Living Religions: Eastern Traditions presents a highly readable and stimulating survey of the world's major religious traditions that have originated in the East. Exploring the historical development and teachings of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto this book considers how each of these traditions has evolved into contemporary beliefs and practices. A perceptive concluding chapter also examines the rise of new religious movements in the East, the spread of religious pluralism, and the movement toward interfaith dialogue at the beginning of the new millennium.

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 gives 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.

FEATURES

• Color feature boxes on religious figures in public life, religion in practice, and interviews with practitioners
• Three color timelines and four color maps providing historical and geographical context for each religion
• Exploration of the contributions and concerns of women in each tradition
• Coverage of the socio-political context of contemporary religious practice
• Suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter
• Extensive glossary with pronunciation guide
• With 114 illustrations, 61 in color

• Visually stimulating text—Highly illustrated with color and black & white pictures of contemporary religious expressions and sacred art, accompanied by narrative captions.

  • Shows students the religious practices, buildings, and works of art of the various world religions, offering them additional insights into the characteristics and orientation of each tradition and the people who practice it.

• Color maps and timelines.

  • Helps students situate the religions geographically and historically, as well as illustrating to them the present distribution of each religion.

• Special feature boxes—Illustrate religious figures in public life, religion in practice, and interviews with practitioners of living religions.

  • Benefits students by bringing religion to life, enabling them to understand how each religion is practiced on a personal level and how it is perceived from within that tradition.

• “Religion in Public Life” boxes—Portray the spiritual roots of people who are making significant contributions to modern society.

  • Allows students to understand that deep religiosity can go hand-in-hand with deep social commitment.

• Up-to-date text—Considers contemporary issues such as women, the aftermath of September 11, 2001, fundamentalism, and interfaith initiatives.

  • Appeals to students of the 21st century, helping them understand more fully their world and the role of religion in it.