From the Author
"For although religion does not explain everything about a people's
behavior, as the mother of morals and definer of justice it has ever
been a chief arbiter of man's conduct." (Anon., The Path of Buddhism,
Our goal in writing this book is to make the religious
beliefs of the majority of humanity understandable to those who do not
come from the same religious background. They are each greatly
summarized. Thus, the point needs to be made that each section consists
of what could be called "orthodox generalizations", and that the
personal beliefs of individuals or of sects within the various religious
traditions will be quite different in some areas covered.
the main section of this book, we have striven to use material from each
religion about itself (such as denominational pamphlets, correspondence
courses, conversations with believers and interviews with clergy), with
our own additional commentary supplied only in order to make ideas
foreign to the North American mind more easily grasped. If we have
confused, or rendered anything inaccurate it is our own misunderstanding
of the material that we consulted, and the fault is ours alone. In
addition, several appendices have been added in order to examine some
areas of special interest (at least for us) in greater depth. These
appendices are written from our own perspectives.
so much time overseas (Douglas) and with so many international
university students (Gary), we became intrigued by how much better we
could understand and be accepted by people of other cultures if we got
to know a little about their religions (or the religion that influenced
the culture that they were raised in). Rather than just knowing
geography and perhaps a bit of political news (as you would tend to get
from the media or a modern/western program, article or book about a
place), knowing religion helps in being able to relate to others
culturally, even if they are not practicing a religion.
that religions and cultures are very tightly interrelated. So tightly,
in fact, that having knowledge of the 3 general categories of religions
which came out of the 3 areas of the world (China, India, Near East)
gives a person a real advantage in better understanding both people and
cultures. Although we are largely dealing with generalizations, we have
sought to find a tentative starting point in discussing things that a
novice might otherwise lack. The first half of this book is devoted to
religions beyond Christianity. As the world increasingly becomes a
smaller place, a basic understanding of the different religions of
others that one increasingly meets at work and socially will become more
We have spent much of the book describing the many
branches of Christianity. This was not only because it happens to be the
authors' religious background, but also because it gives a perspective
of how much variation exists in the largest religion in the world today.
The Orthodoxy of the Middle Ages can no longer be seen in the lives of
individual Christians, let alone their hundreds and hundreds of church
organizations. People used to think that religions were monolithic, but
they turn out to be much more heterodox than was originally assumed.
is our prayer that this book will prove helpful and useful to the
reader in better understanding all the varied beliefs of humanity and
that it may be a tool for the user to also come to better understand
other people of whatever religious background.
Antion, MA Douglas Ruml, CFM, MA
From the Back Cover
"This compendium of World Religions serves as a valuable reference work
for layman and scholar. The authors devoted several years in
researching, analyzing and organizing this work. Their research involved
extensive travel and combing through volumes of manuscripts and
conversations with the converts of various religions. The material is
presented in an unbiased and objective manner that allows the reader to
easily compare the teachings of a particular religion with their faith.
the material is organized systematically enabling the reader to easily
navigate the principal tenants of each religion. Along with the
theological and philosophical foundations, the authors present in
logical sequence the historical, social and cultural backgrounds that
influenced the development of each religion.
authenticity are hallmarks of this work. The compendium has served as a
basic textbook in college classes for over a decade and has stood the
scrutiny of students and scholars. One is drawn into the work largely
due to the clarity of thought and readability of the material. It is
rare to find a work of this nature that lends itself useful to student
and scholar. This work will serve student and instructor well in the
study of world religions."
- Donald Ward, Ph.D.
Internet changing the world in ways past generations never imagined,
understanding other peoples, cultures and religions has become crucial.
Gary Antion and Douglas Ruml have produced a compact resource that will
prove invaluable to those involved in international business, and will
help avoid mis-understandings across a wide spectrum of human activity.
Part of the power of the book comes from the organization of the
material. Each religion is presented in the same format and under the
same headings. It makes finding what you are looking for a cinch. This
is a valuable book to have close at hand, whether you are a writer, a
business person, or just curious about what you hear on the news."
Ronald L. Dart, Christian Education Ministries