John Morreall

THE RELIGION TOOLKIT A comprehensive survey of the study of religion worldwide, from ancient indigenous traditions to today’s religious nationalism. “This is an excellent book that is a good, comprehensive overview of the history of religions and the ways of studying religion within Religious Studies… it really brings religions to life for the reader.” —Gavin Flood, Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion, Oxford University “The authors provide a clear, first-rate introduction to the study of religions, origins, leading scholars and their theories and beliefs…. This is by far the best introductory volume I am aware of both in terms of substance, clarity, and insights.” — John L. Esposito, Distinguished University Professor, Georgetown University, and Past President of the American Academy of Religion The Religion Toolkit: Understanding Religion in the World Today is a clear and comprehensive introduction to the academic study of religions, providing readers an introduction to the history and theories of Religious Studies, a survey of global religious traditions, and an overview of religion in the public sphere today. Discusses theory and methodology in religion, including the disciplines of anthropology, psychology, philosophy, biblical studies, and theologyDescribes the early development of religion, with overviews of traditions around the world, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’i, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and ShintoCovers traditions not commonly addressed in introductory textbooks, such as Santeria, Vodou, Tengrism, and indigenous traditions of the AmericasExamines recent developments and contemporary issues such as secularization, bioethics, and the rise of religious nationalismIncludes access to a companion website with discussion questions, additional material, and helpful primary and secondary sources Providing the knowledge and tools required to explore and understand the nature and roles of religion, The Religion Toolkit: Understanding Religion in the World Today, Second Edition is an excellent introductory textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in Religious Studies, History of Religion, Religions of the World, and Theory and Method in the Study of Religion, as well as a valuable resource for general readers interested in the role of religion in the world today.

Questions for Christians: The Surprising Truths behind Basic Beliefs asks whether or not Christians today have gotten Jesus’ message right, drawing on the Bible and the history of Christianity for answers. From the gender of God to what happens when we die, Questions for Christians digs into some of the thorniest points of the Christian faith—questions that many people would rather ignore. Most Christians today believe in “just wars,” but how do we reconcile this belief with Jesus’ saying “Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also,” or the pacifism of most early Christians? Protestants and Catholics today generally believe that Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins, but most Orthodox Christians don’t believe this, and neither did most Western churches before 1100. What is the truth? Drawing on sources both ancient and modern, John Morreall explores these issues while identifying points of controversy. Some of the answers are surprising, while others provide a more complete understanding of common beliefs.

50 Great Myths about Religions is an intriguing, informative, and often humorous introduction to some of the long standing myths that surround religious belief. This engaging book will get its readers thinking about how and why certain myths have arisen, and their continuing influence on our personal and collective view of religion. Offers a lively, informative, and thought-provoking introduction to some of the common misbeliefs surrounding religions Discusses myths about religious belief in general, as well as specific ideas that surround Judaism, Christianity, Islam, atheism, and agnosticismCovers a wide range of myths, from ancient legends such as the Bible forbidding pork being eaten because it causes illness, to modern urban fables, such as Barack Obama being a MuslimUnpacks each myth in turn, explaining why it arose, how it spread, and why the beliefs that stem from it are questionableIncludes a fascinating discussion about human nature, and the main characteristics that predispose us to create and circulate myths to begin withUnderpinned by a wide knowledge of academic research, it is written by two respected religion scholars and experienced authors

50 Great Myths about Religions is an intriguing, informative, and often humorous introduction to some of the long standing myths that surround religious belief. This engaging book will get its readers thinking about how and why certain myths have arisen, and their continuing influence on our personal and collective view of religion. Offers a lively, informative, and thought-provoking introduction to some of the common misbeliefs surrounding religions Discusses myths about religious belief in general, as well as specific ideas that surround Judaism, Christianity, Islam, atheism, and agnosticismCovers a wide range of myths, from ancient legends such as the Bible forbidding pork being eaten because it causes illness, to modern urban fables, such as Barack Obama being a MuslimUnpacks each myth in turn, explaining why it arose, how it spread, and why the beliefs that stem from it are questionableIncludes a fascinating discussion about human nature, and the main characteristics that predispose us to create and circulate myths to begin withUnderpinned by a wide knowledge of academic research, it is written by two respected religion scholars and experienced authors

This complete overview of religious studies provides students with the essential knowledge and tools they need to explore and understand the nature of religion. Covers the early development of religion, with overviews of major and minor religions from Islam to ScientologyConsiders recent developments including secularization; the relationship between religion and science; and scientific studies on religion, health, and mystical experienceUses humor throughout, allowing students to remain open-minded to the subjectExplains what it means to study religion academically, and considers the impact of the study of religion on religion itselfContains numerous student-friendly features including photos, maps, time lines, side bars, historical profiles, and population distribution figuresProvides classroom users with a lively website,www.wiley.com/go/religiontoolkit, including questions, quizzes, extra material, and helpful primary and secondary sources

Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor develops an inclusive theory that integrates psychological, aesthetic, and ethical issues relating to humor Offers an enlightening and accessible foray into the serious business of humorReveals how standard theories of humor fail to explain its true nature and actually support traditional prejudices against humor as being antisocial, irrational, and foolishArgues that humor’s benefits overlap significantly with those of philosophyIncludes a foreword by Robert Mankoff, Cartoon Editor of The New Yorker

Explicates the worldviews of comedy and tragedy, and analyzes world religions, finding some to be more comic, others more tragic. CHOICE 2000 Outstanding Academic TitleComedy, tragedy, and religion have been intertwined since ancient Greece, where comedy and tragedy arose as religious rituals. This groundbreaking book analyzes the worldviews of tragedy and comedy, and compares each with the world's major religions. Morreall contrasts the tragic and comic along twenty psychological and social dimensions and uses these to analyze both Eastern and Western traditions. Although no religion embodies a purely tragic or comic vision of life, some are mostly tragic and others mostly comic. In Eastern religions, Morreall finds no robust tragic vision but does find significant comic features, especially in Taoism and Zen Buddhism. In the Western monotheistic tradition, there are some comic features in the early Bible, but by the late Hebrew Bible, the tragic vision dominates. Two millennia have done little to reverse that tragic vision in Judaism. Christianity, on the other hand, has shown both tragic and comic features-Morreall writes of the Calvinist vision and the Franciscan vision-but in the contemporary era comic features have come to dominate. The author also explores Islam, and finds it has neither a comic nor a tragic vision. And, among new religions, those which emphasize the personal self come close to having an exclusively comic vision of life.