Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations (Volume 2) - Softcover

The editors, Linda Woodhead, Paul Fletcher, Hiroko Kawanami and David Smith are all members of the Religious Studies Department at Lancaster University, one of the leading international institutions in the study of religion.

The editors, all from the religious studies department of Lancaster University, have created an excellent textbook on contemporary religions and spiritualities. Although designed for undergraduate students, the work contains newly synthesized material that will interest both advanced students and the reading public. The text explores the engagement of religion with the contemporary world and the challenges of modernity. Parts 1 and 2 feature separate chapters on various Asian and Western religions, covering sources and resources, interactions with modernity, prospects for the future, a summary, key terms, and further reading. The most interesting chapters are those in Part 3 ("Themes and Trends"), which broach such subjects as secularization, globalization, politics, gender, and the move from religion to spirituality. Few works synthesize contemporary religious trends the way this volume does, but the World Christian Encyclopedia (Oxford Univ., 2001) and Moojan Momen's The Phenomenon of Religion (Oneworld, 1998) have contributed. The one drawback here is the failure to cover the Baha'i religion. Recommended for all public and academic libraries. William P. Collins, Library of Congress
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