Introduction to the Study of Religion

This introductory college textbook is designed to help students think through the basic questions that arise in the study of religion. What is the nature of religious experience? How is religion part of our lives? How does religion shape the actions of individuals and communities? How does religion promote or inhibit human development and well-being?

Developed and tested through team teaching and refined and revised through classroom use, Introduction to the Study of Religion brings together the expertise of five professors with distinct specialties. They draw on examples from a variety of world religions to explore these questions. Easily accessible to undergraduates, the text assumes little basic knowledge of religious traditions or history.