Scriptures of the World's Religions

"Religion is one of the most complex phenomena of world civilization, and several avenues are open for understanding the major faith traditions. We could attempt to have firsthand encounters with those religions by talking with their believers, visiting their sacred sites, or attending classes for converts. Alternatively, we could attempt a more arm's length approach by reading surveys of the various religions, some written by believers defending their faith, others by critics, and even more by academic historians or anthropologists. Yet another avenue is to examine the collected sacred texts revered by these religions themselves. This book takes this last approach. There are special benefits to exploring the world's religions through selections from their scriptures. In most cases the sacred texts are the oldest written documents in the tradition, and we gain a sense of immediate connection with these religions by studying the same documents that followers have been reading for millennia"--