ISE Experiencing the World's Religions
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Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Understanding Religion??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
What Is Religion???
Key Characteristics of Religion
The Sacred
Religious Symbolism
Speculations on the Sources of Religions
Patterns among Religions??
First Pattern: Views of the World and Life
Second Pattern: Focus of Beliefs and Practices
Third Pattern: Views of Male and Female
Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Religion??
The Study of Religion
Recent Theories
Key Critical Issues??
Why Study the Major Religions of the World???
The Journey
Reading: Discovering Mystery
Chapter 2 Indigenous Religions??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
Discovering Indigenous Religions??
Past Obstacles to the Appreciation of Indigenous Religions
The Modern Recovery of Indigenous Religions
Studying Indigenous Religions: Learning from Patterns??
Human Relationships with the Natural World
Sacred Time and Sacred Space
Respect for Origins, Gods, and Ancestors
Sacred Practices in Indigenous Religions??
Life-Cycle Ceremonies
Taboo and Sacrifice
Shamanism, Trance, and Spiritual Powers
Artifacts and Artistic Expression in Indigenous Religions
Personal Experience: Gods in Hawai`i??
Indigenous Religions Today??
Reading: The Importance of Dreams
Chapter 3 Hinduism??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
The Origins of Hinduism??
The Earliest Stage of Indian Religion
The Religion of the Vedic Period
The Vedas
The Upanishads and the Axis Age??
The Origin of the Upanishads
Important Concepts of the Upanishads
Living Spiritually in the Everyday World??
The Bhagavad Gita
The Caste System
The Stages of Life
The Goals of Life
The Yogas
Devotional Hinduism??
The Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
Worship of the Divine Feminine: Devi
The Guru as Object of Devotion
Devotion to Animals
Other Forms of Religious Devotion
Personal Experience: A Visit to Self-Realization Fellowship Lakeside Shrine
Hinduism and the Arts??
Hinduism: Modern Challenges??
Mohandas Gandhi
Contemporary Issues
Hindu Influence beyond India
Reading: Ramakrishna and the Experience of God
Chapter 4 Buddhism??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??123
The Beginnings of Buddhism: The Life of the Buddha??
The Basic Teachings of Buddhism??
The Three Marks of Reality
The Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path
The Infl uence of Indian Thought on Early Buddhist Teachings??
Ahimsa: “Do No Harm”
The Soul and Karma
Nirvana
The Early Development of Buddhism??
Theravada Buddhism: The Way of the Elders??
Theravada Teachings and Literature
Theravada Art and Architecture
Mahayana Buddhism: The “Big Vehicle”??
New Ideals: Compassion and the Bodhisattva
Mahayana Thought and Worldview
Mahayana Literature
The Spread of Mahayana in East Asia
Some Major Schools of Mahayana
Vajrayana Buddhism: The “Diamond Vehicle”??
Origins, Practice, and Literature of Tibetan Buddhism
Ritual and the Arts
Personal Experience: New Year’s Day at Wat Saket
Buddhism and the Modern World??
Reading: Approaching the End
Chapter 5 Jainism and Sikhism??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
Shared Origins??
Jainism??
Background??
Mahavira and the Origins of Jainism??
Worldview??
Jain Ethics??
The Development of Jainism and Its Branches??
Digambaras
Shvetambaras
Sthanakavasis
Terapanthis
Jain Practices??
Jain Scriptures??
Jain Art and Architecture??
Sikhism??
Background??
Nanak and the Origins of Sikhism??
The Worldview and Teachings of Nanak??
The Development of Sikhism??
Sikh Scriptures??
Sikhism and the Modern World??
Personal Experience: A Visit to the Golden Temple??
Reading: The Eternal Law
Chapter 6 Daoism and Confucianism??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
Basic Elements of Traditional Chinese Beliefs??
Daoism??
The Origins of Daoism??
Laozi (Lao Tzu)
The Daodejing
Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu)
Basic Early Teachings??
Daoism and the Quest for Longevity??
The Development of Daoism??
Daoism and the Arts??
Daoism and the Modern World??
Confucianism??
The Dao in Confucianism??
The Life of Confucius??
Living According to Confucian Values??
The Five Great Relationships
The Confucian Virtues
Confucian Literature??
The Development of Confucianism??
Schools of Philosophy
The Development of Confucianism as a Religious System
Confucianism and the Arts??
Personal Experience: Qing Ming, a Ceremony in Spring??
Confucianism and the Modern World??
Reading: On Cloud-Like Wandering
Chapter 7 Shinto??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
The Origins of Shinto??
The Historical Development of Shinto??
Accommodation with Buddhism and Confucianism
Shinto and Japanese National Identity
Essentials of Shinto Belief??
Shinto Religious Practice??
Worship at Shrines
Celebration of the New Year
Observances of the Seasons and Nature
Other Practices
Personal Experience: An Unexpected Shrine
Shinto and the Arts??
Architecture
Music and Dance
Shinto Off shoots: The New Religions??
Shinto and the Modern World??
Reading: Loving the Whole Earth
Chapter 8 Judaism??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
An Overview of Jewish History??
The Hebrew Bible??
Biblical History??
In the Beginning: Stories of Origins
The World of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs
Moses and the Law
The Judges and Kings
Exile and Captivity
Return to Jerusalem and the Second Temple
Cultural Conflict during the Second Temple Era??
The Seleucid Period
Responses to Outside Influences
The Development of Rabbinical Judaism??
The Canon of Scripture and the Talmud
Islam and Medieval Judaism
The Kabbalah
Christianity and Medieval Judaism
Questioning and Reform??
Judaism and the Modern World??
Hitler and the Holocaust
Creation of the State of Israel
Personal Experience: A Visit to Masada
Jewish Belief??
Religious Practice??
The Jewish Sabbath
Holy Days
Jewish Dietary Practices
Other Religious Practices 318
Divisions within Contemporary Judaism??
Culturally Based Divisions
Observance-Based Divisions
Jewish Identity and the Future of Judaism??
Reading: What it Means to be Fully Alive
Chapter 9 Christianity??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
The Life and Teachings of Jesus??
Jesus in the New Testament Gospels
The Two Great Commandments
Early Christian Beliefs and History??
Paul and Pauline Christianity
The New Testament: Its Structure and Artistry
The Christian Canon
The Early Spread of Christianity??
Infl uences on Christianity at the End of the Roman Empire??
Augustine
Benedict and the Monastic Ideal
The Eastern Orthodox Church??
Early Development
Monasticism in the Eastern Church
Eastern Orthodox Beliefs
Personal Experience: Mar Saba Monastery
Christianity in the Middle Ages??
Christian Mysticism
The Crusades, the Inquisition, and Christian Control
The Late Middle Ages
The Protestant Reformation??
Martin Luther
Forms of Protestantism
The Development of Christianity Following the
Protestant Reformation??
The Catholic Reformation (Counter Reformation)
The International Spread of Christianity
Nontraditional Christianity
Christian Practice??
Sacraments and Other Rituals
The Christian Year
Devotion to Mary
Christianity and the Arts??
Architecture
Art
Music
Christianity Faces the Modern World??
The Challenges of Science and Secularism
Contemporary Influences and Developments
Reading: How Saint Frances Made Brother Masseo Twirl Around
Chapter 10 Islam??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
The Life and Teachings of Muhammad??
Essentials of Islam??
The Five Pillars of Islam
Additional Islamic Religious Practices
Scripture: The Qur’an
The Historical Development of Islam??
Expansion and Consolidation
The Shiite and Sunni Division within Islam
Sufism: Islamic Mysticism??
Sufi Beliefs
Al-Ghazali and Sufi Brotherhoods
Sufi Practice and Poetry
Personal Experience: A Visit to a Mosque
Islamic Law and Philosophy??
Islamic Law and Legal Institutions
Islamic Philosophy and Theology
Islam and the Arts??
Architecture
Fine Art
Islam and the Modern World??
Islam and Contemporary Life
Islam and the Roles of Women
The Challenge of Secularism
A Range of Solutions
Islam in the West and Beyond
Reading: The Merciful
Chapter 11 Alternative Paths??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
Origins of New Religions??
Contemporary Paganism: Wicca and Druidism??
Religions of the Yoruba Tradition: Santería, Voodoo, and Candomblé??
Theosophy??
Scientology??
Falun Gong??
Cao Dai??
Rastafarianism??
Baha’i??
New Religious Movements: A Special Role??
Personal Experience: Celebrating the Goddess??
Reading: The Goal of Scientology
Chapter 12 The Modern Search??
FIRST ENCOUNTER??
Modern Infl uences on the Future of Religion??
The New World Order
Multiculturalism and Interfaith Dialogue
Women’s Rights Movements
Reassessment of Human Sexuality
Science and Technology
Science and Ethical Issues
Secularism
Environmental Challenges
The Recurring Challenges of Change??
Environmentalism: A Religious Phenomenon???
Eclectic Spirituality??
Interrelatedness
Reverence and Respect
Contemplative Practices
Personal Experience: Supper Together
Reading: Learning From A Tree
Answer Key??
Notes??
Credits??
Index??