Author Description

Product Description Discover the historical importance of religion in the world's cultures Closely edited for clarity and readability, and conceived for students with little or no background in the academic study of religions, Religions of the World offers the most up-to-date and historically accurate coverage of the world’s major religions. It not only explains to students why it is imperative to study religions, but does this through the support of primary source documents, coverage of religions as they exist today, and integrated media resources. In preparing the twelfth edition of Religions of the World, Mark Woodward drew on his introductory teaching experience – to thousands of undergraduates over the last decade – and his living / working experiences in Asian Christian, Buddhist, Confucian and Muslim societies for extended periods. He continues to stress the importance of religion in the world’s cultures, and the need to promote harmony and understanding among people of different faiths. Teaching and Learning Experience Personalize Learning - MyReligionLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals. Improve Critical Thinking - Outstanding student pedagogy and Religion and Violence boxes encourage students to examine their assumptions, discern hidden values, evaluate evidence, assess their conclusions, and more! Engage Students - Religions of the World provides undergraduate students with a relevant text written at a level they can understand, and explains religious diversity and complex themes within context of real people and real life. Support Instructors - Teaching your course just got easier! You can create a Customized Text or use our Instructor’s Manual, Electronic “MyTest” Test Bank or PowerPoint Presentation Slides. Plus, Religions of the World’s coverage is both comprehensive and broad enough that you can choose which religions you want to cover, and not find it necessary to use handouts, course packs, or supplemental texts. MyReligionLab does not come automatically packaged with this text. To purchase MyReligionLab, please visit: www.MyReligionLab.com or you can purchase a valuepack of the text + MyReligionLab (at no additional cost): VP ISBN-10: 0205201180/ VP ISBN-13:9780205201181About the AuthorIn This Section: I. Author BioII. Author Letter I. Author Bio Mark Woodward is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Arizona State University and Visiting Professor of Comparative Religion at the Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies at Gadjah Madah University and Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, both in Yogyakarta Indonesia. He conducted ethnographic research in Indonesia, Burma and Thailand, and is also author of the books, Islam in Java and Java, Indonesia and Islam. II. Author Letter Dear Colleague, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the new edition of Religions of the World. This is the twelfth edition, and the book has gone through many changes over the years. It was originally authored by Lewis Hopfe, a dedicated teacher and scholar whose vision for teaching the World Religions course combined a sense of history with an appreciation of keeping the subject alive by focusing on contemporary trends in religions and the role of religion in world affairs. In the editions I have edited, and sections of the book that I have rewritten, I have done the best that I can to retain this perspective. I continue to include both primary texts and first hand accounts of what is now called "lived religion" or somewhat less pretentiously "religion and everyday life. In fact, I explore these "living religions" in terms of the historical and cultural factors that produced them, the live