Religious Thoughts in Perspective : An Introduction to Concepts, Approaches, and Traditions

Religious Thoughts in Perspective: An Introduction to Concepts, Approaches, and Traditions provides a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon of religion. Based on over thirty years of teaching, this single, concise volume offers students of religion and religious philosophy everything they need to effectively learn about the study and practice of religion.

Scholarly, without being pedantic, Religious Thought in Perspective addresses issues that are current and relevant, while still offering a thorough grounding in the origin and historical development of many world religions.

The book is divided into three parts. The first discusses conceptual issues, in which religion itself is clearly defined. Subsequent chapters deal with the development of religion and religious symbols. The second part of the text focuses on approaches to the study of religion. These include the philosophical, sociological, ethical and comparative. The third part is devoted to specific religious traditions including African, Judeo-Christian, Islamic, and Asian.

Review questions at the end of each chapter encourage discussion and promote retention. The text also includes a detailed bibliography and recommended books for further reading.

Religious Thoughts in Perspective is an excellent text for courses in World Religion, Comparative Religion, and the Philosophy of Religion.

Ibigbolade Aderibigbe received his Ph.D. from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Currently he teaches African religion and the Religions of Africa in the Diaspora in the Department of Religion and African Studies at the University of Georgia, Athens. Previously, Dr. Aderibigbe taught at Lagos State University, Ojo, in Lagos, Nigeria, where he also served as Chair of the Department of Religion. His areas of interest and research are the philosophy of religion, African indigenous religion, and the religions of Africa in the diaspora. Dr. Aderibigbe has written and co-edited numerous books. His articles have appeared in refereed journals and his work has been included in edited volumes. For many years he served as the editor of Religious Educator, the Journal of Nigerian Association for the Study of Religions and Education. His latest book is Abortion, Religious Belief and Medical Ethics: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives, published in April, 2011.