Copyright Date:
2015
Edition Date:
2015
Release Date:
10/13/15
Illustrator:
Chandhok, Lena,
Pages:
120 pages
ISBN:
1-619-30305-1
ISBN 13:
978-1-619-30305-8
Dewey:
200
Dimensions:
26 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
(Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)
The abstractions of religion make it a tricky topic for objective and clear middle-level resources, but this dynamic book manages to be both informative and accessible. A chapter is devoted to each of the major world religions, detailing creation stories, sacred texts, worship habits, leaders, and rituals. The culminating chapter explores the ways that religions have spread over time and addresses major conflicts such as the Crusades and the strife in the Middle East. Key questions summarize each chapter's major themes and encourage higher-level thinking and connections to readers' own beliefs and attitudes, while a sidebar "Vocab Lab" feature goes above and beyond a simple glossary, pushing readers to apply unfamiliar terms to existing knowledge. Scannable QR codes link to enrichment activities and further reading, and occasional cartoon drawings add humor and relatability. By examining complex beliefs and doctrine in an accessible and reader-friendly format, Mooney effectively teases out the commonalities among major world religions.
Bibliography Index/Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 116-117) and index.
Over 7 billion people live on the earth, and 84 percent of them describe themselves as being religious. Few topics incite such passion as religion. What does that mean? Why are humans invested in ideas that may never be proved? Why has religion played such an important role in history? In Comparative Religion: Investigate the World through Religious Tradition , readers seek answers to these questions by comparing and contrasting the cultural, spiritual, and geographical underpinnings of five different religions. By developing a better understanding of the similarities and differences among religions of the world, readers gain a strong foothold in a dialogue that has continued for thousands of years. Combining hands-on activities with theology, history, geography, world cultures, art, and architecture, Comparative Religion encourages deeper understanding of the world's religions. Entertaining graphic art, fascinating sidebars, and links to primary sources bring the topic to life, while key questions reaffirm foundational concepts. Activities include conducting an interview with a rabbi, comparing the story of Abraham and Isaac in three sacred texts, studying the architecture of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, studying the Hindu practice of yoga and meditation, and examining how religious doctrines shape the behavior of believers.