The concept of deliverance from an imperfect human condition is present in all the world faiths. But what does the concept of salvation really represent to each of them? How do they define the human condition, and what do they see as its imperfect elements?
Harold Coward answers these questions and addresses a wide range of key issues in this acessible introduction. Covering not only Christianity, but also Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, he examines the roles of salvation and sin in each drawing on a diverse range of scripture, scholarship, and key thinkers both ancient and modern. Clearly organised chapters enable the reader to compare and contrast insights from each of the traditions covered, while the author's succinct style renders a wide amount of information easily digestible. He covers such areas as :
* Judaism - wrestling with good and evil in a post- Holocaust world
* Christianity - the changing nature of salvation through the Christian epoch
* Islam - the search for the Najat in the Sunni, Shi'a and Sufi traditions
* Hinduism- from the Bhagavad Gita to the modern message of ISKCON : seeking freedom from the ladder of rebirth
* Buddhism - nirvana, suffering and the nature of the eightfold Noble Path
Concluding with an overview of the key similarities and differences between each tradition, and featuring a full biography, this is essential reading for all students and scholars of comparative religion, as well as theologians and philosophers.

Introduction 1
2. Judaism 5
3. Christianity 7
4. Islam 59
5. Hinduism 89
6. Buddhism 124
7. Conclusion 139

Harold Coward is the Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, Canada. Author and editor of many books, he is a well-known expert on Hinduism, philosophy and comparative religion.