This book offers an in-depth exploration of its subject, highlighting recent advancements and discoveries that have shaped the field. It serves as a valuable resource for both newcomers and those familiar with the topic, ensuring a thorough understanding of contemporary developments and their implications.
This reference book provides a book-by-book breakdown of the Bible as well as background information that brings the Bible stories to life. Photographs show biblical sites as they are today and detailed maps pinpoint where biblical events took place. Also included are devotional paintings and sculptures to assist in interpreting the stories. All denominations of the Christian Church are accommodated, with special sections on Jewish history and different intrepretations of the biblical texts. The reference section includes an A-Z of significant places and important biblical figures, and a glossary of key terms.
An essential guide to learning everything you need to know about the history, central practices, and the key teachings of many religions. A compelling and insightful guide for uncovering and understanding a variety of the world's major religions. This book will be the perfect gift for thinkers, borrowers, and students of religious studies and…
IThe Oxford Dictionary of World Religions is an exceptionally wide-ranging A-Z reference guide to the history, beliefs, dogmas, practices, individuals, customs, and artifacts of the worlds religions past and present. As well as detailed information on individual religious traditions, there arefascinating general entries on common topics such as prayer, ethics, asceticism, confession, cosmology, art and architecture, and music.
This book explores the concept of suffering through a comparative lens, examining how Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Marxism, Hinduism, and Buddhism address this universal human experience. It delves into the philosophical and theological perspectives of each tradition, highlighting their unique interpretations and responses to suffering. By analyzing these diverse viewpoints, the study aims to foster a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding pain and resilience across cultures and belief systems.
Exploring the interplay between reason and emotion, this thought-provoking work delves into how our beliefs and judgments are shaped. Drawing on recent neuroscientific research, it challenges the traditional view of separating rationality and emotional responses. The author argues that faith and belief are intertwined with rational thought, leading to profound implications for understanding human identity, ethics, and consciousness. By addressing significant issues in science and religion, it offers original insights into the nature of truth and morality.
Religious beliefs have shaped the history of the world. Their effect can be seen in culture, philosophy and politics, and they have inspired people to serve others and to create great works of art, architecture and music. Yet differences in belief can cause bloodshed and war. Never before has it been more urgent to understand the great religions if we are to make sense of our 21st century world, its achievements and its conflicts. This new, revised edition of Beliefs That Changed the World tells the story of the major faiths from their earliest beginnings to their present day impact.
The history of God cannot possibly be told. How can you write the history of One who is outside time and space, and who has no beginning and no end? Nevertheless, the desire to understand and experience the divine is a fundamental human need. For billions of people, through many millennia, the quest to answer the basic questions of existence -- Why are we born? What will happen to us when we die? and how should we live out lives? -- has become a search for God. A brief history of God explores the myriad ways in which humans have sought connection to the divine from the dawn of history to the present -- not just through religion and philosophy, but in art and literature, in music and dance, and in science.
Explains Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism and more key faiths
with annotations and illustrations. This book provides insight into the key
practices, figures and images of each religion. It is aimed at those beginning
their exploration into faith, or at those just needing a reference tool.
The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions is a comprehensive survey of world religions from pre-history to the present day. Each religion is treated in depth, with text written by a recognized academic expert, and supported by extensive illustrations. The religions covered include Jainism, Chinese and Japanese religions, Hindu religions, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, along with smaller sections on Zoroaster and Parsis, Greek and Rome, Egypt and Mesopotamia, aboriginal religions, Shamanism, and modern religions such as Bahai. The book includes a substantial bibliography, a full chronology for each section, a general chronology giving the most significant dates from all religions, and information on religious phenomena such as festivals and calendars. This is an authoritative reference book which will appeal equally to students of religion, teachers, and general interested readers. John Bowker is the author of The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford, 2000), The Complete Bible An Illustrated Companion (DK Publishing, 1998) and and The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford, 1997). He is Greshan Professor, Greshan College, London and Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and North Carolina State University.