The religions book

354 Pages·2013·39.896 MB·English

THE
RELIGIONS
BOOK

THE
RELIGIONS
BOOK
LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE,
MUNICH, AND DELHI
DK LONDON produced for DK by First American Edition, 2013
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CONTRIBUTORS
SHULAMIT AMBALU ANDREW STOBART
Rabbi Shulamit Ambalu MA studied at Leo Baeck College, London, The Rev. Dr. Andrew Stobart is a Methodist minister. He studied
where she was ordained in 2004 and now lectures in Pastoral Care Christian theology to the doctoral level at the London School of
and Rabbinic Literature. Theology and Durham and Aberdeen universities, and has taught
and written in the areas of theology, church history, and the Bible,
MICHAEL COOGAN contributing to Dorling Kindersley’s The Illustrated Bible.
MEL THOMPSON
One of the leading biblical scholars in the United States, Michael
Coogan is Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic
Museum and Lecturer on the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at Dr. Mel Thompson BD, M.Phil, PhD, AKC was formerly a teacher,
Harvard Divinity School. Among his many works are The Old lecturer, and examiner in Religious Studies, and now writes on
Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction and The philosophy, religion, and ethics. Author of more than 30 books,
Illustrated Guide to World Religions. including Understand Eastern Philosophy, he blogs on issues of
religious belief, and runs the “Philosophy and Ethics” website at
EVE LEVAVI FEINSTEIN www.philosophyandethics.com.
CHARLES TIESZEN
Dr. Eve Levavi Feinstein is a writer, editor, and tutor in Palo Alto,
California. She holds a PhD on the Hebrew Bible from Harvard
University, and is the author of Sexual Pollution in the Hebrew Bible Dr. Charles Tieszen completed his doctorate at the University of
as well as articles for Jewish Ideas Daily and other publications. Birmingham, where he focused on medieval encounters between
Muslims and Christians. He is currently a researcher and adjunct
PAUL FREEDMAN professor of Islamic studies, specializing in topics related to Islam,
Christian–Muslim relations, and religious freedom.
Rabbi Paul Freedman studied Physics at Bristol University and
MARCUS WEEKS
Education at Cambridge. Following a career in teaching, he gained
rabbinic ordination and an MA in Hebrew and Jewish studies at
Leo Baeck College, London. A writer and musician, Marcus Weeks studied philosophy
and worked as a teacher before embarking on a career as an
NEIL PHILIP author. He has contributed to many books on the arts, popular
sciences, and ideas, including the Dorling Kindersley title
Neil Philip is the author of numerous books on mythology and The Philosophy Book.
folklore, including the Dorling Kindersley Companion Guide to
Mythology (with Philip Wilkinson), The Great Mystery: Myths
of Native America, and the Penguin Book of English Folktales.
Dr. Philip studied at the universities of Oxford and London,
and is currently an independent writer and scholar.
CONTENTS
10 INTRODUCTION 36 Our ancestors will
guide us
PRIMAL BELIEFS The spirits of the dead live on
FROM PREHISTORY 38 We should be good
Living in harmony
20 Unseen forces are at work 39 Everything is connected
Making sense of the world A lifelong bond with the gods
24 Even a rock has a spirit 40 The gods desire blood 60 The triumph of good over
Animism in early societies Sacrifice and blood evil depends on humankind
offerings The battle between good
26 Special people can visit and evil
other worlds 46 W e can build a
The power of the shaman sacred space 66 Accept the way of
Symbolism made real the universe
32 Why are we here? Aligning the self with the dao
Created for a purpose 48 We are in rhythm with
the universe 68 The Five Great Vows
33 Why do we die? Man and the cosmos Self-denial leads to
The origin of death spiritual liberation
50 We exist to serve the gods
34 Eternity is now The burden of observance 72 Virtue is not sent
The Dreaming from heaven
51 Our rituals sustain Wisdom lies with the
the world superior man
Renewing life through ritual
78 A divine child is born
The assimilation of myth
ANCIENT AND
79 The oracles reveal the
CLASSICAL BELIEFS will of the gods
Divining the future
FROM 3000
BCE
80 The gods are just like us
Beliefs that mirror society
56 There is a hierarchy
of gods and men 82 Ritual links us to our past
Beliefs for new societies Living the Way of the Gods
58 The good live forever in 86 The gods will die
the kingdom of Osiris The end of the world as we
Preparing for the afterlife know it
HINDUISM BUDDHISM
FROM 1700 FROM 6TH CENTURY
BCE BCE
92 Through sacrifice we 130 Finding the Middle Way
maintain the order of The enlightenment
the universe of Buddha
A rational world
136 There can be an end
100 The divine has a to suffering
female aspect Escape from the eternal cycle
The power of the
great goddess 144 Test Buddha’s words
as one would the quality
101 Sit up close to your guru of gold
Higher levels of teaching The personal quest for truth
102 Brahman is my self 145 Religious discipline
within the heart is necessary
The ultimate reality The purpose of monastic vows
106 We learn, we live, we 146 Renounce killing and
withdraw, we detach good will follow JUDAISM
The four stages of life Let kindness and
compassion rule FROM 2000
BCE
110 It may be your duty
to kill 148 We cannot say what a
Selfless action person is 168 I will take you as my
The self as constantly people, and I will be
112 The practice of yoga leads changing your God
to spiritual liberation God’s covenant with Israel
Physical and mental discipline 152 Enlightenment has
many faces 176 Beside me there is no
114 We speak to the gods Buddhas and bodhisattvas other God
through daily rituals From monolatry
Devotion through puja 158 Act out your beliefs to monotheism
The performance of ritual
116 The world is an illusion and repetition 178 The Messiah will
Seeing with pure redeem Israel
consciousness 160 Discover your The promise of a new age
Buddha nature
122 So many faiths, so Zen insights that go 182 Religious law can be
many paths beyond words applied to daily life
God-consciousness Writing the Oral Law
124 Nonviolence is the 184 God is incorporeal,
weapon of the strong indivisible, and unique
Hinduism in the political age Defining the indefinable
CHRISTIANITY 228 This is my body, this
is my blood
FROM 1ST CENTURY The mystery of the Eucharist
CE
230 God’s word needs no
204 Jesus is the beginning of go-betweens
the end The Protestant Reformation
Jesus’s message to the world
238 God is hidden in the heart
208 God has sent us his Son Mystical experience
Jesus’s divine identity in Christianity
209 The blood of the 239 The body needs saving
martyrs is the seed as well as the soul
of the Church Social holiness and
Dying for the message evangelicalism
210 The body may die but the 240 Scientific advances do not
soul will live on disprove the Bible
Immortality in Christianity The challenge of modernity
186 God and humankind are
in cosmic exile 212 God is three and God 246 We can influence God
Mysticism and the kabbalah is one Why prayer works
A divine trinity
188 The holy spark dwells
in everyone 220 God’s grace never fails ISLAM
Man as a manifestation Augustine and free will
of God FROM 610
CE
222 In the world, but not of
189 Judaism is a religion, not the world
a nationality Serving God on behalf 252 Muhammad is God’s
Faith and the state of others final messenger
The Prophet and the origins
190 Draw from the past, live 224 There is no salvation of Islam
in the present, work for outside the Church
the future Entering into the faith 254 The Qur’an was sent
Progressive Judaism down from heaven
God reveals his word and
196 If you will it, it is his will
no dream
The origins of modern 262 The Five Pillars of Islam
political Zionism The central professions
of faith
198 Where was God during
the Holocaust? 270 The imam is God’s
A challenge to the covenant chosen leader
The emergence of
199 Women can be rabbis Shi‘a Islam
Gender and the covenant