Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions

by Winfried Corduan

The world hasn't really shrunk--it just feels that way. Not all people of different cultural traditions and religious beliefs live halfway around the globe. Some of them live just down the block. Some of them work in the cubicle across the hall. Some of them sit next to us at PTA meetings. Encounters with these neighboring faiths often challenge our own comfortable beliefs and traditions. They make us think more deeply about our own faith commitments. For all who want to understand the religious faiths of their neighbors and coworkers, Winfried Corduan offers this helpful introduction to the religions of the world. His survey covers major and minor religions including Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, African and Native American traditional religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Baha'i, Chinese popular religion, Shinto and the Japanese synthesis. Unlike many similar books, Neighboring Faiths emphasizes not just formal religious teachings but also how each religion is practiced in daily life. Corduan has presnts more than 80 photographs, charts and maps. And moving beyond mere description, he offers specific suggestions for how Christians can avoid giving unnecessary offense to followers of these faiths while engaging them in constructive dialogue. For readers who want to understand what other religions believe and practice, and for small groups and churches who want to become more effective in reaching those from other cultures and religions, Neighboring Faiths is an indispensable guide.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, History, Christianity, Academic

363 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this is the best book on world religions that I've read. Most world religion books by Christian authors caricature the surveyed religions and/or don't bother to cast the religion's teachings in its strongest form. I think Corduan avoids these two pitfalls.

[Luís Branco · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Winfried Corduan provides to us an introduction to the religions of the world. The book covers different religions and their system which include Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, African and Native American traditional religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Baha'i, Chinese popular religion, Shinto and the Japanese synthesis. Winfried Corduan emphasizes not just formal religious teachings but also how each religion is practiced in daily life.
I liked the entire book and found it interesting that Corduan did not include a chapter on Christianity as he said «I have chosen not to include a chapter on Christianity." (p.15). Even though he didn't mean to imply that Christianity is not a religion, but in fact considering the Christian worldview as the starting point for most of his readers It interesting to think about Christianity and its supra-cultural and absolute elements in contrast with a proper religious system. Christianity is in fact a religious system, but it also stands above any religious system in its call to a relationship with God.
The issues related to contextualization raised on pages 41 and 42 deals with some of the things that we need to learn more as we prepare ourselves to share our faith, specially in a missionary context. In this part of the book, I was able to gain a lot as Corduan challenges is in this regard. I would like to highlight the quote: "...the evangelist must discern the gospel message in its biblical setting. Second, as far as is humanly possible, she must make sure that nothing in her culture obscures or supplants the gospel message.” Here lies the challenge to all of us engaged in the sharing of the gospel.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions by Winfried Corduan as a textbook for my seminary class on World Religions.

As you can likely tell from the title, this book surveys several world religions from a Christian perspective. Before getting into each world religion, Corduan first gives a helpful overview of the study of religion in general. Corduan approaches the origin and theory of religion using Wilhelm Schmidt's Original Monotheism model, which he then uses as a way of systematizing the sequence and structure of the rest of the book. This framework makes for a very logical and helpful structure that guides the reader through each worldview within a broader analytical construct.

In each subsequent chapter, Corduan engages with a given religion or group of religions. The religions or groups of religions that are covered are:

*Judaism
* Islam
* Baha'i
* Zoroastrianism
* Traditional African religions
* Native American religions
* Hinduism
* Buddhism
* Jainism
* Sikhism
* Chinese Popular religion
* Shinto and Japanese religions

In each chapter, Corduan first gives an overview of the history and development of that religion. Then, he delves into beliefs and practices. Helpfully, Corduan not only covers the formal doctrines but also touches on the aspects of folk religion that may be practiced by followers of that religion. Finally, and in my perspective, most importantly, each chapter ends with a practical section titled "So you meet a _______."

Overall, I found this book to be a beneficial and well-written text for a survey of world religions. Corduan expertly balances a professor's academic rigor with a missionary's heart in this book, making it exceptionally well suited as a seminary textbook. I believe that this book would be helpful and valuable to any Christian who wants to understand better the faiths of those that they interact with every day.

[Marc Minter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, thorough introduction to the world’s main religions

I appreciated the author’s respectful and candid approach to describing the world’s main religions from a Christian perspective. Obviously, there are disagreements, and the author was clear about them. But there is much to be said for a kind-hearted and informative presentation of another religion’s beliefs and practices. Knowing a little history and gaining some insight into current practices is beneficial for anyone who wants to engage in an authentic way.

[Cheryl Linebarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a textbook, and I knew that when I purchased it. Though it does introduce the reader to what is, I am sure, the majority of the world’s religions, the dry writing and poor editing made it more of a chore to read. Each chapter, for each of the religions covered, ends with a “so you meet a….”, fill in the blank of the religious person you might encounter. These are geared toward steering the Christian to sharing their faith with the other person, without offending the other person nor compromising your own faith. I’ll likely keep this on my shelves to refer back to from time to time.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent introduction to world religions. I appreciate that he ends each chapter with a section called “So you meet a ___” and “Sharing the Gospel with a ___” for each religion.
Great reminder that there is always a difference between the “textbook version” of a religion vs what the adherents actually believe and practice in their daily lives.

Read as required reading for SBTS World Religions course, except chapters 5 and 6.

[Elizabeth Eflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall it's a really insightful book for learning about the different religions, and different things to consider in sharing the gospel. I read it for a world religions class, and it wasn't overly filled with unnecessary info. It pretty much gets straight to the point sharing important info. I will say that sometimes the chapters could be a little better organized, but as a whole I think Corduan did a great job.

[Seth Mcdevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best textbook I've ever had. If you have any interest at all in introductions to the histories and beliefs and practices of world religions this is the book to get. I read it because I had to, but I would have read it even if I didn't have to. We had the second edition which is phenomenal.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book clearly explained religions around the world from a Christian perspective; the best part was that it was easy to read and quick to acknowledge that "religion" is hard to put in a box. When considering religions and trying to decipher where they've come from, it's important to keep an open mind and the author did that well.

[Michael Schmid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the history, doctrines and practices of the major world religions,

[Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super dense. Read this in 3 weeks. I hate to admit it, though, it was really good.

[Jacob Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s okay. I’m a bit confused by the books explanation of Islam versus Muslims I have encountered.

[Jordan Litts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource!

[Joshua Reinders · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, somewhat in-depth, description of the world's major religions from a Christian point-of-view. Corduan skillfully keeps the material from becoming a dry recitation of facts.

[Kristen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introductory survey of world religions. Good for the beginner.