Living Religions - Eastern Traditions

For use as a core text for introductory and upper-level courses on Asian/Eastern Religions, and Introduction to World Religions courses. Can also be used as supplemental reading for individual religion courses.

Living Religions--Eastern Traditions is a highly readable and stimulating survey of the major global religions and new religious movements that originated in the East, with particular focus on how people are trying to live by them in today's world. The social context, origins, teachers, scriptures, and historical development of each faith are carefully explored, with emphasis on how practitioners themselves understand their tradition from inside. Evocative illustrations enhance this approach; first-person interviews of ordinary people and boxes uncovering the spiritual roots of well-known public figures bring this text to life.

Features

• Visually stimulating text--Highly illustrated with color and black & white pictures of contemporary religious expressions and sacred art, accompanied by narrative captions.
  • Shows students the religious practices, buildings, and works of art of the various world religions, offering them additional insights into the characteristics and orientation of each tradition and the people who practice it.
• Color maps and timelines.
  • Helps students situate the religions geographically and historically, as well as illustrating to them the present distribution of each religion.
• Special feature boxes--Illustrate religious figures in public life, religion in practice, and interviews with practitioners of living religions.
  • Benefits students by bringing religion to life, enabling them to understand how each religion is practiced on a personal level and how it is perceived from within that tradition.
• "Religion in Public Life" boxes--Portray the spiritual roots of people who are making significant contributions to modern society.
  • Allows students to understand that deep religiosity can go hand-in-hand with deep social commitment.
• Up-to-date text--Considers contemporary issues such as women, the aftermath of September 11, 2001, fundamentalism, and interfaith initiatives.
  • Appeals to students of the 21st century, helping them understand more fully their world and the role of religion in it.