Introduction to Religion provides a study that draws from diverse academic and disciplinary approaches to understand, appreciate, compare, and contrast the conceptual and experiential dimensions of religion that give meaning and purpose to adherents. It points out key elements of the religions of the world which provide practical demonstration of religious discourse described in the early chapters of the book. After all, the texts and most of the religious languages and rituals are theirs and to study these religions under the title Introduction to Religion is not out-of-place. The book also examines from a general standpoint the new religions often referred to as New Religious Movements or the New Age Movements that have emerged in the last 100 years. Contrary to the predictions and expectations of religious decriers that religion would vanish from our modern or postmodern society as a result of high class scientific and technological advancement, the world’s religious landscape is animated with all sorts of religions and spirituality. Based upon the view that religion is not dead but has taken a new dimension in contemporary society, this book offers interesting perspectives on the complexity and diversity of religion in the twenty-first century.
This book is useful not only to introduction to religion course but also other courses in religious studies and comparative religion. It takes keen interest in indigenous or primal religions and discusses models of sacred ritual and their relationship to the Sacred or Deity. Views and testimonies from practicing believers are incorporated into the narrative making it quite intriguing. This is where scholarship and practice coalesce. Chapters 1-3 examines the way scholarship has engaged religion as an academic study. Students who are interested in religious studies as a scholarly adventure will find this valuable. Students who want to know some details about some specific religions of the world will also find the book very engaging as chapters 4-11 seek to do that. Chapter 4 explores indigenous religious traditions such as Native American religions, African primal religions, and Japanese Shinto religion. These religions have served as the bedrock of the modern religions. Chapters 5 to 11 focus on Dharmic religions and Abrahamic religions. The final chapter examines the nature of the nonconventional religions of the last 100 years, technically called New Religious Movement or The New Age spirituality. From my teaching experience I find students attracted to this movement even more than to the normative or conventional religions.
Introduction to Religion is readable, scholarly, and practical. It is interspersed with relevant pictures, images and personal stories that will make the curious student start reading. Each section has questions for further study as well as concepts and terminologies to broaden understanding. The simplicity and systematic structure of the text makes it distinct
