In the tranquil embrace of a summer morning, a young boy named Billy embarks on an extraordinary adventure. As he ventures into the sun-dappled woods behind his home, he stumbles upon a hidden world teeming with vibrant life and unexpected encounters. From the playful antics of squirrels to the wise whispers of an ancient tree, Billy's journey transforms into a captivating exploration of nature's wonders. But as the day unfolds, a sinister presence lurks in the shadows, threatening to shat...

This substantially revised second edition of The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods in the Study of Religion remains the only comprehensive survey in English of methods and methodology in the discipline. Designed for non-specialists and upper undergraduate-/graduate-level students, it discusses the range of methods currently available to stimulate interest in unfamiliar methods and enable students and scholars to evaluate methodological issues in research.The Handb...

The Oxford Handbook of the Study of Religion provides a comprehensive overview of the academic study of religion. Written by an international team of leading scholars, its fifty-one chapters are divided thematically into seven sections. The first section addresses five major conceptual aspects of research on religion. Part two surveys eleven main frameworks of analysis, interpretation, and explanation of religion. Reflecting recent turns in the humanities and social sciences, part...

The World’s Religions, by beloved author and pioneering professor Huston Smith (Tales of Wonder), is the definitive classic for introducing the essential elements and teachings of the world’s predominant faiths. This essential guide to comparative religion covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, as well as regional native traditions.This revised and updated edition provides sympathetic descriptions of the various traditions, ...

***2015 National Jewish Book Award Winner***In this powerful and timely book, one of the most admired and authoritative religious leaders of our time tackles the phenomenon of religious extremism and violence committed in the name of God. If religion is perceived as being part of the problem, Rabbi Sacks argues, then it must also form part of the solution. When religion becomes a zero-sum conceit—that is, my religion is the only right path to God, therefore your re...

Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy, authors of The Jesus Mysteries and Jesus and the Lost Goddess, return with a powerful indictment of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic fundamentalism and a passionate reinterpretation of Gnostic spirituality. According to Freke and Gandy, religiously inspired acts of violence, such as the attacks on 9/11, are nothing new. They are the continuation of a long and bloody history of brutality caused by mistaking bizarre old books for the Word of God...

"An invaluable guide from a trusted expert."--Lee StrobelWritten in a compelling, accessible style, this book answers the most common questions about Jewish people and culture, drawn from the steady stream of queries Michael L. Brown's ministry receives every month.As a Messianic believer, Brown provides clear answers to questions like "Are there Jewish denominations?" and "Do the Jewish people expect a literal Messiah?" The book also addresses Christians' questions about t...

America’s leading religious scholar and public intellectual introduces lay readers to the Qur’an with a measured, powerful reading of the ancient textGarry Wills has spent a lifetime thinking and writing about Christianity. In What the Qur’an Meant, Wills invites readers to join him as he embarks on a timely and necessary reconsideration of the Qur’an, leading us through perplexing passages with insight and erudition. What does the Qur’an actually say abou...

Christianity Has the Resources to Address Intellectual and Cultural Issues. Do You?Christians can feel overwhelmed at the sheer number of competing worldviews in today’s pluralistic, multicultural society. Thankfully, you don’t have to memorize a different argument to answer every new issue. Instead, you can master a single line of defense, grounded in Scripture, that applies to any theory. In Romans, Paul reveals the strategy for defending the Christian message in...

Winner of the Belgian Prize of the Religious Book 2015. (Audience award)To acquaint himself with the soul of Islam J.Y. Atlas had openhearted conversations with influential Muslim scholars and artists. From Jakarta to New York and from London to Lahore, this Christian theologian met with imams and Sufis, academics and feminists, punkers and poets. The result is a book full of novel insights that will help us to transcend today's cultural a...

Western countries are ignorant of true Islamic values, says Nonie Darwish. Darwish is an Egyptian-American, former-Muslim human rights activist who is frustrated with mainstream America's talk of tolerance and assimilation. In Wholly Different, Darwish sets non-Muslims straight about tenets of Islam that are incompatible with free society.For the first time, Darwish tells the whole story of her personal break with Islam, starting with the brutal physical violence and rigid class sy...

In a world where one in five people is a Muslim, understanding the Islamic faith is more important than ever.Yet, as acclaimed author and scholar of world religions Huston Smith notes, no religion is more misunderstood by the West. This book, drawn from his seminal work The World’s Religions, is a direct response to the urgent need for a clear and concise introduction to Islam.Huston Smith provides the essential background for anyone seeking to com...