A New Handbook of Living Religions

The original Penguin Handbook of Living Religions, publishedin 1984, quickly established itself as a standard introduction tothe major religions in the modern world for students, professionalsin various fields and general readers. Written by a team of leadinginternational scholars in a clear and readable style, each chapterprovides a general introduction to the sources and history of thereligion, then its teachings, practices, popular traditions and attwentieth–century developments.

This New Handbook of Living Religions not only updatesexisting chapters to reflect events in the 1990s and to account forrecent scholarship, but also includes new material on modern China,gender issues and spirituality. In addition there is a whole newsection looking at modern diaspora religions in the West with fournew chapters on South Asian religions in the USA, Canada, Britainand the Pacific area. This section on the religions of minoritycommunities concludes with a further new chapter looking at thesereligious migrations in a comparative internationalperspective.

Introduction: John R. Hinnells (SOAS, University of London).

Section A: The Religions:.

1. Judaism: Alan Unterman (University of Manchester).

2. Christianity: Andrew Walls (University of Edinburgh).

3. Islam: Alford T. Welch (Michigan State University).

4. Zoroastrianism: Mary Boyce (SOAS, University of London).

5. Hinduism: Simon Weightman (SOAS, University of London).

6. Sikhism: W. Owen Cole (Chichester Institute of HigherEducation).

7. Jainism: Kendall W. Folkert revised and expanded by John E.Cort (Denision University, Ohio).

8. Buddhism: L. S. Cousins (formerly University ofManchester).

9. Chinese Religions: Michael Saso (Beijing).

10. The Mystic Tradition in China: Michael Saso (Beijing).

11. Japanese Religions: David Reid (Tokyo University).

12. Religions in Primal Societies.

i. Native North American Religions: Armin W. Geertz (Universityof Aarhus).

ii. Pacific Religions: B. Colless and P. Donovan (MasseyUniversity).

iii. African Religions: Aylward Shorter (Freelance Writer).

iv. New Religious Movements in Primal Societies: Harold W.Turner (formerly Selly Oak College).

13. Modern Alternative Religions in the West: J. Gordon Melton(Institute for the Study of American Religion, Santa Barbara).

14. Baha′ism: Denis MacEoin: (formerly University ofNewcastle–upon–Tyne).

Section B: Cross Cultural Issues:.

15. Religion and Gender: Ursula King (University ofBristol).

16. Spirituality: Ursula King (University of Bristol).

17. The Study of Diaspora Religion: John R. Hinnells (SOAS,University of London).

18. African Diaspora Religion: Ossie Stuart (St Anthony′sCollege, Oxford).

19. The Australian South Asian Diaspora: P. Billimoria (DeakinUniversity).

20. The Religions of South Asian Communities in Britain: KimKnott (University of Leeds).

21. The Religions of the South Asian Diaspora in Canada: HaroldCoward (University of Victoria, British Columbia).

22. South Asian Religions in the United States: Raymond BradyWilliams (Wabash College).

23. Comparative Reflections on South Asian Religion inInternational Migration: John R. Hinnells (SOAS, University ofLondon).

Index.

"It is good to see this classic volume reappear in an updated form. It belongs in the canon of standard works that anyone interested in the study of religion should posses. The updating of the original chapters was desirable and has been accomplished extremely well." Damien Keown, Royal Asiatic Society Journal