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Stephen R. Prothero

God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World Paperback – May 3, 2011

by Stephen Prothero (Author)

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In God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and religion scholar Stephen Prothero argues that persistent attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Delving into the different problems and solutions that Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Yoruba Religion, Daoism and Atheism strive to combat, God is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beings have asked for millennia—and to the disparate paths we are taking to answer them today. Readers of Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong will find much to ponder in God is Not One.

Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Publication date

May 3, 2011
Dimensions

5.31 x 0.9 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0061571288
ISBN-13

978-0061571282
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“enormously timely, thoughtful and balanced” -- Los Angeles Times

“God is Not One is 2010’s must-read for anyone religiously illiterate….Don’t know much about the world’s faiths? Get a copy now.” -- The Daily Beast

“Provocative, thoughtful, fiercely intelligent and, for both believing and nonbelieving, formal and informal students of religion, a must-read.” -- Booklist

“An urgently needed and very nicely done corrective to politically correct nonsense.” -- Rodney Stark, author of Discovering God: The Origins of the Great Religions and the Evolution of Faith

“Stephen Prothero has done it again. This is a powerfully-written, paradigm-shifting book. How religious differences can be a bridge of cooperation rather than a bomb of destruction is one of the most important challenges of our era, and Prothero is as good a guide as you will find.” -- Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core and author of Acts of Faith

“This book could well be the most highly readable, accurate, and up-to-date introduction to the world’s major religions.” -- Harvey Cox, Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University, and author of The Future of Faith

“A very much needed book!” -- Miroslav Volf, Professor, Yale University, and author of Exclusion and Embrace

From the Back Cover

In the twenty-first century, religion remains the single greatest influencein the world. But, argues religion scholar Stephen Prothero, persistentattempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlookthe distinct human problem that each seeks to solve. For example:

Islam: the problem is pride / the solution is submission
Christianity: the problem is sin / the solution is salvation
Buddhism: the problem is suffering / the solution is awakening
Judaism: the problem is exile / the solution is to return to God

God Is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beingshave asked for millennia—and to the disparate paths we are taking toanswer them today.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperOne; Reprint edition (May 3, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061571288
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061571282
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.9 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #22,602 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in History of Hinduism
- #11 in Psychology & Religion
- #11 in History of Judaism

Customer Reviews:
808 ratings

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4 star		13%
3 star		8%
2 star		2%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Amazon Customer

Entertaining overview, but there are factual mistakes about some of the religions

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2018

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As a religious studies scholar, beware, for those of you who are coming in blindly, that there are more than a few factual mistakes (especially concerning religions of the Eastern tradition). However, for what it is (an entertaining overview) it does a nice job.

22 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ron Tissier

A look to the other side...a late review of a very meaningful book.

Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2019

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As mentored by Huston Smith from a young age, I felt it was time to look again. I was in high school in the second half of the 1950's and Huston was teaching at Washington University (an early period in his illustrious life's work). His passing from this life (age 92) which he loved has not diminished my admiration or finding knowledge in his words and writings. His life was full of light and it enriched his positive view that he shared with others; but he was not unaware of the darker side that historically existed but never clouded his belief that he should focus on the common good of all the world's religions. This book lays bare the major problems inherent in following Islam, Christianity, Judaism -- the three major "Abrahamic" faiths, As well, there is an analysis of the inherent problem of suffering taught by The Buddha. Less you think this book is totally negative, the author shares the solution to each so that followers may seek growth in their own spiritual life's Journey.

5 people found this helpful

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Ean Behr

A Voice of Reason in the Religious Wilderness

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2015

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Dr. Prothero has written a boring book in the way that thoughtful and well-reasoned ideas tend to be. His voice rises wisely ( and quite often humurously) above the din of zealotry. What, he asks in writing this book, is the most useful way to engage with something that almost everyone on earth uses to some extent to get through this thing we call life? He then offers in answer to his own question a series of brief, yet informative glimpses at each of the world's "greatest" religions along very pragmatic, very human lines.

To read"God Is Not One" is to take a sane step back and to get to know the members of our "religious family" in a sympathetic, albeit even-handed light.

22 people found this helpful

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C. Derick VarnTop Contributor: Graphic Novels

faiths are founded in difference

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2014

Verified Purchase

A quick guide to eight of the major world religions which focuses on the key differences in the worldview of the various religions. While none of the sections are comprehensive, I felt like I got truly new information about African traditions and their influence on fringe religious movements in the Americas. While basic, in our age of religious and cultural illiteracy, this is a good introductory take on comparative religion that does not search for facts that make world religions seem ethically homogenous. That ecumenicism may make sense to encourage religious tolerance, but it is in the differences between religions that the context for world cultures starts to be made clear.

18 people found this helpful

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John E Clarke

First part was good, but degenerated especially at the end

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2021

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The author of the book did not really make his point, unless it was to name call atheist's beliefs, he certainly did not establish any valid reason to believe that any god exists, and detracted from the one God, if there is such a thing, Very poor logic, almost convinced me to be an atheist. but then again that would require me to ignore the premise on which he started his book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

cprkwy8

The Power of Belief

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

I learned a lot from reading this book, especially about the Yoruba religion, of which I had never heard. With some one hundred million adherents, more people who write about religions should be writing about it. More discounting of things African? This book also left a powerful impression on me regarding the fact that millions and millions of people around the world believe passionately in very different gods/god/no-gods. I think that true believers of any sort would find this book dangerous because it speaks eloquently of many truths rather than one. God may not be one, but the need to believe seems to be.

26 people found this helpful

Helpful

Wade R Johnston

A Much-Needed Voice

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2018

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The author does us a service in uncovering how much we take for granted when it comes to what religions actually teach and how they influence us. Sometimes certain concepts could be explained a little more for the average reader, and sometimes explanations are a little simplistic, understandably, given the nature of the book and the wide audience, but overall this book fills an important void in a day were all religions are too often lumped into the same category, characterized incorrectly, or dismissed as irrelevant.

4 people found this helpful

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AmazonBrothers

Human Flourishing: It may be the goal, but each path is certainly different.

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2014

Verified Purchase

Fascinating discussion of the world's religions. I found his decision to focus on the questions "What does this religion see as our main problem and how is that problem solved (either by God(s) or by us or by both)?" to be an excellent way to frame each religion and really help illustrate the differences. I had only a passing knowledge of many of the religions discussed in the book and really enjoyed finding out more about them.

I found his main thesis (that all religions are really not one) to be persuasively argued and supported, especially when focusing on this question of "what problem does this religion attempt to solve?"

I read it on Kindle so I had trouble going back to compare. Would have been nice to have a summary at the end of the book to remind me of the differences. I'm guessing there must be a study guide somewhere that has this sort of chart/information.

16 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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NWiggins

A good book but very thick so hard to read all ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

A good book but very thick so hard to read all in one go. I have taken to reading just the sections I want at the time I need to and going from there.

Disney Duck

Not The Best Book On The Topic

Reviewed in Canada on March 31, 2021

Verified Purchase

I find this book to be dripping with subjectivity and cynicism, certainly NOT the objective analysis that I expected to find in a scholarly review.

Any potential buyer would be wise to at least compare it to other world religions reviews.

There have been similar comments that were published on Amazon by others
.
Disappointing indeed.

Pele Sahota

Interesting but ....

Reviewed in Germany on June 13, 2012

Verified Purchase

The book begins in an interesting way and has a deep pull factor; it's readable (I certainly finished it ...) The linguistics and philosophical issues that arise from a simple use of 'gog' are profound, BUT be warned:

a. It's written by someone who is clearly more drawn towards straightforward comparative religion which itself is not a deep criticism, but means that the book lacks depth on a theoretical level. Even as a book on comparative religions it's actually quite poor - it says nothing about different religions and their relationships to sex, money, economics, eating, dressing, womens issues, individual freedoms, etc. There is actually a good reason why he doesn't go into these deatils and that's because it means opening up a hornet's nest of controversy that this author is uncomfortable with ... ;

b. He is not very objective - it's written from a very conservative agenda of only ever saying nice things to religion which gets a little tiresome;

c. His shocking treatment of 'new athies' shows his biased sensibilities. After happily concluding the 'new atheism' is indeed a religion, he then goes on to treat without any of the respect and consideration he gives to the other religions - sure new athiests have valid concerns, issues and experiences too? Why are they never probed and empathised with?

Is you want a book on comparative religion there's much better out there than this ... If you want a debate about the word 'god' where we are all talking about the same thing, OR are under an illusion here and are actually talking about very different things, then wait for someone to has more analytic training and rigour.

In brief, don't bother.

Christopher Scott

A Good Primer

Reviewed in Canada on February 19, 2012

Verified Purchase

"God Is Not One" attempts to discuss the big differences between the world's major religions. It is not a completely dispassionate review: the author clearly has his own opinions, although he is generally pretty good at not pushing them on the reader. Prothero tries to draw order from chaos by summarizing the basic philosophies of these religions by distilling from each a central problem and solution. For instance, Prothero claims that the central problem in Christianity is sin and the solution that it presents is salvation. The author asserts that these fundamental differences in perspective are crucially important, as they colour the worldview of each religion's millions (or billions) of adherents. His critical thesis is that these religions are _not_ fundamentally the same, and he takes issue with the currently-popular message to the contrary.

I refer to this book as a "primer" for good reason. Each religion is given only two or three dozen pages, much of which is devoted to basic precepts and cultural context. A great deal of detail is sacrificed in order to get to Prothero's core points. Experienced readers of comparative religions texts might take issue with some of the author's omissions and generalizations. In particular, as other reviewers have noted, the selection and explicit ordering of religions (whose chapters are arranged from most- to least-important) within the book might raise some eyebrows.

Despite these points, I regard this book as a good starting point for new readers who may be unfamiliar with broad-strokes differences between the world's major religions. Prothero celebrates the differences that he presents, and plainly seeks only to educate (and not offend) new readers. The text is both engaging and informative, and is not difficult to read in an evening or two. For many readers, this may be a better place to start than a staid textbook on religious studies.

2 people found this helpful

Bega

Eye-Opener

Reviewed in Germany on August 26, 2010

Verified Purchase

Für das Thema interessieren sich viele Menschen. Deshalb ist dieses aufschlussreiche Buch so wichtig. Es bringt in verständlicher Sprache umfassende Einblicke in die Ausrichtung und Ziele aller Hauptreligionen. Es rückt jeden Kuschelkurs, jede naive Einstellung zurecht und gibt Ausblicke, auf das was möglich ist und realistischer Weise erwartet werden kann - oder eben auch nicht.

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