Religions of the World Made Simple

I have always been a fan of the Made Simple series, having from secondary school to the present relied on them for basic overviews and introductions to material I might not otherwise study yet wanted to know in broad strokes. Obviously as a priest, religious studies is one of the fields in which my education continued in some depth (particularly in regards to those fields that relate closely to theology), and yet for over 20 years, this text, 'Religions of the World Made Simple', has remained on my shelf as a well-used ready reference.This book covers all of the major religions of the world:Brahmanism and Later HinduismBuddhismConfucianismTaoismReligions of Ancient Greece and RomeJudaismIslamChristianityMysticismModernism and HumanismThese last ideas might not qualify traditionally as religious beliefs, but in many ways the paradigms and intentions of these parallel what qualifies as religious belief in more traditional faiths. The question about what religion is, anthropologically and psychologically, is discussed in the first few chapters. Lewis gives an overview of ideas from primitive religion and rites of fertility, weather control, etc., and developments through ancestor worship, magic, nature religions, animism and other concepts that still hold a place in many, if not most, modern religions. The psychology of religion is traced through the ideas of Freud, Jung and others to look at religion both theoretically and in practice.The final chapter looks at emerging religions and denominations (Mormons, Christian Scientists, Jehovah Witnesses, etc.) and unusual remnant survivals, such as the small communities of Samaritans and Hassids. The appendix looks at forms and practices of worship in the major religions of the world, highlight both common practices and those things that separate branches within each framework. Differences between orthodox, conservative and liberal Judaism, for example, are highlighted, as are differences between orthodox, catholic and protestant Christianity. The text is accessible and basic, not relying on too much jargon or technical language. Each religion has terminology of its own and uses language in a particular way; as is necessary for the descriptions, these are explained when encountered in simple terms. The author has a bit of a bias against innovation in religion, often calling things 'strange' or using other terms that might have been better referred to in a different way. However, most things are described with fairness and basic accuracy. There is basic bibliographic material given after each section; for the primary texts, these are useful, but in many cases there are more recent texts that would be included if this text is updated.Still, these are minor criticism for a book that serves as a good basic overview of world religions for the person with a basic education but did not get a survey of the religions, or for someone who wants a simple reference.