The message and the book
Subtitle: sacred texts of the world's religions
By: John Bowker
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2012
Place of publication: New Haven, Conn
Language: eng
Number of pages: 406
ISBN-13: 9780300179293; 9780300192339
Subjects: Sacred books
Other titles: Message & the book; Sacred texts of the world's religions
Description: This survey of the sacred writings of the major religions of the world offers an introduction to the ideas and beliefs upon which great faiths are built. Under the expert guidance of the author, a religious scholar, readers explore the key texts of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Confucian, Daoist, and Shinto traditions. The author discusses some four hundred books, among them such well-known sacred texts as the Bible and the Quran, but also spiritual writings by theologians, philosophers, poets, and others. He provides commentary on each text, describing the content and core tenets of the work and quoting pertinent passages. He also sets the writings in religious and historical contexts, showing how they have influenced, and in many cases continue to influence, artistic, musical, literary, and political traditions. This book's primary focus is to teach the meaning and significance of primary religious texts of civilizations around the globe.
Notes: Originally published: London : Atlantic Books, 2011.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 358-388) and index.
Table of contents: title: Judaism. The Bible: the origins of the Jewish people; title: Tanakh: history and revelation; title: Tanakh: canon and translations; title: Interpretation of Torah: Mishnah and Talmuds, Shulhan Aruch; title: Maimonides: Mishneh Torah; title: Qabbalah: Zohar; title: Liturgy and prayer: Amida and Piyyutim.; title: Christianity. The New Testament : Jesus and the canon; title: The New Testament : the Gospels; title: The New Testament: Epistles and other writings; title: Translations: the Vulgate, the authorised version; title: Creeds and confessions: the Apostles' and the Nicene Creeds, from Augsburg to Peter the Great; title: Councils: ecumenical councils, Vatican I, Vatican II; title: Prayers and hymns: the Office, the Book of Common Prayer, hymns, John and Charles Wesley; title: Liturgy and eucharist: the Last Supper, Kontakia; title: Prayer and monastic orders: Basil the Great, Dionysius, The Philokalia; title: Monasticism: Rule of Benedict; title: Christianity of the Celts: Columbanus, Patrick, Carmina Gaedelica; title: Acts of the martyrs: Polycarp, Dietrich Bonhoeffer; title: Augustine: The Confessions; title: Thomas Aquinas: Summa contra Gentiles, Summa Theologica; title: Poetry: Dante and others; title: The Reformations: Luther, Calvin; title: The Reformations: Trent, John of the Cross, Ignatius.; title: Islam. The Quran: Muhammad the Prophet; title: The Quran: Revelation, the People of the Book; title: The Quran: the Mushaf; title: Hadith: the six sound collections; title: Sharia and the life of Muhammad: ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah; title: alGhazali  Ihya 'Ulum udDin, Munqidh min adDalal; title: Sufis; title: The poets of Persia: Farid, Sa'di, Hafiz, Jami, Rumi.; title: Zoroastrians and Parsis. Zarathustra: Gathas, Yasna, Avesta.; title: India. The Vedas; title: Upanishads and Agamas; title: Sutras: Badarayana's Vedanta Sutra, Patanjali's Yoga Sutra; title: Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras: Manusmriti; title: The Epics : Ramayana and Mahabharata; title: Puranas : Bhagavata Purana; title: The song of the Lord: Bhagavadgita; title: The love of God: Gitagovinda; title: The love of God: Alvars and Nayanars; title: Tantra: Shrividya; title: The Gitas: Anugita, Ishvaragita and Devigita; title: The Sants: Kabir .; title: Sikhs. Guru Nanak: Japji and Mul Mantra; title: The Gurus: Adi Granth, Guru Granth Sahib and Dasam Granth.; title: Jains. Agamas, Suttas and Tattvartha Sutra.; title: Buddhism (for Buddhism in Korea, see Korea). The Buddha: the first and final addresses; title: Sacred texts of Buddhists: the Pali Canon and the Canons of Tibet, China and Japan; title: Lives of the Buddha: Jatakas, Buddhacarita and Lalitavistara; title: The Sangha: Vinaya Pitaka, Dhammapada; title: Dharma/Dhamma: Abhidhamma, Visuddhimagga, Milindapañha; title: Mahayana: Sutras; title: Perfection of wisdom: Ashtasahasrika Sutra, The Diamond-Cutter Sutra, The Heart Sutra, and Nagarjuna; title: Yogacara: Lankavatara Sutra, Asanga and Vasubandhu; title: Huayan: Avatamsaka Sutra; title: Tiantai: The Threefold Lotus Sutra, Nichiren; title: Pure land; title: Chan: Bodhidharma, The Platform Sutra; title: Zen: Rinzai and Koans, Soto and Dogen; title: Tibetan Buddhism: Kangur and Tengyur; title: Tibetan Buddhism: Naropa, The Tibetan Book of the Dead.; title: China (for Buddhism in China, see Buddhism). The Confucian classics: Liujing; title: The Book of Songs: Shijing; title: The Analects: Lunyu; title: Great learning and doctrine of the mean: Da Xue and Zhong Yong; title: The Book of Mencius: Mengzi; title: The Daoist Canon: Daozang; title: Laozi, the Way and its Power: Daodejing; title: Zhuangzi: Zhuangzi or Nan Hua Zhen Jing; title: The Neo-Confucianists: the Five Masters.; title: Korea. The Korean Canon: Taejang Togam, Wonhyo and Chinul.; title: Japan (for Buddhism in Japan, see also Buddhism). Shinto: Kojiki and Nihongi; title: The organisation of Japanese society: Juschichijo Kempo, Engishiki and Norito; title: Shingon and Shinto: Nanto Rokushu, Kukai and Kitabatake Chikafusa; title: The defining of Shinto: the Five Shinto Classics, Kokugaku; title: Poetry and the power of words: Manyoshu, Kokinshu, Shinkokinshu and Basho.; title: Sacred texts and the burning of books.