Binding: PAPERBACK
Publisher: Harper & Row
Date published: 1965
Description: Fair. Paperback, Well used, creasing/spine wear, toned reading/study copy. Your book will be securely packed and promptly dispatched from our UK warehouse. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Date published: 1965
ISBN-13:9780060800215ISBN:0060800216
Description: Unbound, ex-library, with usual stamps and markings, in fair condition suitable as a study copy. Ships within 24 hours. pp., 300grams, ISBN: 0060800216. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Date published: 1965
ISBN-13:9780060800215ISBN:0060800216
Description: Satisfaction Guaranteed. Shipped quickly. 1965. Paperback. Used, very good. Very good overall with light to moderate wear. No dust jacket. read more
Binding: PAPERBACK
Publisher: Harper & Row
Date published: 1965
ISBN-13:9780060800215ISBN:0060800216
Description: Good. 0060800216 Good condition, minor wear. No major marks or damage. Shelf wear along the edges of cover. Yellow highlighting and underling with notes through the book. Unique study of all the world's great religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Great customer service and a no problem, EZ return policy. Real people, real service, since 1981. read more
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Harper Colophon
Date published: 1970
ISBN-13:9780060900434ISBN:0060900431
Description: Good+ 8vo @C. {010814} Religions of Man by Huston Smith. ISBN 0060900431. Published by Harper Colophon in 1970. TRADE PAPERBACK 8vo @C Philosophy 328pp. {Book Condition} GOOD+ {Book Condition Details} Cover: edge wear, minor soiling, light creasing on Spine, light creasing, rubbing, End Papers: owner inscription(s) on front free endpaper, Text: creasing, underlining, margin notes. {Keywords} RELIGIONS RELIGION COMPARATIVE. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Mentor
Date published: 1963
Description: Fair. 12mo @C. {011941} The Religions of Man by Huston Smith. Published by Mentor in 1963. MASS MARKET PAPERBACK 12mo @C Philosophy 336pp. {Book Condition} FAIR {Book Condition Details} Binding: frayed ends, Cover: soiled, edge wear, soiling, heavy creasing on Spine, heavy creasing, scuffing, End Papers: owner inscription(s) on front paste down, Text: underlining, margin notes. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Harper, New York
Date published: 1958
Description: Fair. No dust jacket as issued. Highlighting/underlining. a lot of wear to cover and pages; writing on side of book; some stains; 328 p.; 22 cm. Includes bibliography. read more
"Huston provides a powerful punch of wonderous delight for the world's historical religions. I was left in awestuck wonder at how beautiful, pragmatic, and well thought out information that he articluates in this excellent book. This is an unbias fact base book that adhears to the positive side that religion provides (aside from the negativity that is obviously present within every religion, he bypasses that notion and delves into the heart and soul of each practice.)
I sat on my comfy sofa feeling the flecks of Eurika moments when my Westernized lacking of the Eastern religious became known to my clear concious. For example I erronously never knew that Hinduism was in actually embodiments of God (Brahmin), and never claimed to be attached to the polytheistic concept of gods. I never knew Buddhism claimed a 'non-soul' formation rather than obtaining a diety or type of heaven. Buddhism is self expansion. However my lacking of the Eastern practices which I found finally enlightened thorough Huston, the most embarassing Western religion that I found myself quite ignorant on was Islam. I thought of Islam from what I was known from the bias media, other religion's adgendas, and through a lack of educational enlightenment. Islam was the most enlightening and inspiring for me that I had to tell the world about how 'surrendering' Islam really is. Violence towards Islam coupled with Islam's faith is quite misunderstood, and completey wrong. Of course no one is discounting that there is domestic violence in Arab countries, but on the same coin there is also domestic violence towards women in America. The secret is that American's tend to 'shovel it under the rug'.
This book will provide a strong foundational backbone for anyone interested in learning about the world's religions. There is also a special chapter towards the end that talks about early man's 'primitive' or 'tribal' religions, before man became established on this earth (during prelithic and neolithic periods). This chapter alone is worth reading this book. Also on a side note, this book goes real well with Robert Van Voorst Anthology of World's Scriptures. For Huston skims over religion's doctrines and cultural rituals, where Voorst delves more into these aspects."
"Having been raised without the influence of any organized religion, and having never studied the topic in school, as an adult I felt I should learn a bit about some of the world's major religions. Too often when reading about politics, economics, or history I come across references that assume basic knowledge of Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism and find myself feeling lost without this set of basic knowledge. With that in mind, I picked up this book at random from a used book store while on vacation in Halifax in 2004. Since then I've probably read the whole thing at least three times, and certain chapters a dozen times. Whenever I find myself confused or frustrated about the beliefs and history of a given religion, I return to this book for clarification.
I appreciate how Huston studiously ignores the politics and denominational differences often associated with religion, while instead focusing only on the positive, universal and "pure" beliefs central to each. While this book won't convert a non-believer to any religion, it does provide some fairly convincing appreciation of why many people on Earth do find solace in religion, and it makes each set of beliefs seem like accessible and positive forces in the world. I highly recommend The World's Religion for anyone who honestly wants to come to some understanding of the world's various religions, and the histories behind them, without being dragged into the partisan political ugliness that unfortunately is often associated with modern religious discussion."
"No doubt a popular book in terms of numbers of copies sold. The author is a highly respected scholar on world religions who has taught at some of the most prestigious universities in America. He also grew up in China and has imbibed the rituals of most of the religions he's studied. So why the two stars:
* Smith is a pluralist. I find this position doesn't allow for the most rigorous and critical analysis of the religious positions presented.
Indeed, I find this position ironically gives the least respect to other religions. When everyone become special and unique, no one is special and unique.
* Smith barely delves into the doctrines of the world's religions, and this is what I'm interested in leaning and knowing.
This, of course, helps out with the pluralism. If we mainly look at the moral aspects of religions, well, they seem quite similar. Confucius say nice things and Jesus does nice things too. After all, WWJD, baby!
* Smith was raised a Christian (well, a moralist), but ironically he seems to know the least about Christianity.
He reads the OT prophets as proto advocates of a social gospel, and he reads the NT like a liberal protestant.
But if that weren't enough, he tries to "defend" the trinity by comparing the triune God of the Bible water's three stages. But the good doctor fails to see that this is simply the modalist heresy.
And if that weren't enough, he misquotes the Bible more than once.
* The book is depressing, but upon reflection, uplifting. One is sad for the adherents of the other religions and the constant working they do so as to "get saved" (however that is cashed out in their particular religion). How tiring. How impossible a task.
But then the Christian reflects. Christianity is based on something it claims actually happened in history. This is Jesus, the God-man, who fulfilled the demands of the law, and then took the punishment due lawbreakers, and then rose from the dead. By faith the Christian believes that these things were done for him and he simply rests and trusts in the work of another. How utterly beautiful is the gospel of Christianity to the ears of weary sinners tired of doing what Confucius say, or bending and contorting their bodies in hopes that the yogic rituals will make them ready to enter nirvana.
I would not recommend this book for anyone who wants to take a serious looks at the beliefs of the world's religions and wants to know why the adherents of those religions find those beliefs compelling and true."
"An extraordinary well written, deeply sympathetic guide to the religions of the world, written by a Christian scholar who manages to get inside the skin of each belief system, understand it from within and sympathetically describe its core beliefs and practices to outsiders. Not a history of religions but an outline of the core beliefs. It has been repeatedly updated. Covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and very briefly Tribal religions in that order. Ends with a very brief but interesting: so what?"
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
rating
