Introduction To Religious Studies

Filling the need for a clear, solid overview to introduction to religious studies courses, this text is neither too broad nor too narrow. Chapters explore what religion is and how it is formed and studied; religious experience; truth claims; ethics and moral theology; violence and religion; social involvement; religion and the environment; asceticism and mysticism; religion, technology, and science; religions and their words, stories, writings, and books; and more. The text respects cultural considerations and the contemporary global climate in showing religious studies in action and exploring questions of theory, method, and research. The contributing authors are in tune with college students' interests and are well suited to address the issues and methods of religious studies. Designed for college students taking their first course in the study of religion, such as introduction to religious studies and world religions.

Collection of introductory articles on teaching religious studies; extended references to major texts and basic ideas; article by J.H. Martin on Aboriginal religion annotated separately.

A Critical Introduction to the Study of Religion introduces the key concepts and theories from religious studies that are necessary for a full understanding of the complex relations between religion and society. The aim is to provide readers with an arsenal of critical concepts for studying religious ideologies, practices, and communities. This thoroughly revised second edition has been restructured to clearly emphasize key topics including: Essentialism Functionalism Authority Domination. All ideas and theories are clearly illustrated, with new and engaging examples and case studies throughout, making this the ideal textbook for students approaching the subject area for the first time.

Introducing Religion, 4/e explores the different ways of looking at religion in the twenty-first century. A broad overview to religious studies as a discipline introduces students to the various subjects of religion. Introducing Religion teaches readers how to think in academic religious studies and its main areas, including: sociology of religion, psychology of religion, history of religion, religion and art, ethics, and more. The fourth edition has been expanded with new chapters exploring topics of contemporary interest: myth, spiritual paths, religion and popular culture, religion in the computer age, religion and war. Contemporary topics engage today’s students, relating the topics to the changing world around them.

In Introduction to Religious Studies, Harvey J. Sindima provides an unconventional approach to the study of world religions. Often, books and courses on religious studies focus on the major world religions. This approach, however, frequently ignores other religious experiences, such as those of various African groups as well as the indigenous people of the Americas and Australia. These less widespread religions are commonly described in pejorative terms such as 'primitive religions' or 'non-literate religions.' Focusing solely on well-known religions is an approach that impoverishes religious studies and deprives students of the enormous wealth of religious knowledge of the world. Introduction to Religious Studies pulls together the diverse religious experience of Africans, Native Americans, and the indigenous peoples of Australia in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to the study of religion and broaden the horizons of religious studies students. Under each theme or topic, examples are drawn from religions of salvation as well as African and Native American religious traditions. This book provides students with a deep, wide, and very rich introduction to religious studies.

Though they are intimately related, most textbooks cover either religious studies or theology, leaving students lacking in exposure to one or the other of these associated disciplines. Religious Studies and Theology: An Introduction offers a comprehensive introduction to both subjects in one inclusive volume. The text is written in an accessible style and is meant for beginning students and all those interested in learning about these fields. It is divided into six sections, including Theories of Religion; World Religions; Biblical Studies; Practical Theology; Systematic Theology; and The Philosophy of Religion. The volume also contains a guide for further reading as well as boxes to explain key terms. Offering thorough and cutting-edge coverage of all aspects of these fields, it is the only introduction to the whole of religious studies and theology in a single-volume format. Contributors: Douglas J. Davies, Seth D. Kunin, Hugh Goddard, Martin A. Mills, Matthew Wood, F. Michael Perko, Paul Ellingworth, Ken Aitken, Helen K. Bond, John Swinton, Henry R. Sefton, Francesca Aran Murphy, and Derek Cross.

Spanning the gamut from "Aaron" to "Zwingli," this dictionary includes nearly 3,000 entries written by about sixty authors, all of whom are specialists in their various theological and religious disciplines. The editors have designed the dictionary especially to aid the introductory-level student with instant access to definitions of terms likely to be encountered in, but not to substitute for, classroom presentations or reading assignments. - Publisher.

Widely used as a primer, a text and a provocation to critical thinking, 'Studying Religion' aims to develop students' skills. The book clearly explains the methods and theories employed in the study of religion. Essays are offered on a range of topics: from the history and functions of religion to public discourse on religion and the classification of religions. The works of key scholars - from Karl Marx, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Rudolf Otto to Mircea Eliade, James G. Frazer, and Sigmund Freud - are analysed and explored. 'Studying Religion' represents a shift away from the traditional focus of describing the exotic or curious religious 'Other' to an examination of how religious behaviours and institutions are studied. The book will be invaluable to students of religious studies.