Christianity Understanding Our Religious World

The Christian Difference: An Explanation & Comparison of World Religions is an easy-to-read comparative based on content from experts and from actual sacred texts of the various world religions and global cults/sects.

An introduction to Christianity, covering its History, Beliefs, Structure, and Practices. Richly illustrated with colourful photos, illustrations, maps and charts, as well as audio files and a selection of relevant ancient texts. This eBOOK provides a solid jargon-free introduction to Christianity for college-level classes or for any reader seeking a neutral presentation of Christianity by an author who has taught extensively in the field for over three decades.

This comprehensive handbook provides a Christian perspective on religion and its many manifestations around the world. Written by top religion scholars from a broad spectrum of Christianity, it introduces world religions, indigenous religious traditions, and new religious movements. Articles explore the relationship of other religions to Christianity, providing historical perspective on past encounters and highlighting current issues. The book also contains articles by adherents of non-Christian religions, offering readers an insider's perspective on various religions and their encounters with Christianity. Maps, timelines, and sidebars are included.

Christians find themselves in an increasingly diverse world. The new place of worship in our neighborhood might just as likely be a Hindu temple or a Muslim mosque as a church or a synagogue. How should we view other world religions, and more important, how should we engage our religiously oriented neighbors in conversation? Do all religions teach the same thing? Or are there significant differences? Do we try to minimize differences and just get along? Or do we hold out the Christian faith as the one true hope for all the world? Drawing on his wide experience and knowledge of other religions and how they are actually lived, Winfried Corduan helps us sort through the complex tapestry of faiths around the globe. He contends that there are common threads of understanding that can serve to link us in meaningful discussion. From these common threads we can go on to explore genuine differences. Through the course of the book, Corduan leads readers to explore the important issues of revelation and truth, morality and guilt, grace and redemption, eschatology and hope. Ultimately, Jesus Christ, he argues, stands unique among religious figures and Christianity unique among the world's religions. This is a book that strengthens Christians in their convictions while encouraging them to engage their neighbors with humility, loved, and discernment.

The diversity of the world's religions has come to the West, but believers are often ill-equipped for any kind of serious engagement with non-Christians. In Encountering World Religions, professor and author Irving Hexham introduces all the world's major religious traditions in a brief and understandable way. Hexham outlines key beliefs and practices in each religion, while also providing guidance on how to think critically about them from the standpoint of Christian theology. African, yogic, and Abrahamic traditions are all covered. Accessible and clear, Encountering World Religions will provide formal and lay students alike with a useful Christian introduction to the major faiths of our world.

The essays in this book take a fresh look at the biblical data and address the contemporary questions raised by religious pluralism. The reader will gain a greater understanding of different religions and gain an increased confidence in the majesty and greatness of the one true God.

Exploring the Religions of Our World allows students to build on their understanding and experience of the Catholic Christian faith by studying different religious traditions. The text begins with a study of Judeo-Christian history, practice, and tradition before expanding to the study of other less familiar religions including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism. The text moves on to uncover a variety of religious traditions that sprang from America's Protestant roots including Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Christ, Scientist.Each chapter begins with an introduction that connects each religion to a contemporary person, practice, or teaching. A brief history follows, including information on the founder and other major figures in each respective religion. Other sections include those on scripture or major writings, beliefs and practices, and sacred places and sacred times. Each chapter ends with a Catholic apologetic focus and includes a look at ecumenical or interreligious dialogue between the Catholic Church and each particular religion. Similarities and distinctions in doctrines, traditions, and practices are also explored.This text was written in accordance with the U.S. Bishops' Curriculum Framework and follows Elective E: Ecumenical and Interreligious Issues.

A generation ago, most Americans had little or no contact with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or any other adherents of non- Christian religions. Now our culture is much more pluralistic. In addition to these “others,” many Westerners, disenchanted with Christianity, are more inclined than they were a generation ago to dabble in new spiritual alternatives that were not as readily available here before. Many Christians feel intimidated by these changes. Many Christians don’t know how to engage their newest non- Christian neighbors in conversation, partly because they feel ignorant about the religions practiced by others. Significant Others seeks to fill this knowledge gap so readers will become more acquainted with the religious backgrounds of devout non- Christians they are meeting, as well as with the growing number of American people who claim no religious affiliation at all. Each chapter outlines the major world religions according to their significant founders or leading figures, significant beliefs and practices, significant sects and developments, and significant points of contact and points of contrast with Christian faith.