A Guide to Religious Thought and Practices

A Guide to Religious Thought and Practices devotes a chapter to each of the world religions, all but one of which are written by a member of that faith community. Readers thus gain insiders’ views into the theology, spirituality, and religious practice of each faith.

The introduction encourages respect and engagement with those of other faiths. It emphasizes the cultural nature of religion and its importance to society, and it notes the rise of interest in the study of religious traditions in the face of contemporary geopolitics. This book does not, however, attempt to address these politics, leaving the reader to think about and interpret the issues for themselves.

The International Study Guides (ISGs) are clear and accessible resources, contextual and ecumenical in content and missional in direction. The contributors are theological educators who come from different countries and different religious backgrounds and bring practical emphasis alongside contemporary scholarly reflection.

• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Contributors
• Fortress Press International Study Guides
• Acknowledgements
• The Birthplaces of Major Religions
• A Timeline of Major Religions
• Introduction—Santanu K. Patro
• 1 Definitions, Approaches, and Methodologies in the Study of Religions—Santanu K. Patro
• 2 Primal Religious Thought and Practice—Gillian Mary Bediako
• 3 Hindu Thought and Practice—Prabhakar Bhattacharyya
• 4 Buddhist Thought and Practice—Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi
• 5 Jaina Thought and Practice—Priyadarshana Jain
• 6 Jewish Thought and Practice—Ed Kessler
• 7 Christian Thought and Practice—Roger Bowen
• 8 Muslim Thought and Practice—Haifaa Jawad
• 9 Sikh Thought and Practice—Shashi Bala
• Conclusion—Santanu K. Patro
• Index