Description
Book Synopsis4th edition of the successful New Lion Handbook: the World's Religions, updated, redesigned, with new textbook focused questions and bibliography.
Trade Review“Positive, thoughtful, and sympathetic treatment of a very wide range of faiths.” * Religious Education Press *
“A moving and illuminating book. I am aware of nothing on the market remotely comparable in scope, balance, readability, and sensitivity.” * The Church Times *
“A sumptuous handbook. Profusely illustrated in full colour . . . a guide to the past and present faiths of the world.” * Times Educational Supplement *
Table of ContentsContents
Contributors 9
Preface to the Third Edition 12
Preface to the Fourth Edition 14
List of maps 15
List of Time Charts 15
List of Festival charts 16
List of photographs 16
Part 1 Understanding Religion 19
1 What is Religion? 20
2 Phenomenology and the Study of Religion 23
3 The Anthropology of Religion 28
Myths and Symbols 30
4 The Sociology of Religion 33
5 The Psychology of Religion 37
6 Theological Approaches to the Study of Religion 40
7 Critical Theory and Religion 43
8 Ritual and Performance 47
Timeline of World Religions 50
Map: The World’s Religions 52
Part 2 Religions of Antiquity 55
9 Religion Before History 56
Holy Places, Sacred Calendars 66
10 Land of the Aztecs and Incas 68
11 The Ancient Near East: Cradle of Civilization 74
12 Ancient Egypt: Land of the Priest-King 84
Egyptian Temples: Houses of Power 88
13 Zoroastrianism: A Historical Overview 92
14 Zoroastrian Beliefs 97
Fire Temples 100
15 The Ancient Religions of Greece and Rome 101
16 The Religion of the Celts 117
17 The Religions of Scandinavia: The Norse Gods 120
18 Nomads of the Steppes 124
6 contents
Part 3 Indigenous Religions 129
19 Understanding Indigenous Religions 130
20 Indigenous Religions in Asia 134
21 The Foe of Papua New Guinea 138
22 Australian Aboriginal Religions 140
23 Melanesia 143
24 South American Indigenous Religions 145
25 Native North Americans 150
26 Inuit 153
27 Norse Shamanism 155
28 African Indigenous Religions 157
29 The Bangwa 161
30 The Zulu 162
Part 4 Hinduism 166
31 A Historical Overview 168
32 Philosophy 175
33 Sacred Writings 178
34 Beliefs 181
35 Worship and Festivals 187
36 Family and Society 192
I am a Hindu 194
37 Hinduism in the Modern World 196
Part 5 Buddhism 201
38 A Historical Overview 203
39 Sacred Writings 210
40 Beliefs 215
41 Family and Society 221
The Cao Dai and the Hoa Hao 224
I am a Buddhist 226
42 Buddhism in the Modern World 228
Part 6 Jainism 235
43 A Historical Overview 236
Leaders and Enlightenment 240
44 Sacred Writings 242
45 Beliefs 245
46 Family and Society 249
47 Worship and Festivals 252
introduction to World Religions 7
The puja of eight substances 254
I am a Jain 256
48 Jainism in the Modern World 258
Modern Jain leaders 258
Part 7 Chinese Religions 261
49 Chinese Religions: Sages and Immortals 261
50 Christianity in Contemporary China 273
The Worship of Ancestors 274
Part 8 Korean and Japanese Religions 279
51 Sinkyo: Korea’s Traditional Religion 280
52 Japanese Religions: A Tapestry of Traditions 283
Part 9 Judaism 295
53 A Historical Overview 296
The Thirteen Principles of the Faith 304
The Kabbalah 306
54 Sacred Writings 309
Divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures 312
55 Beliefs 313
The Covenant 318
56 Family and Society 320
57 Worship and Festivals 325
Seder meal 326
I am a Jew 330
58 The Holocaust 332
59 Branches of Judaism 334
60 Judaism in the Modern World 338
Jewish population figures by continent in 2004 340
Part 10 Christianity 343
61 A Historical Overview 344
62 Jesus 351
Branches of the Church 358
63 Sacred Writings 363
64 Beliefs 365
65 Worship and Festivals 371
I am a Christian 376
66 Family and Society 378
67 Contemporary Christianity 380
8 contents
PART 11 Islam 387
68 A Historical Overview 388
69 The Unity and Variety of Islam 397
70 Sacred Writings 401
71 Beliefs 404
72 Worship and Festivals 409
73 The Law of Islam 415
74 Science, Art, and Culture 418
75 Family and Society 420
I am a Muslim 422
76 Islam in the Modern World 424
Part 12 Sikhism 429
77 A Historical Overview 430
The Ten Gurus 432
The Khalsa 434
78 Sacred Writings 436
79 Beliefs 438
The Mul Mantra 440
80 Worship and Festivals 442
The Golden Temple 444
Guru Hargobind’s release 446
81 Family and Society 447
I am a Sikh 449
82 Sikhism Today 451
Part 13 Religions in Today’s World 457
83 From Existentialism to Postmodernism 458
84 New Religious Movements 463
85 The Bahá’í Faith 468
86 Secularization and Sacralization 471
Church attendance in England 473
I am a Rastafarian 474
87 Religion and Globalization 476
World Religions Today 478
I am a Spiritual Seeker 480
88 Religion and Politics 482
Part 14 Rapid Fact-Finder 487
Index 529
