Table of Contents
Contributors x
List of Maps xiii
List of Time Charts xiii
List of Festival Charts xiii
List of Illustrations xiv
Preface xv
Part 1 Understanding Religion
1 What Is Religion? 2
2 The Anthropology of Religion 5
Myths and Symbols 8
3 The Sociology of Religion 10
4 Theological Approaches to the Study of Religion 15
5 Ritual and Performance 19
6 Religions of Antiquity 26
Part 2 Indigenous Religions
7 Understanding Indigenous Religions 40
8 Indigenous Religions in Asia 47
9 Australian Aboriginal Religions 52
10 South American Indigenous Religions 56
11 Native North Americans 62
12 African Indigenous Religions 65
Part 3 Hinduism
13 A Historical Overview 72
14 Sacred Writings 79
15 Beliefs 83
16 Worship and Festivals 91
I am a Hindu 96
17 Hinduism in the Modern World 98
Part 4 Buddhism
18 A Historical Overview 104
19 Sacred Writings 112
20 Beliefs 117
I am a Buddhist 124
21 Buddhism in the Modern World 126
Parts 5 Chinese, Korean, And Japanese Religions
22 Chinese Religions 134
23 Sinkyo: Korea's Traditional Religion 145
24 Japanese Religions 148
Part 6 Jainism
25 A Historical Overview 160
Leaders and Enlightenment 166
26 Sacred Writings 167
27 Beliefs 170
28 Worship and Festivals 175
The Puja of Eight Substances 177
I am a Jain 180
29 Jainism in the Modern World 182
Part 7 Judaism
30 A Historical Overview 186
31 Sacred Writings 200
Divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures 203
32 Beliefs 204
33 Worship and Festivals 210
Seder Meal 212
I am a Jew 216
34 Branches of Judaism 217
35 Judaism in the Modern World 222
Part 8 Christianity
36 A Historical Overview 228
37 Jesus 236
Branches of the Church 240
38 Sacred Writings 245
39 Beliefs 247
40 Worship and Festivals 253
I am a Christian 258
41 Contemporary Christianity 260
Part 9 Islam
42 A Historical Overview 266
43 The Unity and Variety of Islam 275
44 Sacred Writings 279
45 Beliefs 282
46 Worship and Festivals 287
47 The Law of Islam 293
I am a Muslim 296
48 Islam in the Modern World 298
Part 10 Sikhism
49 A Historical Overview 304
The Ten Gurus 306
The Kbalsa 308
50 Sacred Writings 310
51 Beliefs 312
The Mul Mantra 316
52 Worship and Festivals 317
I am a Sikh 320
53 Sikhism Today 323
Part 11 Religions In Today's World
54 New Religious Movements 330
55 Secularization and Sacralization 337
I am a Rastafarian 340
56 Religion and Globalization 342
World Religions Today 345
I am a Spiritual Seeker 346
57 Religion and Politics 348
58 Women and Religion 354
Rapid Fact-Finder 359
Index 387
Picture Acknowledgments 394