Sacred Words: A Source Book on the Great Religions of the World

by Terry D. Bilhartz

Sacred Words is a clear and comprehensive guided introduction to the writings and teachings of the world's major religions. It provides the perfect teaching tool for a global comparative study of the written and oral sources of the world's religions, their systems of belief, and their histories. Dedicating a chapter to each religious tradition, the text methodically describes each religious system within the same set of theological features, inviting students to explore areas of comparison and contrast. Providing this starting point for a clear, comparative understanding of the world's religions, the text also details the history and cultural background of each religion and the religious sources on which they are based using the same set of categories as it guides students to selections of original sources for students to explore. Sacred Words provides an overview of the central teachings contained in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Qur'an, the Upanishads, the Buddhist Pali Canon, the Confucian Five Classics, the Dao-de-jing, and other classic texts that have shaped the courses of Western and Eastern Civilizations. Importantly, Sacred Words also introduces students to non-written, oral sources of religious systems of indigenous Americans, Africans, and the peoples of Oceana. Sacred Words is approachable and flexible; its unique, adaptable organization makes it the best way for students to experience for themselves the ancient "blueprints" for each of the major world religions.

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Brandi Bove · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book does tend to become boring it is filled with tons and tons of information that then you can question and refer back to other information. This book is great to me personally because I have tons of questions that stem from the information I read in this book.