Living Religions

by Fisher, Mary Pat

• ISBN13: 9780130992284
• ISBN10: 0130992283
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

KEY BENEFIT Living Religions is a sympathetic approach to what is living and significant in the world's major religious traditions and in various new movements that are arising. KEY TOPICS This book provides a clear and straightforward account of the development, doctrines, and practices of the major faiths followed today. The emphasis throughout is on consciousness of believers and their own accounts of their religion and its relevance in contemporary life. MARKET For professional theologians and others interested in the development of the major religions practiced today.

Table of Contents

Map: Religions in the World Today	3	(10)
Preface	13	(3)
The Religious Response	16	(28)
Why are there religions?	16	(9)
Materialistic perspective: humans invented religion	17	(2)
Functional perspective: religion is useful	19	(4)
Faith perspective: Ultimate Reality exists	23	(2)
Modes of encountering Ultimate Reality	25	(2)
Understandings of Ultimate Reality	27	(3)
Worship, symbol, and myth	30	(2)
Absolutist and liberal interpretations	32	(1)
The encounter between science and religion	33	(5)
Women and the feminine in religions	38	(2)
The negative side of organized religion	40	(2)
Box: Angels Weep	42	(1)
Suggested reading	43	(1)
Indigenous Sacred Ways	44	(35)
Barriers to understanding	44	(4)
Cultural diversity	48	(2)
The circle of right relationships	50	(4)
Relationships with spirit	51	(3)
Yoruba Teaching Story: Osun and the Power of Woman	54	(6)
Kinship with all creation	55	(3)
Relationships with power	58	(2)
Spiritual specialists	60	(6)
Storytellers and other sacred roles	60	(3)
Shamans	63	(3)
Living Indigenous Sacred Ways: An Interview with Nadezhda Ananyevna Stepanova	66	(2)
Group Observances	68	(3)
Individual observances	70	(1)
Contemporary issues	71	(1)
Religion in Practice: The Sun Dance Way of Self-Sacrifice	72	(3)
Religion in Public Life: Winona Laduke	75	(3)
Suggested reading	78	(1)
Hinduism	79	(49)
Harappan civilization	80	(1)
Vedic religion	80	(1)
Map: The Indian Subcontinent	81	(7)
Timeline	83	(2)
Fire sacrifices and the cosmic order	85	(1)
Philosophy of the Upanishads	86	(1)
Castes and social duties	87	(1)
Rhakti in the epics and Puranas	88	(7)
Teaching Story: Hanuman, The Monkey Chief Spiritual disciplines	95	(7)
The guru	96	(1)
Yogic practices	97	(5)
Major theistic cults	102	(1)
Living Hinduism: An Interview with Sarala Chakrabarty	103	(6)
Saktas	103	(3)
Saivites	106	(1)
Vaishnavites	107	(2)
Major philosophical systems	109	(2)
Samkhya	109	(1)
Advaita Vedanta	110	(1)
Popular forms of worship	111	(8)
Devotions and rituals	111	(3)
Festivals	114	(5)
Hinduism in the modern world	119	(3)
Global Hinduism	121	(1)
Religion in Practice: Dharmic Principles: The Swadhyaya Movement	122	(4)
Hindu exclusivism vs. universalism	123	(3)
Religion in Public Life: Dr. Karan Singh	126	(1)
Suggested reading	127	(1)
Jainism	128	(13)
The Tirthankaras and ascetic orders	128	(2)
Freeing the soul: the ethical pillars	130	(3)
Karma	131	(1)
Ahimsa	131	(1)
Aparigraha	132	(1)
Religion in Practice: Jain Purification	133	(1)
Anekantwad	134	(1)
Spiritual practices	134	(3)
Teaching Story: The Story of Bahubali	137	(1)
World Jainism	137	(1)
Living Jainism: An Interview with Samani Charitra Prajna	138	(2)
Suggested reading	140	(1)
Buddhism	141	(46)
The life of the Buddha	141	(3)
Timeline	144	(3)
The dharma	147	(4)
The basic facts of existence	148	(2)
The Eightfold Path of liberation	150	(1)
Teaching Story: The Monkeys Take Care of the Trees	151	(4)
The wheel of birth and death	152	(1)
Nirvana	152	(3)
Buddhism south and north	155	(1)
Map: The Spread of Buddhism	155	(6)
Theravada: the path of mindfulness	156	(5)
Living Buddhism: An Interview with Komkai Charoensuk	161	(4)
Mahayana: the path of compassion and metaphysics	163	(2)
Map: Buddhism Today	165	(6)
Vajrayana: indestructible way to unity	167	(3)
Zen: the great way of enlightenment	170	(1)
Religion in Public Life: His Holiness The Dalai Lama	171	(1)
Box: Zen Oxherding Pictures	172	(6)
Pure Land: calling on Amida Buddha	174	(2)
Nichiren: salvation through the Lotus Sutra	176	(2)
Buddhism in the West	178	(2)
Religion in Practice: Life in a Western Zen Monastery	180	(2)
Socially engaged Buddhism	182	(3)
Suggested reading	185	(2)
Taoism and Confucianism	187	(18)
Ancient traditions	187	(1)
Timeline	188	(2)
Taoism-the way of nature and immortality	190	(3)
Teachings of Taoist sages	191	(2)
Teaching Story: Three in the Morning	193	(9)
Organized Taoism	195	(5)
Taoism today	200	(2)
Confucianism-the practice of virtue	202	(11)
Master K'ung's life	203	(1)
The Confucian virtues	204	(2)
Divergent followers of Confucius	206	(1)
The state cult	207	(2)
Confucianism under communism	209	(4)
Living Confucianism: An Interview with Ann-Ping chin	213	(2)
Confucianism in East Asia	214	(1)
Suggested reading	215
Shinto	205	(26)
The essence of Shinto	216	(6)
Kinship with nature	216	(2)
Honoring the kami	218	(1)
Shrines	219	(1)
Ceremonies	220	(1)
Purification	221	(1)
Religion in Practice: Purification By Waterfall	222	(3)
Festivals	224	(1)
Buddhist and Confucian influences	225	(2)
State Shinto	225	(2)
Shinto today	227	(2)
Living Shinto: An Interview with Hitoshi Iwasaki	229	(1)
Suggested reading	230	(1)
Judaism	231	(55)
A history of the Jewish people	231	(2)
Biblical stories	232	(1)
Timeline	233	(3)
Map: The Israelites	236	(6)
Teaching Story: From the Hebrew Bible-David and Goliath	242	(4)
Return to Jerusalem	244	(2)
Box: Zoroastrianism, A Bridge Between East and West	246	(13)
Rabbinic Judaism	248	(4)
Judaism in the Middle Ages	252	(3)
Enlightenment	255	(1)
Kabbalah and Hasidism	255	(3)
American Judaism	258	(1)
The Holocaust	258	(1)
Map: The Holocaust	259	(5)
Zionism	261	(3)
Torah	264	(4)
The one God	264	(1)
Love for God	265	(1)
The sacredness of human life	265	(1)
Law	266	(1)
Suffering and faith	267	(1)
Sacred practices	268	(3)
Living Judaism: An Interview with Herman Taube	271	(2)
Holy days	273	(4)
Contemporary Judaism	277	(4)
Major branches today	277	(3)
Jewish feminism	280	(1)
Religion in Public Life: Senator Joseph Lieberman	281	(3)
Jewish renewal	282	(2)
Suggested reading	284	(2)
Christianity	286	(73)
The Christian Bible	286	(2)
The life and teachings of Jesus	288	(2)
Birth	288	(1)
Preparation	289	(1)
Map: Jesus's Ministry	290	(3)
Ministry	291	(2)
Living Christianity: An Interview with David Vandiver	293	(2)
Teaching Story: The Good Samaritan	295	(1)
Timeline	296	(7)
Challenges to the authorities	297	(3)
Crucifixion	300	(2)
Resurrection	302	(1)
The Early Church	303	(1)
From persecution to empire	303	(1)
Box: Books of the New Testament	303	(2)
Map: St. Paul's Ministry	305	(5)
Evolving organization and theology	306	(3)
Early monasticism	309	(1)
Map: Christianity Today	310	(1)
The Eastern Orthodox Church	310	(2)
The history of the Orthodox Church	310	(1)
The Russian Orthodox Church	311	(1)
Religion in Practice: Russian Orthodox Kenoticism	312	(6)
The Orthodox world today	315	(2)
Distinctive features of Orthodox spirituality	317	(1)
Medieval Roman Catholicism	318	(6)
Papal power	319	(3)
Intellectual revival and monasticism	322	(1)
Medieval mysticism	323	(1)
The Protestant Reformation	324	(4)
The Roman Catholic Reformation	328	(1)
The impact of the Enlightenment	329	(1)
The Second Vatican Council	330	(2)
Central beliefs in contemporary Christianity	332	(2)
Religion in Practice: Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity	334	(1)
Sacred practices	335	(10)
Worship services and sacraments	335	(3)
The liturgical year	338	(3)
Contemplative prayer	341	(2)
Devotion to Mary	343	(2)
Veneration of saints and angels	345	(1)
Contemporary trends	345	(7)
Evangelicalism	347	(2)
Charismatics	349	(1)
Cultural broadening	350	(1)
Liberation theology	351	(1)
Religion in Public Life: Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu	352	(5)
Feminist theology	354	(2)
Creation-centered Christianity	356	(1)
Ecumenical movement	356	(1)
Suggested reading	357	(2)
Islam	359	(53)
The Prophet Muhammad	359	(2)
Timeline	361	(5)
Teaching Story: The Humility of the Prophet	366	(1)
The Qur'an	367	(2)
The central teachings	369	(2)
The Oneness of God and of humanity	369	(1)
Prophethood and the compass of Islam	370	(1)
Religion in Public Life: Farid Esack	371	(4)
Human relationship to the divine	372	(1)
The unseen life	373	(1)
The Last Judgment	373	(2)
The Sunni-Shi'a split	375	(2)
Sunnis	376	(1)
Shi'a	376	(1)
Sufism	377	(4)
The Five Pillars and jihad	381	(2)
Belief and witness	382	(1)
Living Islam: An Interview with Khaled Aly Khaled	383	(7)
Daily prayers	384	(1)
Zakat	385	(1)
Fasting	385	(1)
Hajj	386	(2)
Jihad	388	(2)
The spread of Islam	390	(1)
Map: The Spread of Islam	391	(6)
Islamic culture	392	(3)
Eastward expansion	395	(2)
Relationships with the West	397	(3)
Islam in the United States	398	(2)
Muslim resurgence	400	(10)
Tradition and modern life	401	(3)
Outreach and education	404	(1)
Islam in politics	404	(4)
Islam for the future	408	(2)
Suggested reading	410	(2)
Sikhism	412	(21)
The sant tradition	412	(1)
Guru Nanak	413	(2)
The succession of Gurus	415	(2)
Teaching Story: Guru Arjun Dev's Devotion	417	(4)
Central beliefs	421	(3)
Sacred practices	424	(2)
Religion in Public Life: His Holiness Baba Virsa Singh	426	(2)
Sikhism today	428	(1)
Map: The Punjab	429	(1)
Living Sikhism: An Interview with G. S. Jauhal	430	(2)
Suggested reading	432	(1)
New Religious Movements	433	(31)
Social context of new religious movements	433	(2)
Apocalyptic expectations	435	(5)
Rastafarianism	435	(2)
Jehovah's Witnesses	437	(1)
Unification Movement	438	(2)
Living New Religions: An Interview with Ursula Mclackland	440	(1)
Supernatural powers and revelations	441	(2)
Offshoots and combinations of older religions	443	(4)
Indigenous African plus Christian traditions	443	(2)
Christian Science	445	(1)
Radhasoami	446	(1)
Nature spirituality	447	(5)
Revival of old models	447	(2)
Deep ecology	449	(1)
``New Age'' planetary consciousness	450	(2)
Universalist religions	452	(5)
Theosophical Society	453
Baha'i	437	(20)
Box: The Baha'i Model for Governance of the World	457	(1)
Opposition to new religious movements	458	(1)
Violence in new religious movements	459	(3)
Will new religious movements last?	462	(1)
Suggested reading	462	(2)
Religion in the Twenty-First Century	464	(17)
Religious pluralism	464	(3)
Hardening of religious boundaries	465	(2)
Interfaith movement	467	(1)
Box: Control of the Mind	468	(2)
Responses to other faiths	469	(1)
Box: Guidelines for Inter-Religious Understanding	470	(2)
Interfaith initiatives	470	(2)
Teaching Story: The Frog in the Well	472	(3)
Religion and social issues	475	(1)
Religion in Public Life: Jimmy Carter	476	(1)
Religion and materialism	477	(2)
Religion and the future of humanity	479	(1)
Suggested reading	480	(1)
Notes	481	(12)
Glossary	493	(8)
Index	501	(9)
Timeline	510	(2)
Credits	512