
The World's Religions, Revised and Updated
Description
Alles über E-Books | Antworten auf Fragen rund um E-Books, Kopierschutz und Dateiformate finden Sie in unserem Info- & Hilfebereich.
The World's Religions, by beloved author and pioneering professor Huston Smith (Tales of Wonder), is the definitive classic for introducing the essential elements and teachings of the world's predominant faiths. This essential guide to comparative religion covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, as well as regional native traditions.
This revised and updated edition provides sympathetic descriptions of the various traditions, explaining how they work ?from the inside,? which is a big reason why this cherished classic of religious studies has sold more than two million copies since it first appeared in 1958.
For decades, students and seekers have turned to this landmark text for its clear, objective, and engaging exploration of humanity's most enduring spiritual traditions.
- Sympathetic Introductions: Go beyond doctrine to understand the world's major faiths as they are experienced ?from the inside,? with respect and profound insight.
- Covers Major World Religions: Journey through the essential teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
- Scholarly Yet Accessible: Written by a pioneering professor, this book translates complex ideas into a readable and compelling narrative, perfect for students and general readers alike.
- A Foundational Text: Discover why this cherished classic has been a foundational text in religious studies for generations, selling more than two million copies.
All prices
More details
Other editions
Additional editions


Person
Huston Smith is internationally known and revered as the premier teacher of world religions. He is the focus of a five-part PBS television series with Bill Moyers and has taught at Washington University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and the University of California at Berkeley. The recipient of twelve honorary degrees, Smith's fifteen books include his bestselling The World's Religions, Why Religion Matters, and his autobiography, Tales of Wonder.
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface to the Second Edition
- I. Point of Departure
- Notes.
- II. Hinduism
- What People Want
- What People Really Want
- The Beyond Within
- Four Paths to the Goal
- The Way to God through Knowledge
- The Way to God through Love
- The Way to God through Work
- The Way to God through Psychophysical Exercises
- The Stages of Life
- The Stations of Life
- "Thou Before Whom All Words Recoil."
- Coming of Age in the Universe
- The World-Welcome and Farewell
- Many Paths to the Same Summit
- Appendix on Sikhism
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- III. Buddhism
- The Man Who Woke Up
- The Silent Sage
- The Rebel Saint
- The Four Noble Truths
- The Eightfold Path
- Basic Buddhist Concepts
- Big Raft and Little
- The Secret of the Flower
- The Diamond Thunderbolt
- The Image of the Crossing
- The Confluence of Buddhism and Hinduism in India
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- IV. Confucianism
- The First Teacher
- The Problem Confucius Faced
- Rival Answers
- Confucius' Answer
- The Content of Deliberate Tradition
- The Confucian Project
- Ethics or Religion?
- Impact on China
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- V. Taoism
- The Old Master
- The Three Meanings of Tao
- Three Approaches to Power and the Taoisms That Follow
- Efficient Power: Philosophical Taoism
- Augmented Power: Taoist Hygiene and Yoga
- Vicarious Power: Religious Taoism
- The Mingling of the Powers
- Creative Quietude
- Other Taoist Values
- Conclusion
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- VI. Islam
- Background
- The Seal of the Prophets
- The Migration That Led to Victory
- The Standing Miracle
- Basic Theological Concepts
- The Five Pillars
- Social Teachings
- Sufism
- Whither Islam?
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- VII. Judaism
- Meaning in God
- Meaning in Creation
- Meaning in Human Existence
- Meaning in History
- Meaning in Morality
- Meaning in Justice
- Meaning in Suffering
- Meaning in Messianism
- The Hallowing of Life
- Revelation
- The Chosen People
- Israel
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- VIII. Christianity
- The Historical Jesus
- The Christ of Faith
- The End and the Beginning
- The Good News
- The Mystical Body of Christ
- The Mind of the Church
- Roman Catholicism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Protestantism
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- IX. The Primal Religions
- The Australian Experience
- Orality, Place, and Time
- The Primal World
- The Symbolic Mind
- Conclusion
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes.
- X. A Final Examination
- The Relation between Religions
- The Wisdom Traditions
- Listening.
- Notes.
- Acknowledgments
- Index
- About the Author
- Also by Huston Smith
- Copyright
- About the Publisher
System requirements
File format: ePUB
Copy protection: Adobe-DRM (Digital Rights Management)
System requirements:
- Computer (Windows; MacOS X; Linux): Install the free reader Adobe Digital Editions prior to download (see eBook Help).
- Tablet/smartphone (Android; iOS): Install the free app Adobe Digital Editions or the app PocketBook before downloading (see eBook Help).
- E-reader: Bookeen, Kobo, Pocketbook, Sony, Tolino and many more (not Kindle).
The file format ePub works well for novels and non-fiction books – i.e., „flowing” text without complex layout. On an e-reader or smartphone, line and page breaks automatically adjust to fit the small displays.
This eBook uses Adobe-DRM, a „hard” copy protection. If the necessary requirements are not met, unfortunately you will not be able to open the eBook. You will therefore need to prepare your reading hardware before downloading.
Please note: We strongly recommend that you authorise using your personal Adobe ID after installation of any reading software.
For more information, see our ebook Help page.
File format: ePUB
Copy protection: Watermark-DRM (Digital Rights Management)
System requirements:
- Computer (Windows; MacOS X; Linux): Use a reading software that can process the file format ePUB: e.g., Adobe Digital Editions or FBReader – both free (see eBook Help).
- Tablet/Smartphone (Android; iOS): Before downloading, install the free app Adobe Digital Editions (see eBook Help).
- E-reader: Bookeen, Kobo, Pocketbook, Sony, Tolino and many more (not Kindle).
The file format ePUB works well for novels and non-fiction books – i.e., „flowing” text without complex layout. On an e-reader or smartphone, line and page breaks automatically adjust to fit the small displays.
This eBook uses Watermark-DRM, a „soft” copy protection. This means that there are no technical restrictions to prevent illegal distribution. However, there is a personalised watermark embedded in the eBook that can be used to identify the purchaser of the eBook in the event of misuse and to provide evidence for legal purposes.
For more information, see our eBook Help page.