World Religions in Practice A Comparative Introduction

World Religions in Practice introduces the world's great religions through their customs, rituals and everyday practices. By focusing on this 'lived experience' it goes beyond many traditional introductions to religious studies, providing an in-depth, comparative study, and an understanding of the broader context in which these religions should be understood. * Explores the five major religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, adopting a directly comparative approach to develop a greater understanding of the nature of religion * Each chapter engages with an individual theme, such as birth, death, food, pilgrimage and ethics, to illustrate how religious practices are expressed * Broadens students' understanding by offering an impartial discussion of the similarities and differences between each religion * Includes chapter-by-chapter opening themes and summaries, and is accompanied by a website at www.blackwellpublishing.com/gwynne featuring additional resources and study questions.

Paul Gwynne is a part-time lecturer in comparative religions in the General Education Program of the University of New South Wales. He completed his doctoral studies in Rome and has lectured in theology and religion in Indonesia and at the Melbourne College of Divinity.