Milestone Documents of World Religions
A CHOICE Top 75 Community College Resource for November 2017
Milestone Documents of World Religions examines the key sacred texts and foundational documents of the world's primary religions, from ancient times to the present, providing researchers with a fresh perspective on how critical religious texts have influenced both the past and the present.
The set covers all of the world's major religions, from Christianity and Islam to Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, as well as other religious traditions including: Confucianism, Sikhism, Jainism, Neopaganism, Celtic, Bahá'í , Mysticism, Freemasonry, Gnosticism, Hermetica, Witchcraft, Rastafari, Shinto, Daoism, Humanism, and Atheism, plus ancient traditions from Egypt and the Near East to Greece and Africa. Among the documents included in the set are key writings from sacred texts such as the Bible, Koran, Talmud, and Rig Veda; letters and essays including Martin Luther's 95 Theses, Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist, and Druze Epistles of Wisdom; and other religious writings such as the Lotus Sutra, Analects of Confucius, Cleanthes' Hymn to Zeus, Pittsburgh Platform of Reform Judaism, Rudolf Steiner's Theosophy, and the Yoruba prayer for balance.
The set provides an invaluable collection of primary documents, all of which are paired with extensive original commentary to help students understand the documents and place them in their historic and religious context. This new edition of Milestone Documents of World Religions offers an unparalleled reference tool for students conducting primary source research. It's particularly useful for high school and undergraduate students in both world history and theology courses. The set provides an invaluable collection of primary documents, all of which are paired with extensive original commentary to help students understand the documents and place them in their historic, cultural, and religious context.
The three-volume set covers 112 iconic primary documents from the third millennium BCE to the twenty-first century. The volumes and chapters are organized chronologically, with helpful indexes arranged according to subject and religious tradition. Milestone Documents of World Religions begins with an overview section that outlines the importance of the document. Subsequent sections in each entry include the following:
Context places the document in its historical context.- Time Line includes key events surrounding the writing of the document
- About the Author discusses the authorship of the document, including a brief biographical profile of the author, if known
- Explanation and Analysis of the Documents consists of a detailed examination of the document text
- Audience discusses the intended audience of the document's author
- Impact Outlines the historical impact of the document
- Essential Quotes offers a selection of key quotes from the document
- Questions for Further Study includes study questions for students
- Bibliography lists books, articles, and Web sites for further research
- Full text of the primary documents
- Glossary defines important, difficult, or unusual terms in the document texts
