Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change

I purchased this book for class and it has been one of the easiest books to read for class assignments. Many people probably purchase this book for the same reason, but I recommend it to anyone that is interested in learning more about world religions. I usually don't read my books for class, but this is one I find myself reading. It flows really easily and is easy to follow.

This is the newest edition of Molloy's classic text. At the end of this review I pasted my review of edition 3. But first, let me describe what you get in the 4th edition. . . --------------------------- Edition 4 The first thing one notices is the similarities with the earlier edition. A few terms have been changed and tightened up for clarity and to be politically correct. The general outline of the chapters has been cleaned up a bit. A few of the illustrations have been updated. These make the book a better edition, but not worth bying a higher price than a the older edition. What makes the newer version worth the money? It's facts, figures, understanding of religions, etc. All through the book these have been updated. Religion is a field of studies that is constantly in flux. If you are not reading the most up to date texts, you are reading outdated information. It is the same thing that makes reading today's news more valuable than reading last year's news. Get the most recent edition possible. ----------------------------------- My old review of edition 3 I've used several college religion texts through the years. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. EXPERIENCING THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS is no exception. I especially like the chapters on Hinduism and modern religious expressions. This book comes close to labeling post-modernity without actually going out on a limb to predict the future. The last chapters elevate this book beyond the norm for religious textbooks. The author includes a personal experience (which I like) in each chapter and a hypothetical experience for the reader (which I find distracting) opens each chapter. It doesn't put quite as much emphasis on basic (oral) religions as some texts. For instance, I wish it had a little more on Native American and Traditional African religions. This is an excellent text for the instructor who is able to bring supplemental material into the classroom. Someone embarking on a private study of world religions should not feel as if the surface has been scratched until more than one text is read. I also reviewed RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD by Hopfe & Woodward. The two texts compliment each other nicely.

Arrived on time & in great condition (better than I even expected- minimal wear, no marks). This older edition was basically identical to the later one, so worked great for my Religions of the World class. Facsinating. Good price. Thanks!

I've used several college religion texts through the years. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. EXPERIENCING THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS is no exception. I especially like the chapters on Hinduism and modern religious expressions. This book comes close to labeling post-modernity without actually going out on a limb to predict the future. The last chapters elevate this book beyond the norm for religious textbooks. The author includes a personal experience (which I like) in each chapter and a hypothetical experience for the reader (which I find distracting) opens each chapter. It doesn't put quite as much emphasis on basic (oral) religions as some texts. For instance, I wish it had a little more on Native American and Traditional African religions. This is an excellent text for the instructor who is able to bring supplemental material into the classroom. Someone embarking on a private study of world religions should not feel as if the surface has been scratched until more than one text is read. I also reviewed RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD by Hopfe & Woodward. The two texts compliment each other nicely.

I am a college student and I have found this book to be an excellent text. It's written in real-world language, so I didn't spend half of my time looking up jargon that only history scholars would understand. The author writes sensibly but also keeps the reader's interest thorugh fabulous color pictures and the questions that he poses.