World Religions [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

In my humble opinion, Warren Matthews has written what I believe to be a good introduction to world religions. Some reviewers have remarked how the book is shallow in some places. However, given the topic and breadth of various faiths covered, finding a book that deeply covers all aspects of major world religions and being affordable to students would be difficult indeed.

Matthews covers the following major world religions:

1. Religions of the Americas (focus on North and South American Indian religions).

2. Religions of Africa (much info on Egypt).

3. Hinduism.

4. Buddhism.

5. Jainism and Sikhism.

6. China and Japan (Shintoism, Daoims, Confucianism).

7. Ancient Religions of Iraq and Iran.

8. Judaism.

9. Christianity.

10. Islam.

11. Various religions.

For each religion, Matthews covers the historical development, peoples, geography, and certain beliefs in an easy-to-read format. Additionally, he covers the worldview for each religion by describing 10 areas for each faith:

1. The Absolute - core beliefs.

2. The World - how the religion views the world.

3. Humans - how the religion views humans.

4. Problem for Humans - what's our problem?

5. The Solution for Humans - what does religion believe would solve our problem?

6. Community and Ethics - how the people of a certain faith interact with each other.

7. An Interpretation of History - how the world and people were created.

8. Rituals and Symbols - what celebrations does a particular religion observe?

9. Life After Death - where do we go after we leave this earth?

10. Relationship to other Religons - how does a certain faith group interact with people of other faiths?

I used this book to teach a World Religions class at a local community college this Fall 2006 semester and plan to use the book again for the Spring 2007 semester.

Admittingly, I am an evangelical Christian but do not impose my beliefs on my students. I found the Matthews book to be fair and reasonably objective in its treatment of world religions. The students seemed to like the book okay.

The main problem I had was with the exam view Power Point slides and tests. The Power Points did not coinicide well with the book and I often had to skip parts and adjust the information. I also had to adjust the tests as they did not correspond to the Power Point. However, both problems have been addressed for next semester.

Complaint aside, the book seems to be a good title for an introductory world religions class. Recommended.

Matthews manages to condense much essential information about the world's major religions with the judicious use of graphs and illustrations, maps and charts to encapsulate each traditions unique point of view. The textbook is useful especially if accompanied by apt selections of texts from the traditions themselves describing beliefs and practices. This text is ideal for lower division courses where students are likely to complain about being overwhelmed with so much new information and unfamiliar ideas. Still as anyone who teaches in the field is well aware, providing a survey course to the religions of the world is disingenuous at best. Matthews is to be commended for his hubris and attempting to distillate the essential characteristics of the major world religions.

Excerpt: In the absence of first-hand exposure, older people today are likely to have spent most of their lifetime learning about world religions. Perhaps they began by reading National Geographic in school. Later they may have met some students from overseas in their college classes. Travel abroad may have come later, in military or business assignments. In retirement they may visit countries with religions and customs quite different from the ones that they have known. For millions of people in the United States, serious discussion of world religions has been primarily academic; few major religions have been present.

Younger people today, however, are more likely to learn about different reli?gions in their home communities. They have classmates and coworkers from other countries and other religions. Learning about other religions may be as natural as learning anything else in the community. The differences may require adjustment and conversations at home, but the diversity generally works out rather well. Aca?demics and people in the larger community sometimes overlook all the everyday opportunities for learning about others.

Civic life requires that members of the community learn about diversity of world religions. The belief that in the United States there is only one historical religion has not entirely vanished, but a large segment of the population con?cedes that no one religion has exclusive rights at the expense of other religions. People of the various religions in the United States seem to be able to agree that all citizens should honor morality and fairness, respect God, and help fellow hu?mans. Among the diverse religions there is likely to be a shared reservoir of good will that can be tapped for the good of humankind. Many religions have dealt with the same human problems for centuries. Eventually they may cooperate on solutions.

World Religions, Fifth Edition, addresses these opportunities by helping stu?dents learn the essential history and beliefs of the peoples of the world. Long dis?cussions have been shortened to essential information. The text concentrates on teaching important concepts and terms. Maps, charts, timelines, pictures, and highlighted blocks of information help students learn more easily. An Overview at the beginning of each chapter points out the themes of the religion. A Consider This box later in the chapter brings together the themes in a more comprehensive view.

The most important changes in the Fifth Edition include:

An Overview at the beginning of each chapter to preview religions of the chapter.

New Consider This boxes discussing the themes.

New religions introduced:

Baha'i

Church of Satan

Druids

Candombl?, Santeria, and Vodun

Church of Scientology

Theosophical Society

Family Federation for World Peace and Unification Wicca

This is a must for everyone to read and not only college students. It gives a great historical view of religion, when, why and how it started. I read it over and over and sometimes look up when questions cross my mind. If people read this then they get the right picture of why things are happening around the world. War mainly.