Postexilic Judaism......Page 272 Rabbinic Judaism......Page 275 Medieval Judaism......Page 278 Judaism in the Modern Age......Page 282 The Holocaust......Page 285 Israel......Page 286 Worldview: Judaism......Page 289 Rituals and Symbols......Page 294 Vocabulary......Page 298 Notes......Page 299 Readings......Page 300 CHAPTER 9 Christianity......Page 302 Historical Development: Jesus of Nazareth......Page 303 The Teachings of Jesus......Page 304 Saul of Tarsus......Page 311 Roman Persecution and Acceptance......Page 314 Formation of the New Testament......Page 317 Age of the Church Fathers......Page 318 Monasticism......Page 321 The Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Traditions......Page 323 The Crusades......Page 326 Protestant and Reformed Churches......Page 327 The Catholic Reformation......Page 329 Major Roman Catholic Reforms......Page 333 Christianity and Liberation......Page 334 Worldview: Christianity......Page 335 Rituals and Symbols......Page 341 Vocabulary......Page 344 Notes......Page 345 Readings......Page 346 CHAPTER 10 Islam......Page 348 Historical Development: The Background of Islam......Page 350 The Pillars of Islam......Page 358 The Beginnings of Sunni and Shi'a......Page 360 The Expansion of Islam......Page 361 Muslim Spiritual Experiences......Page 363 Islam and Other Religions: The Middle Ages......Page 366 Muslim Responses to Modernism......Page 369 Comparison of Shi'ites and Sunnis in the Twenty- First Century......Page 370 Islam in the United States......Page 372 Worldview: Islam......Page 374 A Pillar of Islam: The Pilgrimage to Mecca......Page 380 Islam and the Future......Page 383 Vocabulary......Page 384 Notes......Page 385 Readings......Page 386 CHAPTER 11 New Forms of Older Religions......Page 388 Baha'i......Page 389 Cao Dai......Page 390 Church of Scientology......Page 391 Druids......Page 392 Falun Gong......Page 394 Orishas in the New World: Candomblé, Santería, and Vodun......Page 395 Rastafarians......Page 396 Theosophical Society......Page 397 The Unification Church/Family Federation for World Peace and Unification......Page 398 Wicca......Page 401 Questions for Discussion......Page 402 Readings......Page 403 An Illustration of Globalization......Page 406 Globalization: A View from the Third World......Page 407 Globalization: Another View......Page 408 The Sciences and Globalization......Page 409 Rights for Men and Women......Page 412 Globalization: The Environment......Page 413 Religion and Violence......Page 415 Where Globalization Needs Help......Page 416 The Solution for Humans......Page 417 Community and Ethics......Page 418 Vocabulary......Page 419 Readings......Page 420 Periodicals......Page 21 Glossary......Page 421 Credits......Page 434 Index......Page 436

presenting Both The Histories And The Prevalent Worldviews Of The Major World Religions, Matthews's World Religions, Sixth Edition, Methodically Introduces You To The Richness And Diversity Of These Traditions. This Book Combines Insightful, Engaging Prose With Maps, Photographs, Timelines, Excerpts From Sacred Books, And Other Helpful Pedagogical Aids, That Provide A Comprehensive Yet Accessible Survey Of World Religions.