Religions of the World (8th Edition)

This accessible and comprehensive introduction to world religions is ideal for readers with no previous exposure to the subject. It offers accurate and comparative descriptions of a broad range of religions. In addition to background material on religious theory and study, this book explores living religions in terms of the historical and cultural factors that produced them, the lives of their founders, their basic teachings, and their historical development and current status in the world. Primary source readings with specific representative samples are provided in each chapter. Other coverage includes Native American, African, and Chinese religions; Hinduism; Jainism; Buddhism; Sikhism; Shinto; Zoroastrianism; Christianity; Islam; Baha'I; the role of women; current trends in both the practice and study of religion; basic vocabulary of the field, theories on the origin of religion; and descriptions and explanations of all major holy days—unique to each world religion. For anyone trying to understand the diversity of world religions being practiced everyday, by real people in real life.

Prentice Hall's exclusive Companion Website™ that accompanies Religions of the World, 8th Edition, offers unique tools and support that make it easy for students and instructors to integrate this online study guide with the text. The site is a comprehensive resource that is organized according to the chapters within the text and features a variety of learning and teaching modules:

For students:

Study Guide Modules contain a variety of self-graded exercises and features designed to aid students with independent study. These modules include:

• chapter objectives that help students organize key concepts to be learned
• essay questions that help strengthen critical thinking skills
• quizzes with multiple-choice, true/false, and fill-in questions that supply instant scoring and feedback on student mastery of core material
• built-in e-mail routing option that gives students the ability to forward essay responses and graded quizzes to their instructors

Reference Modules contain Web Destinations and Net Search options that provide the opportunity to expand the information presented in the text. Whether through a directory of websites relevant to the subject matter of a chapter or key-term searches that automatically insert terms from the chapter into major search engines, these reference features enable students to quickly reach related information on the Web.

For instructors:

The Faculty Module includes resources for teaching. This may include lecture hints, class activities, and graphics from the text, all coordinated by chapter. This module is accessed via a password provided by your local Prentice Hall representative.

Syllabus Manager™ tool provide an easy-to-follow process for creating, posting, and revising a syllabus online that is accessible from any point within the companion website. This resource allows instructors and students to communicate both inside and outside of the classroom at the click of a button.