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Synopsis
A new edition of a beautifully produced, popular book with an up-to-date approach.
Library Journal
Smart (emeritus, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) is one of the few public religious intellectuals who can be compared to the late Joseph Campbell. In this second edition of his study of world religions, he has expanded his discussion of the multifaceted dimensions of religious thought. This edition retains the same structure found in the earlier one: Part 1 charts the historical development of religions in the ancient worlds, while Part 2 follows how they changed after the Renaissance, the settling of the Americas, and other cultural shifts. In this version, he adds the effects of the breakup of the Soviet Union, the expansion of Islam, the spread of African American religious experiences, and the changes brought about by the introduction of female priests. It would be a mistake to assign this book as a primary textbook for a world religions class; Smart is primarily a historian, and the emphasis here is on world religions in terms of world history and constantly developing systems of faith, belief, and theology. Recommended for all libraries.--Glenn Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., Honolulu