Introduction to World Religions

"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 *

Christopher Partridge is Professor of Contemporary Religion at University College Chester.

Contents 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 Baha'i Faith 468 86 Secularization and Sacralization 471 Church attendance in England 473 I am a Rastafarian 474 87 Religion and Globalization 476 World