Religion is a vital part of the way of life and culture of millions of people worldwide and this guide aims to help readers become familiar with 12 of the main religious faiths of the world. It uncovers the history of each faith, its belief system, scriptures and holy books, festivals and ceremonies and key religious ideas and the organization which supports it. The book is designed to present all the essential information required by a reader who has no previous knowledge of the religion, but who wants to feel confident in dealing with members of the faith community - in terms of their beliefs and attitudes and also of the practical details of their culture, ceremony, diet and moral views. As such it should be relevant to the needs of police, social workers, solicitors, businessmen, teachers and all who require sensitivity and insight in dealing with the public in a multi-faith and multi-ethnic society.

Table of Contents

01 Introduction 02 Confuclanism 03 Taoism 04 Shinto 05 Judaism 06 Christianity 07 Islam 08 Baha'ism 09 Hinduism 10 Buddhism 11 Jainism 12 The religion of the Parsis 13 Sikhism 14 Conclusion: the future of religion Glossary Taking it further Index

Author Biography

DR Paul Oliver is a principal lecturer at the University of Huddersfield. He has carried out research in comparative religion and has a particular interest in Eastern religions.