Exploring the religious traditions of the world, this volume puts readers in the place of the people who live by each faith, opening windows onto their unique worlds through their sacred stories, views about reality, ritual and ethical practices, and ideas about quality of life. Author Theodore M. Ludwig combines historical discussion with a thematic approach based on some general questions that arise out of human experience, such as personal identity, the meaning of human existence, wholeness, and the right way to live.

Thoroughly revised, The Sacred Paths, Third Edition, includes the following features:

• Up-to-date information and scholarly perspectives, including extensive suggestions for reading from recent publications.
• A new chapter on Zoroastrianism, filling out the portrait of religions arising in the Mediterranean world.
• Coverage of the world's many diverse religions in clear family groupings based on geographical and historical connections.
• A thematic and empathetic approach that encourages exploration of the personal meanings and experiences of people of different faiths.
• Extensive quotations from the sacred scriptures of each religion, helping students to get a sense of the power and meaning of these sacred texts.
• Significant material on artistic expressions in the different religious traditions.
• Incorporation of women's experiences and leadership roles within the various religious traditions.
• A chapter devoted to the rise of new religious movements.

Maps, timelines, discussion questions, and suggestions for further readings are some of the study features included in this book to help students understand the highly complex nature of the various religious traditions.

• NEW - Up-to-date information and recent scholarly perspectives
  • —
  • Incorporated throughout.

  • Introduces students to the most current coverage available. Ex.___

• NEW - Geographical groupings of religions—Looks at religions geographically—from India, China-Japan, and the Mediterranean World—and according to families of religions within that overall structure.

  • Helps students understand relationships between faiths. Ex.___

• NEW - Simplified historical sections—Especially in the complex traditions of India and of China.

  • Offers students the information they need without overwhelming them with details. Ex.___

• NEW - A new chapter on Zoroastrianism.

  • Fills out the section on religions arising from the Mediterranean. Ex.___

• NEW - Expanded Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter.

  • Guides students in thinking about the material in each chapter and provides them with convenient review guides. Ex.___

• Extensive use of quotations from the sacred scriptures of each religion.

  • Helps students get a sense of the power of these sacred texts. Ex.___

• A unique, historical-descriptive/ comparative-thematic approach that encompasses each major religion.

  • Allows students to examine each of the world's major religions as a unique system of meaning, and at the same time, it lets them explore the inner nature of sacred experience by comparing basic themes and issues common to all religions and pertinent to their own personal lives. Ex.___

• Basic human questions and concerns.

  • Provides students with an interest-absorbing starting point for the description of each religion and a link to their own lives. Ex.___

• A thematic and empathic approach.

  • Encourages students to draw more personal meaning from the inner experiences found in different religions. Ex.___

• Basic gender issues and the role of women in the major world religions.

  • Demonstrates how women have influenced and been impacted by their faiths. Ex.___