The World's Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions (Paperback)

by Huston Smith (Author) "Although the individuals that I name are now only memories for me, I begin this second edition of this book with the four paragraphs that..." (more)
Key Phrases: primal peoples, primal religions, chun tzu, New York, Tao Te Ching, Holy Spirit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The World's Religions, by Huston Smith, has been a standard introduction to its eponymous subject since its first publication in 1958. Smith writes humbly, forswearing judgment on the validity of world religions. His introduction asks, "How does it all sound from above? Like bedlam, or do the strains blend in strange, ethereal harmony? ... We cannot know. All we can do is try to listen carefully and with full attention to each voice in turn as it addresses the divine. Such listening defines the purpose of this book." His criteria for inclusion and analysis of religions in this book are "relevance to the modern mind" and "universality," and his interest in each religion is more concerned with its principles than its context. Therefore, he avoids cataloging the horrors and crimes of which religions have been accused, and he attempts to show each "at their best." Yet The World's Religions is no pollyannaish romp: "It is about religion alive," Huston writes. "It calls the soul to the highest adventure it can undertake, a proposed journey across the jungles, peaks, and deserts of the human spirit. The call is to confront reality." And by translating the voices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, and Judaism, among others, Smith has amplified the divine call for generations of readers. --Michael Joseph Gross

Review
"Huston Smith's classic on the world's religions has justifiably become as venerable as the old texts he studies. . . . I urge all readers to make it the core of their home library." -- Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and The Soul of Sex

"Intelligent, clearly written...reveals the spirit of each faith." -- New York Times

"Intelligent, clearly written...reveals the spirit of each faith." -- -- New York Times

"Intelligent, clearly written...reveals the spirit of each faith." -- -- The New York Times Book Review

"The best one-volume book on world religions remains Huston Smith's THE WORLD RELIGIONS." -- Library Journal

"This is not only the best book of its kind, there is nothing else in its league." -- -- Stephen Mitchell

"This is one book on world religions I can't do without. I return to it often--and always with reward." -- Bill Moyers

"This is one book on world religions I can't do without. I return to it often--and always with reward." -- -- Bill Moyers

"Huston Smith's classic on the world's religions has justifiably become as venerable as the old texts he studies. I'm thrilled to see it enjoying yet another incarnation. It is more important today than it was in its first printing, and I urge everyone to make it the core of their home library." -- Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and The Soul of Sex

"Intelligent, clearly written...reveals the spirit of each faith." -- The New York Times Book Review

"This is not only the best book of its kind, there is nothing else in its league." -- Stephen Mitchell

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; Rev Rep edition (August 16, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062508113
• ISBN-13: 978-0062508119
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,584 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant synopsis of the best of the world's religions, June 7, 1997

By A Customer

Mr. Smith extracts from the world's great religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity - that which is ideal. He intentionally does not delve into the minutiae of religious history or the many ways in which religion has been used as a vehicle for evil. As he explains, "The empowering theological and metaphysical truths of the world's religions are . . . inspired. Institutions - religious institutions emphatically included - are another story. . . ."

The book thus sets forth in careful, clear prose and clever detail the very best of seven influential world religions - their core beliefs, their inherent beauty. Mr. Smith is a genius with an analogy, and unfamiliar, or arguably bizarre, religious abstractions are summed up and made concrete in the stroke of a pen. Take, for example, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. "It holds that while God is fully one, God is also three. The latter half of this claim leads Jews and Muslims to wonder if Christians are truly monotheists, but Christians are confident that they are. As water, ice, and steam, H2O ssumes states that are liquid, solid, and gaseous while retaining its chemical identity."

This brilliant book is a "must read" for everyone, of every religious persuasion. The respect it instills for diverse religious beliefs, and the manner in which the reader slowly comes to realize how much seemingly incompatable religious systems have in common, is nothing less than profound.

-- Christine Klein

78 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference book for laymen with great insights, November 30, 1998

By	LANCE R LINDLEY "hagakure" (Yokosuka, Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Religions of Man (Mass Market Paperback)

Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism... Huston Smith handles each of these religions with such care and understanding one truly believes they are reading the words of a believer of each and not an outside observer. This book is wonderful for the numerous proverbs and wisdom of each religion alone, but it is an invaluable reference for anyone who wants a broader understanding of world religion. Each religion is covered simply and broadly, but with enough depth and feeling to give a reader a true sense of understanding. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

59 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful read, but hard to understand, November 29, 1999

By	Matt Morrissette (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews

This is the text book used at the high school I currently attend for the World Religion class. It is much too complex for the average high school junior so I don't know why the school chose it. I however found the book to be a remarkable literary masterpiece. It uses vivid language and broad ideas to portray many of the worlds great religions. It does not give a full detail of all the religions but only a general description and some highlight of dogma. The author limits the book to the main sect of each religion and does not go into small segregations (i.e. Christianity not Baptist). This 17 y/o high school junior believes that this book is a must read for any person looking for a faith to fit your beliefs or just anyone curious about the beliefs of other people in the world.