John Renard, PhD, is a professor in the department of theological studies at Saint Louis University. He is the author of several books, including "Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood"; "Islam and Christianity: Theological Themes in Comparative Perspective"; and "Tales of God's Friends: Islamic Hagiography in Translation." He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

An engaging question-and-answer guide to the world's major religions.

Why do conflicts in the name of God persist-even though religious scholars agree that all great religions are based on love, not carnage? What do different faiths have to say about God? About the afterlife?

The spiritual world we live in today is a diverse and sometimes highly individualized mixture of religious practices and beliefs. The physical world is a much smaller place, often secular in appearance but still very much fueled by religious beliefs and conflict in the name of God. The Handy Religion Answer Book is an easy-to-use comparative guide for anyone seeking a greater understanding of the world's religious beliefs, customs, and practices. It provides solid descriptions of major beliefs and rituals worldwide, affording the reader an understanding of contemporary religion.

This book contains detailed descriptions of the history, beliefs, symbols, rituals, observations, customs, membership, leaders, and organization of the world's eight major religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto.

Clearly and eloquently written by a scholar with over 40 years of study and teaching experience, The Handy Religion Answer Book is an engaging guide for anyone seeking basic religious literacy and intellectual history.

This handy primer contains a wealth of information and answers more than 1,000 questions, such as ...