God Is Not One: A Study of Religious Diversity and Doctrinal Differences - Softcover

Prothero, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061571288 ISBN 13: 9780061571282

Publisher: HarperOne, 2011

Synopsis

In God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and religion scholar Stephen Prothero argues that persistent attempts in modern theology to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Delving into the different problems and solutions that eight major world religions like Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Yoruba Religion, Daoism and Atheism strive to combat, God is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beings have asked for millennia—and to the disparate paths we are taking to answer them today. A necessary book for anyone interested in the future of interfaith dialogue, readers of Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong will find much to ponder in God is Not One.

In this essential work of religious studies, Prothero dismantles the myth of religious unity to reveal what truly defines each of the world's great spiritual traditions:

• A New Framework for Understanding: Go beyond superficial similarities and analyze each religion based on the unique problem it seeks to solve―from sin in Christianity to suffering in Buddhism.
• Why Religious Differences Matter: Understand why the stark distinctions in doctrine, ritual, and end goals between religions like Islam and Christianity are not minor details but are instead powerful, world-shaping forces.
• Comparative Religion in Action: Journey through the core beliefs and practices of eight global traditions, including not only major faiths like Judaism and Islam but also Confucianism, Yoruba Religion, and Daoism.
• A Challenge to Modern "Godthink": A powerful counterargument to the popular but misleading idea that all faiths are simply different paths up the same mountain, aimed squarely at readers of Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong.

About this title

About the Author

Stephen Prothero is The New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and God Is Not One and an emeritus professor of religion at Boston University. His work has been featured on the cover of Time magazine, and he has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, NPR, and all the major networks. He has written and reviewed for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Slate, and other publications. Visit the author at www.stephenprothero.com and follow him at sprothero.bsky.social.

From the Back Cover

In the twenty-first century, religion remains the single greatest influencein the world. But, argues religion scholar Stephen Prothero, persistentattempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlookthe distinct human problem that each seeks to solve. For example:

Islam: the problem is pride / the solution is submission

Christianity: the problem is sin / the solution is salvation

Buddhism: the problem is suffering / the solution is awakening

Judaism: the problem is exile / the solution is to return to God

God Is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beingshave asked for millennia—and to the disparate paths we are taking toanswer them today.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061571288
• ISBN 13: 9780061571282
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400