This book is a revised and updated edition of a popular work, which looks at the world's religions in terms of world history, and as constantly developing systems of belief. Religions are described through their symbols, rituals, followers, architecture and art. References, statistics, maps and pictures have been updated and added, illuminating the true nature of each religion. The text has been thoroughly revised to highlight recent developments in world religion.
A well-annotated, impartial anthology of key texts from world religions--including the primitive, ancient, and esoteric alongside the living faiths of both Western and Eastern cultures ... The excerpts are grouped by faiths and subclassified by type: sacred narratives, doctrines, rituals, institutional expressions, experience, and ethics
Some Methodological Questions
The book explores the scientific study of religion, distinguishing it from theological practice. Ninian Smart advocates for a phenomenological approach to examining religious attitudes without assuming divine existence. He critiques projectionist theories, particularly those of Berger, and analyzes rationality within both religious and anthropological contexts. This work addresses key issues regarding the academic status of religion, aiming to establish a more rigorous framework for its study.
Una Visión única de las religiones del mundo en su contexto geográfico. La Religión Hoy.Una valoración mundial y regional de la religión en el mundo moderno, combinando los mapas con análisis estadísticos. Geografías Histórica de las Religiones. Un resumen a grandes rasgos de los principales acontecimientos y temas de la historia mundial qeu han influido y condicionado el desarrollo geográfico de las diferentes religiones. Religiones del Mundo. Un estudio en profundidad de las religiones del mundo, desde sus orígenes hasta la actualidad. Esta sección, que consta de diez capítulos, constituye una fuente de información accesible y de gran rigor tanto para el especialista como para el público en general.