Cengage Advantage Books: Ways to the Center An Introduction to World Religions

by Carmody, Denise L.; Brink, T. L.

• ISBN13: 9780534521202
• ISBN10: 0534521207
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-05
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Striving to be the most student-friendly textbook in this field, Carmody's WAYS TO THE CENTER: AN INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS, 6th Edition weaves together rich historical, cultural, and theological detail into structural and philosophical sections that analyze each of the world's major religions in terms of its views on nature, society, self, and ultimate reality. The readily accessible text is designed for today's students and places a premium [on] the development of critical thinking. Combining both historical and systematic analyses, the book takes as its focus the theme of personal centeredness-a primary goal of each featured religion.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
What Is Religion?	1	(24)
Definition of Religion	1	(2)
Religion Versus Science?	3	(2)
Religion Versus Other Values	5	(1)
Components of Religion	6	(4)
God or Gods?	10	(2)
Religion Versus Government	12	(2)
Sacred Writings	14	(1)
Religious Roles	15	(5)
Scholarly Approaches	20	(5)
Tribal Religions	25	(32)
Earliest Religion	27	(2)
Common Themes in Tribal Religion	29	(11)
The Sacred	29	(1)
The Profane	30	(1)
Animism	30	(1)
Taboo	30	(1)
Rites of Passage	31	(1)
Sacrifice	32	(1)
Magic	33	(1)
Exorcism	33	(1)
Healing	34	(1)
Divination	34	(1)
Creation Myths	35	(1)
Tricksters	35	(1)
Totems	36	(1)
The High God	36	(1)
Afterlife and Ancestors	36	(1)
Megaliths	37	(1)
The Shaman	38	(2)
Australian Aborigines	40	(2)
Inuits (Eskimo)	42	(2)
Native Americans	44	(4)
Africans	48	(4)
Southeast Asians and Melanesians	52	(2)
Polynesians	54	(1)
Ainu	54	(1)
Teutons	54	(1)
Celts	55	(2)
Religions of Ancient Civilizations	57	(26)
Religious Themes	61	(1)
Mesopotamia	62	(2)
Egypt	64	(9)
Case Study: Enuma Elish	65	(2)
Case Study: Gilgamesh	67	(6)
Iran	73	(4)
New World Civilizations	77	(6)
Hinduism	83	(40)
History	83	(28)
Pre-Vedic India	83	(3)
Vedic India	86	(6)
Case Study: The Isa Upanishad	92	(3)
The Period of Native Challenge	95	(4)
The Period of Reform and Elaboration	99	(1)
Case Study: Stories from the Mahabharata	100	(5)
The Period of Foreign Challenge	105	(4)
Contemporary Hinduism: Popular Religion	109	(2)
Worldview	111	(8)
Nature	111	(1)
Society	112	(1)
Women's Status	113	(1)
Self	114	(2)
Case Study: The Hindu Child	116	(1)
Ultimate Reality	116	(3)
Summary: The Hindu Center	119	(4)
Judaism	123	(36)
History	124	(22)
The Biblical Period	124	(5)
Case Study: Jeremiah	129	(4)
Rabbinic Judaism	133	(5)
The Medieval Period	138	(3)
The Modern Period	141	(2)
Case Study: Hasidic Tales	143	(3)
Worldview	146	(11)
Nature	146	(1)
Society	147	(3)
Case Study: Jewish Rituals	150	(2)
Self	152	(2)
Case Study: Jewish Prayer	154	(1)
Ultimate Reality	155	(2)
Summary: The Jewish Center	157	(2)
China and Japan	159	(42)
History of China	159	(24)
Pre-Axial Chinese Religion	159	(6)
The Six Schools	165	(5)
Case Study: The Cult of Confucius	170	(11)
Communist Era	181	(2)
The Chinese Worldview	183	(4)
Nature	183	(1)
Society	183	(1)
Self	184	(2)
Ultimate Reality	186	(1)
Summary: The Chinese Center	187	(1)
The History of Japan	187	(6)
The Ancient-Formative Period	187	(3)
Japan's Modern-Reformative Period	190	(3)
Japanese Worldview	193	(5)
Nature	194	(1)
Society	195	(1)
Self	196	(1)
Ultimate Reality	197	(1)
Summary: The Japanese Center	198	(3)
Greek and Hellenistic Religion	201	(20)
History	201	(14)
The Earliest Religion	202	(1)
The Olympian Pantheon	203	(3)
Oracles and Divination	206	(2)
The Older Mystery Cults	208	(1)
Philosophy	209	(4)
The Hellenistic Mystery Cults	213	(2)
Worldview	215	(4)
Nature and Ultimate Reality	215	(1)
Society	216	(1)
Women	217	(1)
Self	217	(2)
Summary: The Greek and Hellenistic Center	219	(2)
Buddhism	221	(40)
History	221	(30)
Overview	221	(1)
The Buddha	222	(2)
The Dharma (Buddhist Doctrine)	224	(1)
Dependent Co-arising and the Eightfold Path	224	(4)
Early Buddhism	228	(5)
Case Study: Theravada	233	(2)
Tantrism	235	(4)
The Demise of Indian Buddhism	239	(1)
Buddhism in China	239	(5)
Buddhism in Japan	244	(2)
Case Study: The Diamond Sutra	246	(2)
Contemporary Buddhist Rituals	248	(3)
Worldview	251	(7)
Nature	251	(2)
Society	253	(1)
Case Study: Nagarjuna	254	(2)
Self	256	(2)
Ultimate Reality	258	(1)
Summary: The Buddhist Center	258	(3)
Christianity	261	(38)
History	261	(27)
Jesus	261	(6)
Case Study: Jesus' Parables	267	(3)
The Early Centuries	270	(4)
The Conciliar Age	274	(4)
Relics and Saints	278	(1)
Eastern Orthodox Churches	279	(3)
The Medieval Period	282	(2)
The Period of Reform	284	(4)
Worldview	288	(8)
Nature	288	(2)
Society	290	(1)
Self	291	(2)
Ultimate Reality	293	(3)
Summary: The Christian Center	296	(3)
Islam	299	(38)
History	299	(21)
Muhammad	300	(2)
Qur'anic Religion	302	(2)
The Age of Conquest	304	(1)
Case Study: Mary	305	(4)
The Golden Civilization	309	(3)
Case Study: Architecture and Poetry	312	(3)
The Period of Division	315	(2)
Late Empire and Modernity	317	(1)
Case Study: Lessons from Iran	318	(2)
Worldview	320	(15)
Nature	320	(2)
Society	322	(3)
Self	325	(1)
Case Study: Islamic Rituals	326	(2)
Ultimate Reality	328	(1)
Case Study: Muslim Saints	329	(6)
Summary: The Muslim Center	335	(2)
Modern Times	337	(32)
Enlightenment	338	(7)
Demythologization	339	(1)
Modern Science	340	(1)
Liberalism	341	(2)
The U.S. Situation	343	(1)
Marxism	343	(1)
Existentialism	344	(1)
Worldview	345	(2)
Nature and Divinity in Humanistic Perspective	345	(1)
Society and Self in Humanistic Perspective	345	(2)
Summary: The Humanistic Center	347	(1)
Responses to Secularism	348	(15)
The Great Awakening and the Great Revival	349	(1)
Pentecostalism	349	(1)
Christian Science	350	(1)
Apocalypticism	351	(1)
Jehovah's Witnesses	351	(1)
Seventh Day Adventists	352	(1)
Communitarian Societies	353	(1)
Mormonism	353	(3)
Evangelicalism	356	(2)
Ecumenism	358	(1)
Cults	358	(5)
Unity and Diversity	363	(6)
Annotated Bibliography	369	(11)
Index and Glossary	380