Religious Ways of Experiencing Life A Global and Narrative Approach [Hardcover]

Religious Ways of Experiencing Life:A Global and Narrative Approachsurveys world religions, using the narratives and discourses of each tradition to describe it in its own terms. Carl Olson examines each traditions practices, teachings, material culture, roles of women, and path to salvation, as well as the experiences of its followers. The exploration of lived experience draws out and emphasizes the plural nature of religious traditions. The volume includes chapters on all current major world religions, as well as material on ancient religions of the Mediterranean, indigenous North American and African spiritual traditions, and New Age and new religious movements. Featuring timelines and suggestions for further reading, this text will be of interest to undergraduate students seeking a broad introduction to World Religion or Lived Religion.

Chapter 1: Introduction. Chapter 2: Ancient Mediterranean Religions. Chapter 3: Native American Traditions. Chapter 4: African Religious Traditions. Chapter 5: Hinduism. Chapter 6: Jainism. Chapter 7: Buddhism. Chapter 8: Sikhism. Chapter 9: Chinese Traditions. Chapter 10: Japanese Traditions. Chapter 11: Zoroastrianism. Chapter 12: Judaism. Chapter 13: Christianity. Chapter 14: Islam. Chapter 15: New Age and New Religious Movements.

Anything Carl Olson creates, and he has created a lot, is eagerly awaited. Here is another superb book from him. It is an essential text to anyones understanding of cross-cultural religious ways of experiencing life.

Sushil Mittal, James Madison University, USA

This book amazes by its comprehensiveness. Almost every domain of the religious phenomenon is surveyed with a discerning eye, from ancient times to the present. Professor Olson shows why religion must continue to be taken seriously by all who are interested in understanding the human condition. This wonderful achievement is truly a trlc³