Living Religions - Softcover

Fisher, Mary Pat

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0205835856 ISBN 13: 9780205835850

Publisher: Pearson, 2010

Synopsis

Living Religions presents a highly readable and stimulating survey of the modern religious world though an emphasis on the personal consciousness of believers and their own accounts of their religion and relevance in contemporary life.

 

"Religion is not a museum piece. Religion is a vibrant force in the lives of many people around the world, and many religions are presently experiencing a renaissance." - Mary Pat Fisher, Preface to Living Religions

 

Along with a team of specialist consultants in each faith, and drawing on a wealth of scholarly research and firsthand source material, Mary Pat Fisher provides a fresh and challenging insight into the historical development and teachings of traditional faiths, indigenous religions, and new religious movements.  She considers how the contemporary beliefs and practices of each of these traditions have evolved, and explores the changing nature of each religion; particularly the role of women, and the issues and controversies such as fundamentalism, violence, globalization, and interfaith initiatives. 

About this title

Review:

"Mary Pat Fisher's Living Religions is the best introduction to world religions for students without any prior knowledge of the subject. This book is well researched and written, with broad coverage of historical, phenomenological and doctrinal aspects of each world religions, as well as many captivating color photos/illustrations. In short, this book is a student-friendly text that also maintains a high standard of content and discussion." -- Jonathan Tan, Xavier University

 

"[Living Religions] is very well done. It serves as a clear and comprehensive introduction that is not only appropriate for college-level religion courses but is also helpful for scholars who are not expert in all religious traditions. It accomplishes what few texts have been able to do: balance the scholarly concern to 'complicate' and 'nuance' extraordinarily complex religious traditions with the student need to simplify at least long enough to learn effectively. It also insists, with its many pictures, stories, and examples from life, that religions are not mere scholarly constructs, but they are alive and real and fascinating." -- Samuel Thomas, California Lutheran University

 

"[Living Religions] is a scholarly, up-to-date, objective, and inclusive (broadly-covered) introduction to the major world religious traditions in the world today. Included in/with the text are helpful items such as glossaries of terms, review questions, maps and illustrations, pictures, personal stories, teaching stories, and CD and Internet resources." -- Clifford Cain, Franklin College

 

"[Living Religions] is a terrific resource for students interested in learning about the history, beliefs, and trends of the various world religions. It reflects a dedication to solid research." -- Daniel Rieger, Broward College

 

"It is a beautiful book. The text contains a good overview of the major world religions; it is comprehensive and very readable." -- Santos Roman, Riverside Community College

 

"Beautifully illustrated with incredibly inclusive discussions of each religion." -- Mary Thurlkill, University of Mississippi

 

"An excellent overview of the world's leading religions." -- Sam Hughes, Mt. San Jacinto College

 

"Highly readable and engaging. Takes a fresh approach compared to many other texts." -- Garry Morgan, Northwestern College

 

"I was impressed with the variety of materials available, and the manner in which they were keyed to sections of the book. I was pleased with [what] was offered." -- Wayne Brouwer, Hope College

  

From the Back Cover:

"Religion is not a museum piece. As the twenty-first century begins, religion is a vibrant force in the lives of many people around the world, and many religions are presently experiencing a renaissance."
— Mary Pat Fisher, Preface to Living Religions

Living Religions, in its revised and updated fifth edition, presents a highly readable and stimulating survey of the modern religious world. Exploring the historical development and teachings of traditional faiths, indigenous religions, and new religious movements, this book considers how each of these traditions has evolved into contemporary beliefs and practices. This edition also explores in more detail the changing nature of each religion, the spread of religious .pluralism and the movement toward interfaith dialogue.

With the help of a team of specialist consultants in each faith, and drawing on a wealth of scholarly research and firsthand source material, Mary Pat Fisher has revised Living Religions to give a fresh and challenging insight into how believers of today's faiths perceive their religion and its role in the changing world in which they live.

NEW TO THIS EDITION

• New and revised color feature boxes on religious figures in public life, religion in practice, and interviews with practitioners of living religions.
• Six color timelines and eleven color maps providing the historical and geographical context for each religion.
• Enhanced coverage of the socio-political context of the contemporary practice of religion.
• Increased coverage of the contributions and concerns of women in each tradition.
• Extended coverage of both African and African-American religious experience.
• Additional suggestions for extra reading to accompany each chapter.
• Revised and extended Glossary.
• Over 120 new color and black and white illustrations.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0205835856
• ISBN 13: 9780205835850
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 576