The Illustrated Guide To World Religions By Michael D. Coogan

Discover a comprehensive exploration of major world religions with The Illustrated Guide To World Religions. Edited by Michael D. Coogan, the book offers insight into diverse faiths and practices worldwide, enriched with vivid illustrations. Enhance your understanding and appreciation of global religious traditions through this informative guide. Each chapter in this volume examines one of seven major world religions--from Judaism to Christianity and from Islam to Buddhism--and contains information about its holidays and festivities, key historical and mythological figures, architectural styles, calendars, language, and important texts. The book deals with such issues as the afterlife, the role of women, the importance of saints, and the quest for higher wisdom. We discover, for instance, that Pure Land Buddhism--found mainly in China, Japan, and Tibet--holds that meditation on a particular deity at the moment of death will help insure rebirth into that deity's celestial domain. In Judaism, on the other hand, the concept of an afterlife has never played a central role. Uniquely organized in a manner that encourages comparative analysis, the book's lavish full-color art, maps, and photographs all focus on faith in practice, in both elaborate ritual and everyday life. • Hardcover with dust jacket • Published by Oxford University Press • Features vivid illustrations • Comprehensive exploration of major religions • Edited by Michael D. Coogan Like new condition, minimal wear on