The World's Religions by Hutson Smith

by Hutson Smith

Originally titled The Religions of Man, this completely revised and updated edition of Smith's masterpiece, now with an engaging new foreword, explores the essential elements and teachings of the world's predominant faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the native traditions of the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Oceania.

Emphasising the inner -- rather than institutional -- dimensions of these religions, Smith devotes special attention to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the teachings of Jesus. He convincingly conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on the human heart and imagination.

"This is one book on world religions I can't do without. I return to it often--and always with reward."-- Bill Moyers

"Intelligent, clearly written...reveals the spirit of each faith."-- New York Times

Huston Smith is internationally known and revered as the premier teacher of world religions and for his bestselling books The World's Religions and Why Religion Matters. He was the focus of a five-part PBS television series with Bill Moyers, and has taught at Washington University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

User reviews

I Wish this Could Have Been One of My College Textbooks

By Bryan Booth, San Francisco, CA

A masterpiece of religious writing, this book is much more than just a reference to all of the world's religions. The World's Religions is a clear, concise, and fun read, which already makes it better than all of the religious textbooks I've read in the past. I've always been curious about the history and basic ideas behind many of the worlds major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. This book has cleared it all up for me! As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, I feel like it is my duty to be well informed of various types of spiritual and religious practices. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a crash course on many of the major world religions.