LibGuides: World Religion: Books

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Highlighted E-Books

Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel, and Quran by Brian Arthur Brown (Editor);
Publication Date: 2012-07-30
E-Book
Four Testaments: Tao Te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Bhagavad Gita: Sacred Scriptures of Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism by Brian Arthur Brown (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2016-07-08
Four Testaments brings together four foundational texts from world religions-the Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Bhagavad Gita-inviting readers to experience them in full, to explore possible points of connection and divergence, and to better understand people who practice these traditions.
Nonviolence in the World’s Religions : A Concise Introduction by Jeffery D. Long and Michael G. Long
Publication Date: 2022
This is the ideal introduction to the relationship between religion and violence for undergraduate students, as well as for those in related fields, such as religious studies, peace and conflict studies, area studies, sociology, political science, and history.
The Message and the Book: Sacred Texts of the World's Religions by John Bowker; Atlantic Books, an imprint of Grove Atlantic Ltd. (Other Primary Creator)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2012-03-27
. Under the expert guidance of John Bowker, a religious scholar and author of international stature, readers explore the key texts of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Confucian, Daoist, and Shinto traditions.
The Voice, the Word, the Books: the Sacred Scripture of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims by F. E. Peters
Publication Date: 2007-04-23
E-Book
Jesus and Muhammad: Parallel Tracks, Parallel Lives by F. E. Peters
Publication Date: 2010-11-10
E-Book
Women and Religion: Global Lives in Focus by Susan M. Shaw (Editor)
Publication Date: 2021-08-09
This volume offers students a broad examination of the impact of religion on the lives of women around the world, focusing on differences among women, indigenous religions, the impact of religion in colonization, and resistance to religious oppression.
Women and Asian Religions by Zayn R. Kassam (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2017-06-22
Covering eclectic topics ranging from South Asian religion to motherhood to world dance to ethnomusicology, this book focuses on contemporary selected experiences of women and how their lives interface with religion. *
Sex and Religion: teachings and taboos in the history of world faiths by Dag Øistein Endsjø
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2011-10-15
Through many examples from world religions, he outlines what people mean by sex in a religious context, with whom it is permissible to have sex, how sex can be a directly religious experience, and what consequences there are for deviance, for both the individual and society.
World Religions and Norms of War
Call Number: Read online (ebook). Also available in Lancaster in print
Publication Date: 2009-02-18
This volume examines how the religions have responded to pressing moral challenges such as offensive and defensive war, the protection of noncombatants, asymmetric tactics, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction.

Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to Know by Dale S. Wright
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2020-02-03
What Everyone Needs to Know offers readers a brief, authoritative guide to one of the world's most diverse religious traditions in a reader-friendly question-and-answer format.
The History of Buddhism: Facts and Fictions by Geoffrey C. Goble
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2019-10-11
This reference overviews misconceptions related to Buddhism and reveals the truths behind the myths.
Buddhism: one teacher, many traditions by Dalai Lama XIV; Thubten Chodron; Henepola Gunaratana (Foreword by)
Call Number: Read online (ebook)
Publication Date: 2014-11-18
Explore the common ground underlying the diverse expressions of the Buddha's teachings with two of Tibetan Buddhism's bestselling authors.
Buddhism: the Basics by Cathy Cantwell
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2009-10-01
Buddhism: The Basics provides a thorough and accessible introduction to a fascinating religion.
The Dalai Lama's Little Book of Buddhism by Dalai Lama XIV; Robert Thurman (Foreword by)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2015-06-01
Buddhism, plain and simple! This little book contains the core teaching on Buddhism by the Dalai Lama.

The History of Christianity: Facts and Fictions by Dyron B. Daughrity
Publication Date: 2019-07-08
Provides an introduction to Christianity in its historical context

Daoism: A Guide for the Perplexed by Louis Komjathy
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2014-05-08
Daoism- A Guide for the Perplexed offers a clear and thorough survey of this ancient and modern religious tradition.

The Bhagavad Gita: a Biography by Richard H. Davis
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2014-10-26
Richard Davis tells the story of this venerable and enduring book, from its origins in ancient India to its reception today as a spiritual classic that has been translated into more than seventy-five languages.
On Hinduism by Wendy Doniger
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2014-03-03
The essays contemplate the nature of Hinduism; Hindu concepts of divinity; attitudes concerning gender, control, and desire; the question of reality and illusion; and the impermanent and the eternal in the two great Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
A History of Hinduism: The Past, Present, and Future by R. Ramachandran; John Hoover
Publication Date: 2018-07-27
Hinduism in India: Modern and Contemporary Movements by Will Sweetman (Editor); Aditya Malik (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2016-07-20
A major contribution toward the ongoing debates on the nature and history of Hinduism in India

Islam: an Introduction by Catharina Raudvere
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2014-11-19
. Islam: An Introduction offers undergraduate students of religion and general readers a balanced, sensitive and well informed overview of the world's most intensively discussed religious and cultural tradition.
God in the Qur'an by Jack Miles
Publication Date: 2018-11-13
E-Book
What the Qur'an Meant, and Why it Matters by Garry Wills
Publication Date: 2017-10-03
E-Book
Modern Muslim Theology: Engaging God and the World with Faith and Imagination by Martin Nguyen
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2018-08-10
This book aims to bring Muslim theology into the present day.

Judaisms: A Twenty-First-Century Introduction to Jews and Jewish Identities by Aaron J. Hahn Tapper
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2016-06-07
What does it mean to be a Jew in the twenty-first century? Exploring the multifaceted and intensely complicated characteristics of this age-old, ever-changing community, Judaisms examines how Jews are a culture, ethnicity, nation, nationality, race, religion, and more.

Shinto: a History by Helen Hardacre
Call Number: E-Book
Publication Date: 2016-12-01
Distinguished scholar of Japanese religion and culture Helen Hardacre offers the first comprehensive history of Shinto, the ancient and still vibrant tradition whose colorful rituals are practiced by some 80% of the Japanese people.

Highlighted Print Books

The Abrahamic Religions: a Very Short Introduction by Charles L. Cohen
Publication Date: 2020-01-08
With this name and his Covenant, Abraham would become the patriarch of three of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Connected by their mutual--if differentiated--veneration of the One God proclaimed by Abraham, these traditions share much beyond their origins in the ancient Israel of the Old Testament.
Four Wise Men: the lives and teachings of Confucius, the Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad by Mark W. Muesse
Publication Date: 2017-01-26
Four Wise Men is an accessible introduction to each of these sages in his historical context and a provocative comparison of their lives and teachings. Through careful study, this book examines the ways these fascinating figures speak as one and the ways they differ.
Beyond the Threshold : afterlife beliefs and experiences in world religions by Christopher M. Moreman
Publication Date: 2017-09-20
Beyond the Threshold introduces readers to afterlife beliefs and experiences in world religions.
Sex and Religion: teachings and taboos in the history of world faiths by Dag Øistein Endsjø
Publication Date: 2011-10-15
Through many examples from world religions, he outlines what people mean by sex in a religious context, with whom it is permissible to have sex, how sex can be a directly religious experience, and what consequences there are for deviance, for both the individual and society.
Struggling in Good Faith : LGBTQI inclusion from 13 American religious perspectives by Mychal Copeland; D'vorah Rose; V. Gene Robinson (Foreword by)
Publication Date: 2015-12-02
A multifaceted sourcebook telling the powerful story of reconciliation, celebration and struggle for LGBTQI inclusion across the American religious landscape.
Eastern Religions: origins, beliefs, practices, holy texts, sacred places
Publication Date: 2005-05-06
This fascinating volume provides a concise, illustrated introduction to five of the great religious traditions of the world--Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto.
African Religions : beliefs and practices through history by Douglas H. Thomas; Temilola Alanamu
Publication Date: 2018-12-01
This book supplies fundamental information about the diverse religious beliefs of Africa, explains central tenets of the African worldview, and overviews various forms of African spiritual practices and experiences.
God Is Not One: the eight rival religions that run the world--and why their differences matter by Stephen R. Prothero
Publication Date: 2010-04-20
We blur the sharp distinctions between religions at our own peril, argues religion scholar Stephen Prothero, and it is time to replace naïve hopes of interreligious unity with deeper knowledge of religious differences.
Religions of India by Sushil Mittal (Editor); Gene Thursby (Editor)
Publication Date: 2017-11-21
This thoroughly revised second edition combines solid scholarship with clear and lively writing to provide students with an accessible and comprehensive introduction to religion in India.

The Buddha: A Storied Life by Vanessa R. Sasson (Editor); Kristin Scheible (Editor)
Publication Date: 2023-10-24
. In this book, twelve leading scholars of South Asian texts and traditions articulate the Buddha-life blueprint--the underlying and foundational pattern that holds the life story of a buddha together.
Buddhism: an introduction to the Buddha's life, teachings, and practices by Joan Duncan Oliver
Publication Date: 2019-04-30
Part of The Essential Wisdom Library, Buddhism provides an accessible, comprehensive guide for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the faith and practice of the religion.
Essential Buddhism : a comprehensive guide to belief and practice by Diane Morgan
Publication Date: 2010-09-07
An engaging, clear-sighted book that covers all aspects of this rich, peaceful, and insightful tradition.
Buddhism: a Very Short Introduction by Damien Keown
Publication Date: 2013-04-06
In this new edition Keown provides new perspectives on Buddhist thought, including up-to-date material about the evolution of Buddhism throughout Asia, the material culture of Buddhism and its importance, new teachings on the ethics of war and peace, and changes to ethnicity, class, and gender.
From Stone to Flesh: a short history of the Buddha by Donald S. Lopez
Publication Date: 2013-04-11
Lopez provides an engaging history of depictions of the Buddha from classical accounts and medieval stories to the testimonies of European travelers, diplomats, soldiers, and missionaries.
An Introduction to Buddhism: teachings, history and practices by Peter Harvey
Publication Date: 2012-11-22
Peter Harvey provides a comprehensive introduction to the development of the Buddhist tradition in both Asia and the West.

Theology: the basics by Alister E. McGrath
Publication Date: 2017-11-13
In this revised and expanded edition, the author introduces readers to the central ideas and beliefs, the key debates and the leading thinkers of Christianity.
Protestantism: a very short Introduction by Mark A. Noll
Publication Date: 2011-09-02
Mark A. Noll presents a fresh and accessible history of Protestantism from the era of Martin Luther to the present day.
The Catholic Church: what everyone needs to know by John L. Allen
Publication Date: 2013-04-17
The question of ''whither Catholicism'' is of vital public relevance, for believers and non-believers alike. In this book, John L. Allen, Jr.,will offer an authoritative and accessible primer on the Church today.
Surprised by Scripture: engaging contemporary issues by N. T. Wright
Publication Date: 2014-06-03
In this challenging and stimulating collection of popular essays, sermons, and talks, Wright provide a series of case studies which explore how the Bible can be applied to some of the most pressing contemporary issues facing us.
Jesus: a very short introduction by Richard Bauckham
Publication Date: 2011-08-11
Richard Bauckham explores the historical figure of Jesus, evaluating the sources and concluding that they provide us with good historical evidence for his life and teaching.
The World's Christians: who they are, where they are, and how they got there by Douglas Jacobsen
Publication Date: 2011-05-06
Written by an award-winning author, this well-organized and comprehensive introduction to global Christianity illuminates the many ways the world's Christians live their faith today.
The Spiritual Background to Christian Festivals by Charles Kovacs
Publication Date: 2007-05-01
. In this concise, readable book Charles Kovacs explores the structure of our calendar year and looks in detail at the background to each Christian festival, including lesser-known ones such as St John's Tide and Michaelmas.
Jesus of Arabia : Christ through Middle Eastern eyes by Andrew Thompson (Contribution by); Teresa Penman (Contribution by)
Publication Date: 2018-01-26
In Jesus of Arabia, the Reverend Canon Andrew Thompson introduces an unfamiliar Jesus--Jesus in the context of his home in the Middle East.

Taoism: an essential guide by Eva Wong
Publication Date: 2011-03-08
For the first time, the great depth and diversity of Taoist spirituality is introduced in a single, accessible manual.
Taoism : origins, beliefs, practices, holy texts, sacred places by Jennifer Oldstone-Moore
Publication Date: 2003-07-03
Existing in China alongside Confucianism and Buddhism throughout the centuries, Taoism has had a major impact on Chinese intellectual and spiritual life.
Daoism: a beginner's guide by James Miller
Publication Date: 2008-01-09
Spanning the centuries and crossing the globe, this engaging introduction covers everything Daoist, from the religion of the ancients to 21st century T'ai Chi and meditation.

Being Hindu : understanding a peaceful path in a violent world by Hindol Sengupta
Publication Date: 2017-10-13
Being Hindu is a practitioner's guide that takes the reader on a journey to very simply understand what the Hindu message is, where it stands in the clash of civilizations between Islam and Christianity, and why the Hindu way could yet be the path for plurality and progress in the twenty-first century.
Hinduism: a very short introduction by Kim Knott
Publication Date: 2016-05-01
. In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyses the challenges facing it in the twenty-first century.
On Hinduism by Wendy Doniger
Publication Date: 2014-03-03
The essays contemplate the nature of Hinduism; Hindu concepts of divinity; attitudes concerning gender, control, and desire; the question of reality and illusion; and the impermanent and the eternal in the two great Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Contepmorary Hinduism by P. Pratap Kumar
Publication Date: 2014-08-19
"Contemporary Hinduism" aims to capture the full breadth of the Hindu worldview as practised today, both in the sub-continent and the diaspora.
Hindu Goddesses: beliefs and practices by Lynn Foulston; Stuart Abbott
Publication Date: 2009-07-01
This book explores the diversity of Hindu goddesses and the variety of ways in which they are worshiped. Although they undoubtedly have ancient origins, Hindu goddesses and their worship is still very much a part of the fabric of religious engagement in India today.
The Many Colors of Hinduism: a thematical-historical introduction by Carl Olson
Publication Date: 2007-09-06
The Many Colors of Hinduism is the first introductory text to provide a balanced view of this rich religious tradition, acknowledging the full range of its many competing and even contradictory aspects.

God in the Qur'an by Jack Miles
Publication Date: 2018-11-13
Pulitzer Prize-winner Jacke Miles gives us a deeply probing, revelatory portrait of the world's second largest, fastest-growing and perhaps most tragically misunderstood religion. In doing so, Miles illuminates what is unique about Allah, His teachings, and His resolutely merciful temperament, and he thereby reveals that which is false, distorted, or simply absent from the popular conception of the heart of Islam.
What the Qur'an Meant and Why It Matters by Garry Wills
Publication Date: 2017-10-03
In this book Wills, as a non-Muslim with an open mind, reads the Qur'an with sympathy but with rigor, trying to discover why other non-Muslims-such as Pope Francis-find it an inspiring book, worthy to guide people down through the centuries.
Shariah Law: questions and answers by Mohammad Kamali
Publication Date: 2017-08-08
At once scholarly and accessible, it is sure to be a vital resource for students, teachers and general readers, addressing as it does a range of contemporary concerns, including jihad, democracy, the environment, genetic engineering, human cloning, euthanasia and abortion.
Muslims: their religious beliefs and practices by Andrew Rippin
Publication Date: 2011-09-01
Muslims offers a survey of Islamic history and thought from the formative period of the religion to modern times.
What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam by John L. Esposito
Publication Date: 2011-07-13
This brief and readable book remains the first place to look for up-to-date information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the more than one billion people who call themselves Muslims.
Islamic Holy Days
Publication Date: 2010-05-01
Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr, Day of Ashura, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid, Mid-Sha'ban, Muslim holidays, Laylat al-Qadr, Laylat al Bara'at, Day of Arafa, Eid e Shuja, Jumu'ah-tul-Wida.

Living a Jewish Life: Jewish traditions, customs, and values for today's families by Anita Diamant
Publication Date: 2023-09-26
The classic guide to the cultural and spiritual treasures of Judaism is now updated for the first time in 15 years to reflect changes in the modern Jewish community.
Judaism: History, Belief, and Practice by Dan Cohn-Sherbok
Publication Date: 2017-03-27
Illustrates the development of Judaism, its concepts, observances and culture, with maps, photos, paintings and engravings
Essential Judaism : a complete guide to beliefs, customs, and rituals by George Robinson
Publication Date: 2016-04-12
You'll find everything you need to know about being Jewish in this indispensable, revised and updated guide to the religious traditions, everyday practices, philosophical beliefs, and historical foundations of Judaism.
Your Guide to the Jewish Holidays by Cantor Matt Axelrod
Publication Date: 2013-12-24
Intended for the reader who has no prior knowledge about the Jewish holidays as well as the reader who knows the basics about the holidays but wants to understand the holidays on a deeper level,
High and Holy Days: a book of Jewish wisdom by Charles Middleburgh; Andrew Goldstein
Publication Date: 2010-06-30
The riches of the Jewish year with its high holy days, its times of preparation and celebration are opened up for all in this anthology of prayer, arranged in forty sections, which draws deeply on the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament and the Jewish spiritual tradition.

Exploring Shinto by Michael Pye (Editor)
Publication Date: 2020-07-01
Shinto permeates the religious landscape of Japan and is a major key to the understanding of Japanese culture and society.
Shinto by Ian Reader
Publication Date: 2008-11-01
This book will help you to recognize the key traditions and festivals (matsuri) of the Shinto year * to understand what you will see at Shinto shrines and in Shinto rituals * to gain insights into the controversies surrounding Shinto, politics and nationalism
The Essence of Shinto : Japan's spiritual heart by Motohisa Yamakage; Mineko S. Gillespie (Translator); Gerald L. Gillespie (Translator); Yoshitsugu Komuro (Translator)
Publication Date: 2007-05-01
In The Essence of Shinto, revered Shinto master Motohisa Yamakage explains the core values of Shinto and explores both basic tenets and its more esoteric points in terms readily accessible to the modern Western reader.
Shinto: the way home by Thomas P. Kasulis
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Thomas Kasulis' fresh approach to Shinto explains with clarity and economy how how different aspects of Shinto interrelate.
Shinto : origins, rituals, festivals, spirits, sacred places by C. Scott Littleton
Publication Date: 2002-05-02
This volume offers a marvelous tour of Japan's distinctive spiritual experience.