The Book Is An Academic Endeavour On A Variety Of Themes Encompassing History, Society, Religions, Vedas, Upanishads And Epics. It Also Studies The Movements Led By Various Personalities Enjoying Places Of Prominence In Their Respective Fields.Besides The Major Tenets Of Different Religions, The Book Discusses More Than Thirty Philosophies Representing Various Shades Of Thought Classified Into Five Broad Categories: (I) Saddarsanas Or Six Visions, Inspired By The Vedas, Are Independent In Approach And Argument Though Not Isolated From One Another; (Ii) Sramanas (Strivers) Philosophies Emerged In The 6Th Century Bc. Their Proponents Were, By And Large, Empiricists Who Used Experience And Observation As A Source Of Knowledge; (Iii) The Modern Philosophies In Hindusim Emanated From The Movements Of Revival Of This Religion Through Reformist Organisations Like Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj, And Theosophical Society, Etc.; (Iv) The Upanishadic Philosophies Mainly Revolve Around The Concepts Of Self The Individual, And Absolute God Almighty; (V) Finally, The Philosophies Of Different Religions Are Based On Faith And Practices Propounded By Their Respective Founders Or Their Successors.This Elaborate Study Is Structured In Two Volumes Each Consisting Of A Number Of Parts That Include Chapters On Different Themes. Volume I Makes A Detailed Discussion On India, Going In-Depth Into The Name, Basic Characteristics, Geography, History, Civilization, Etc. It Effectively Unveils India S Identity As A Nation Along With Its Historical Realities, Socio-Culture Features And Contribution To The World At Large In Spiritual Pursuits. Volume Ii Is A Self-Contained Comparative Study Of Hinduism And Christianity Accentuating The Doctrinal Issues Which Mark The Points Of Accord And Possible Discords In The Cordiality And Mutuality Of These Two Great Religions. Annexures Given In The End Constitute An Integral Part Of This Volume And Will Provide Useful Study-Aids To The Readers.The Book Will Be Useful To Students, Teachers, Religious Preachers, Educationists, And All Those Who Aspire To Enhance Their Knowledge On India S History, Religion And Spiritual Philosophy.

The Book Is An Academic Endeavour On A Variety Of Themes Encompassing History, Society, Religions, Vedas, Upanishads And Epics. It Also Studies The Movements Led By Various Personalities Enjoying Places Of Prominence In Their Respective Fields.Besides The Major Tenets Of Different Religions, The Book Discusses More Than Thirty Philosophies Representing Various Shades Of Thought Classified Into Five Broad Categories: (I) Saddarsanas Or Six Visions, Inspired By The Vedas, Are Independent In Approach And Argument Though Not Isolated From One Another; (Ii) Sramanas (Strivers) Philosophies Emerged In The 6Th Century Bc. Their Proponents Were, By And Large, Empiricists Who Used Experience And Observation As A Source Of Knowledge; (Iii) The Modern Philosophies In Hindusim Emanated From The Movements Of Revival Of This Religion Through Reformist Organisations Like Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj, And Theosophical Society, Etc.; (Iv) The Upanishadic Philosophies Mainly Revolve Around The Concepts Of Self The Individual, And Absolute God Almighty; (V) Finally, The Philosophies Of Different Religions Are Based On Faith And Practices Propounded By Their Respective Founders Or Their Successors.This Elaborate Study Is Structured In Two Volumes Each Consisting Of A Number Of Parts That Include Chapters On Different Themes. Volume I Makes A Detailed Discussion On India, Going In-Depth Into The Name, Basic Characteristics, Geography, History, Civilization, Etc. It Effectively Unveils India S Identity As A Nation Along With Its Historical Realities, Socio-Culture Features And Contribution To The World At Large In Spiritual Pursuits. Volume Ii Is A Self-Contained Comparative Study Of Hinduism And Christianity Accentuating The Doctrinal Issues Which Mark The Points Of Accord And Possible Discords In The Cordiality And Mutuality Of These Two Great Religions. Annexures Given In The End Constitute An Integral Part Of This Volume And Will Provide Useful Study-Aids To The Readers.The Book Will Be Useful To Students, Teachers, Religious Preachers, Educationists, And All Those Who Aspire To Enhance Their Knowledge On India S History, Religion And Spiritual Philosophy.

This beautifully designed, full-color textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to the world's religions, including history, beliefs, worship practices, and contemporary expressions. Charles Farhadian, a seasoned teacher and recognized expert on world religions, provides an empathetic account that both affirms Christian uniqueness and encourages openness to various religious traditions. His nuanced, ecumenical perspective enables readers to appreciate both Christianity and the world's religions in new ways. The book highlights similarities, dissimilarities, and challenging issues for Christians and includes significant selections from sacred texts to enhance learning. Pedagogical features include sidebars, charts, key terms, an extensive glossary, over two hundred illustrations, and about a dozen maps. This book is supplemented with helpful web materials for both students and professors through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources. Resources include self quizzes, discussion questions, additional further readings, a sample syllabus, and a test bank.

Religion has been, and is, an important element in Indian society and history. It is, however, rare for the subject to be discussed with the necessary degree of detachment. This volume was, therefore, planned with the object of providing a collection of studies that would deal with the role of religion in Indian history on the basis of a rigorous application of academic criteria. The results may surprise those who are more familiar with chauvinistic or apologetic interpretations. The editor's introduction and the fifteen chapters range over an extensive period, from prehistory to the present day, and take up specific problems of crucial significance in exploring the inter- relationship between religion and social change. This volume draws on new research and is meant for academics as well as general readers, who may find here much that is of relevance to their social and intellectual concerns.

Christian communities in the state Andhra Pradesh of south India and the Telugu Christians in diaspora have passed their stories from one generation to the next by oral traditions as well as in scattered texts. James Elisha Taneti's History of the Telugu Christians: A Bibliography lists more than 700 published and unpublished textual sources related to the history of Telugu Christians from south India, including monographs, journal articles, letters, reports, minutes and the proceedings of missionary conferences, unpublished theses, dissertations, souvenirs, and manuscripts. Taneti's insightful historiographical analysis and comprehensive list of bibliographic sources offer seminarians, historians, and scholars the opportunity to study the religious history of India through the founding and evolution of this community.

Are the Thomas references in the Gospel of John, the Thomas compositions, and the early Thomas traditions in northwestern and southern India purely legendary as biblical scholars have assumed or do they preserve unexamined historical traditions intermittently as the Thomas Christians in India have believed? Didymus Judas Thomas is one of the most misunderstood characters from the beginning of the New Testament history and interpretation. In this study, Thomaskutty addresses the following questions: whether Thomas was merely a 'doubting Thomas' or a 'genuine Thomas'? Can we understand Thomas comprehensively by bringing the New Testament, apocrypha, and historical traditions together? How was Thomas connected to eastern Christianity and how does the Thomas literature support/not support this connectivity? Can we understand the Thomas traditions related to Judea, Syria, and India with the help of canonical, extra canonical, and traditio-historical documents? Thomaskutty investigates the development of the Thomas literature right from the beginning, examining and questioning the approaches and methodologies that have been employed in interpreting these documents, and analyzes the Thomas literature closely in order to understand the character, his mission involvements, and the possible implications this may have for understanding early Christianity in the east.

Offers a portrait of Swami Vivekananda and his relationship with his guru, the legendary Ramakrishna. This work focuses on Vivekananda's reinterpretation and formulation of diverse Indian spiritual and mystical traditions and practices as "Hinduism" and how it served to create, distort, and justify a national self-image.