An Invitation to the Study of World Religions

Jeffrey Brodd

California State University, Sacramento

Layne Little

University of California, Davis

Bradley Nystrom

California State University, Sacramento

Robert Platzner

California State University, Sacramento

Richard Shek

California State University, Sacramento

Erin Stiles

University of Nevada, Reno

Candlelight vigils typically draw together people of different religious perspectives in times of sorrow as well as celebration.

ON MOST AMERICAN COLLEGE CAMPUSES, signs of the world’s religions are readily observable. Bulletin boards display fliers announcing upcoming events pertaining to Buddhist meditation or Hindu sacred art or the Islamic observance of Ramadan. Campus religious groups engage in outreach activities at tables alongside walkways or in student unions, often with posters quoting scripture or displaying religious icons. Some icons even commonly adorn the students themselves—a cross necklace, for example, or a tattoo of the yin/yang symbol.

To study the world’s religions is to progress from mere observation of outward signs to understanding their meaning and relevance. Anyone who observes the yin-yang symbol can appreciate the beauty of its spiraling symmetry, but studying Chinese religion reveals a much more complex meaning. Mysterious in their origins, yin and yang are complementary primal energies that give rise to all creation. For the human being, to maintain a perfect balance of yin and yang is to live an ideal life. The nearly ubiquitous symbol of the cross similarly takes on new depths of meaning, even for many who identify themselves as Christian, when approached through the study of world religions. To Christians, God, the creator of all things, having taken on human form in the person of Jesus Christ, willingly suffered the painful death of crucifixion on the cross to save humanity from the power of sin. We can expand on our understanding of the meaning and cultural relevance of these two icons through a comparative study. Chinese religion, with its belief in the creative, complementary energies of yin and yang, has no need for a creator such as the Christian God. The Christian concept of sin and the corresponding need for salvation are alien to the Chinese quest for balance of yin and yang. These two icons, in other words, signify profoundly different cultural orientations.

To study the world’s religions is to enhance one’s understanding and appreciation of the rich variety of cultures around the globe. This chapter introduces this field of study by exploring the significance, examining the foundational concepts, and describing appropriate strategies for the academic exploration of religion.