Encountering World Religions: A Christian IntroductionThe diversity of the world's religions has come to the West, but believers are often ill-equipped for any kind of serious engagement with non-Christians. In Encountering World Religions, professor and author Irving Hexham introduces all the world's major religious traditions in a brief and understandable way. Hexham outlines key beliefs and practices in each religion, while also providing guidance on how to think critically about them from the standpoint of Christian theology. African, yogic, and Abrahamic traditions are all covered. Accessible and clear, Encountering World Religions will provide formal and lay students alike with a useful Christian introduction to the major faiths of our world. |
Contents
| 11 | |
| 13 | |
| 15 | |
The Experiential Core of Primal Religions | 29 |
Encountering African Traditional Religions | 36 |
Africas Forgotten Christian Heritage | 45 |
The Essence of Yogic Religions | 59 |
The Way of the Buddha | 72 |
The Abramic Tradition | 127 |
The Travails of Judaism | 137 |
Christians and Jews after the Holocaust | 156 |
The Mission of Islam | 166 |
Responding to Islam | 185 |
Conclusion | 195 |
Notes | 201 |
| 216 | |
The Nothingness of Buddhism | 91 |
The Bewildering Complexity of Hinduism | 99 |
The Enigma of Hinduism | 117 |
| 217 | |
Author Index | 223 |
Common terms and phrases
Abramic religions African African traditional religions ancient Arab Arab slave trade argued became beliefs and practices biblical Buddha Buddhist celebration century chapter Chaudhuri Christ Christian church claim communities converts Conze created creation death developed dharma divine early Edward Conze Egypt Enlightenment Europe European existence faith followed God’s gods Greek guru Hadith Hebrew Bible Hindu Hindu tradition Hinduism human important India Internet Archive interpretation Islam Jesus Jewish Jews Judaism karma known Krishna living major Mawdudi means meditation missionaries modern movement Muhammad Muslims Nazi Nazism Neusner nineteenth person philosophical piety popular prayer primal experiences Prophet Qur’an reality recognize reform religious traditions revelation ritual role Roman Sayyid Qutb scholars scriptures seen Shia slave slavery society spiritual story Surah teachings texts things tion traditional religions translation understand Upanishads Vedas West Western world religions worship yoga Yogic Yogic religions Yogic tradition