Brit a nnic a LEARNING LIBRARY Religions Around the World Investigate the beliefs and faiths of people everywhere CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO
The head of the golden Buddha at the Thiksey Monastery in the Ladakh region of India Stephanie Colasanti Corbis
Religions Around the World TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 3 RELIGION Belief in a Higher Power 6 God One World Many Beliefs 8 Monasticism A Life Apart 10 RELIGIONS OF MIDDLE EASTERN ORIGIN Zoroastrianism Eternal Battle of Good and Evil 12 Judaism Religion of Israel 14 Abraham Father of Many Nations 16 Moses Yahweh’s Messenger 18 Christianity Following Jesus Christ 20 Jesus Christ The Son of God 22 Mary Mother of Jesus 24 Roman Catholicism A Branch of Christianity 26 Bible Jewish and Christian Scriptures 28 Islam The Religion of Muhammad 30 Muhammad Islam’s Prophet 32 Koran Holy Book of Islam 34 Baha’i A Simple Faith 36 FAITHS FROM SOUTH ASIA Hinduism Ancient Religion of South Asia 38 Vivekananda The Teacher of Hinduism 40 Buddhism The Teachings of the Buddha 42 Buddha The Enlightened One 44 Dalai Lama Tibet’s Great Teacher 46 Jainism Teaching Nonviolence 48 Sikhism A South Asian Religion 50 POWERS OF THE SPIRIT WORLD Shamanism The Spirit World 52 Vodun Religion of Magic and Spirits 54 TEACHINGS FROM EAST ASIA Confucius Teacher of Great Wisdom 56 Daoism The Religion of Laozi 58 Shinto A Very Japanese Religion 60 GLOSSARY 62 INDEX 63 Brit a nnic a LEARNING LIBRARY
