The religious experience of mankind

by Ninian Smart

Well-known and respected, this comprehensive history of religious experience explores the major world religions within a consistent framework based on the author's paradigm six dimensions of religion. It tells the story without entering unduly into technicalities and focuses on how the major religious traditions relate to human experience. It extends beyond information about the traditions to distill the essential patterns of both feelings and ideas that animate religious practice; contains photographs that evoke the flavor of religious rituals or experiences and maps that orient students to the geographic context of religious traditions.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, History, Spirituality, Reference, Anthropology, Philosophy

594 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[P.J. MacNamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just so's you know, contrary to the item description above, the 1977 paperback edition of this book that I have doesn't contain either photographs or maps, and that's a shame, because I think they might have helped.

This is hard work, and you really can't swallow too much of it in one go. You need to retire regularly and allow it to percolate through you. Occasionally you might feel like your brain wants to switch off and when that happens you might want to skip to the next passage. I did, and I don't think I missed anything important.

Richly rewarding and inspirational. This book makes you realise how far we have come as a species and how estranged we have become from our own mysterious origins. It makes you look into your own emptiness and wonder what exactly belongs there.

[Rodeweeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The key to love is understanding. Absolutely brilliant - this book have a different approach to the history of religion. How did and does people experience, mystically or otherwise, religion and the Divine and how does these experiences influence religion, history and life in general. It also show the influence of various religions on each other. A must read for anyone who seriously wants to practice their faith or non-faith in harmony with those around them.

[Leon Lyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it long ago as the main part of a uni subject on comparative religion and recommend it to anyone wanting to understand different ways of seeing the world. Stepping out of our echo chambers makes for a free and compassionate society; uncritical thinking the opposite.

[Frank Ashe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encyclopaedic review. I enjoyed this all those many years ago.

[Belle Meade School]

291.42

[Rose Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish it, but hey that's life, isn't listening to music a form of reading? A don't care, I love it, if I had to choose book or piece of music always music always.

[Jim Parker]

Textbook for the comparative religions class I took as a sophomore.

[Rodrigo d'Orey]

Read (or tried to read) this book ages ago. Must have another go.