Customer Reviews

Eerdmans Handbook to the World's Religions: A Comprehensive Guide Articles by Experts Photographs, Charts Fact-Finder Reference Section

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I am enrolled in a masters program where this is an assigned text for an elective. After having been force-fed literally hundreds of readings from hundreds of books - this book stood out as the only text that I purchased. It is a fantastic, impartial, overview which includes great illustrations and charts. It is equally rewarding to read straight through, only the parts that interest you or as a handy reference.

this book gives a basic overview of the worlds religions, but i found it a bit frustrating to read. in my opinion, anyone wishing to read the basic facts of each religion out of curiousity alone, will find that certian excerpts are highly opinionated. the section on buddhism, one part of it is titled, "the appeal of buddhism in the west", this is not problem, but do we need support why "people can live good lives only when given new life by jesus christ, otherwise they are powerless... and ...unable to escape the cycle of sin and death...." one other example is in response to a zen buddihist excerpt which the authors says, "this thinking is pushed to the absurd, it is useless to seek rational answers to them, the tension they produce must be borne to the utmost...." there are many other statments like these peppered throughout this book. on the other hand it does have some good information making it a useful introduction to the many religions. maybe the best thing would be a more appropiate title for the book, so that people who would like a nuetral yet informative approach will be better informed.

The book is well organized and indexed. It includes a glossary of over 1,100 entries. It is also nicely illustated, with over 200 photographs, nearly half of them in color.

I had hoped that this book would be a fairly balanced exploration of the world's spirituality. It is not. It is more a history of religion with a Christian bias. In each section, except those dedicated to Christianity, one clearly gets the sense that it is written from the perspective of an outsider. Dismissive statements and questionable conclusions are the rule.

Take heed from the book's preface concerning the 52 contributors listed; "They write from a Christian concern to descibe each faith 'as it is'...If conviction shows through, however, it is because there can never be total objectivity when it comes to deeply-held matters of belief."

Indeed.

Having taught a Comparative Religion course to a diverse student body (Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Muslims) for years at an academic prep school, and having had worked in a prior profession (not a previous life) as a funeral director serving multiple faith traditions, I find this Eerdmans' project quite a praiseworthy effort. The color plates, charts, and general layout are somewhat dated for the Y generation and their heavy desire for graphics and white space on the page, but they can get over it. It is a physically dense book in paperback on a high quality glossy paper, so the graphics can compensate for a ubiquitously small typeface font. All that said, the content is masterfully organized and the chapters allow for an excellent resource read to compliment films, site visits (mandatory, I argue, for any quality exposure to the vast experiences, sights, sounds, and smells of different houses of worship), and consider classroom visits by area clerical leaders who can bring the subject alive where the instructor has no expertise. The Eerdmans' text has not received any palpable criticism from among the multiplicity of faith leaders or students' families that I've encountered, and I think that I would have heard criticism if it were significant. Last, when teaching Comparative or World Religions, simply speaking from good experiences with teaching great students, I suggest teachers go out to eat with their students at ethnic restaurants representing the faith tradition under study. If you have access to practitioners of the faith under study, offer them an opportunity to present at dinner, and even consider inviting their family to participate. Mostly, the students just want to do the presentation themselves, and that is my preference, but various situations call for different responses.

This is a very informative, "chunky" book. Excellent pictures and charts! A book worth having!