The World's Religions

by Ninian Smart

The World's Religions offers a fascinating insight into a wide range of faiths, their history and their followers. In the richly illustrated new edition of this popular book, religions are described through their symbols, rituals, followers, architecture and art. References, statistics, maps and pictures have been updated and added. The text has been thoroughly revised to highlight recent developments, such as the spread of Islam, African-American and Hispanic-American religious experience, and women priests.

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

608 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1988

Reviews

[Kai Sousa]

This is another one I like to just sit and flip through

[Solange Adad]

This book is very interesting for those who want to know how the politics and religious connections started and evolved around different colonisations and countries

[Joonas Laajanen]

Todella hyvää yleistietoa. Kirjoittajan One World Religion, pluralismi-ihanne ja evolutionismi tulee välillä vahvasti läpi.

[Arnulfo Velasco]

Muy probablemente la mejor historia de las religiones que se ha publicado hasta el momento es la de la Encyclopédie de la Pléiade, publicada en castellano como la “Historia de las religiones Siglo XXI”, pues es producto del trabajo de todo un conjunto de especialistas. Otros libros sobre este tema tienen tendencia a ser o bien obras superficiales y llenas de errores, o panfletos orientados por la ideología y las creencias particulares de su autor. Sin embargo, se debe reconocer que este acercamiento del especialista británico Ninian Smart es un trabajo serio y muy bien documentado, que además propone definiciones precisas sobre su objeto de estudio. Ciertamente, no siempre logra escapar al componente ideológico, sobre todo cuando se presentan las cuestiones de tipo político, pero en general es un muy buen estudio, que da una idea precisa e inteligente del problema religioso, desde un punto de vista bastante objetivo.

[Liam Dennehy]

While presented as something of a reference work, this book is still deeply readable. While necessarily short on the details on some religions, it is nonetheless an excellent introduction to the jaw-dropping breadth of human faith and belief. Smart pays due to religions old, new, fringe and mainstream, and seems to keep a detached academic perspective throughout. The mechanism of comparison by division into the traits of each make comparisons and lineage easily displayed.

A solid reference work for anyone interested in the human condition.

[Rachael]

Fantastic book outlining the world religions development with relations to each other. I have used it for my PGCE course to develop my subject knowledge and have found it incredibly helpful! Id also advise people to read it for interest if they are so inclined too.

[Suvi]

Comparative Religion

[Gretchen]

An excellent book for someone who wants an introduction to the religions of the world. Is a comprehensive introduction