New to the Fourth Edition

• Twenty-first century boxes We’ve created a new feature highlighting in a concentrated manner how each religion is manifested in contemporary times, as reflected in population figures and current trends.

• Focus on religion and the environment In response to reviewer suggestions and the great and growing interest in ecological issues, each chapter includes substantive consideration of the religion’s stance on the environment and on activities aimed at caring for the natural world. Religions that regard nature itself as sacred would seem to be inherently environmentally conscientious; but all religions, especially lately, embrace in one way or another ecological causes.

• Enhanced consideration of gender roles and personal identity Moving beyond stand-alone sections on “Women and Religion” and attending to perspectives both traditional and modern, each chapter clarifies gender roles and examines forces that have brought about transformations. Issues involving sexuality and gender identity are also explored.

• A more uniform writing style and improved images and graphics We have continued to streamline and clarify the presentation of material, particularly in response, once again, to many helpful reviewer suggestions. We also have replaced photos and updated maps and other graphic features to improve both the appearance and the substance of the book.

Along with the general features described here, chapter-specific revisions of particular note include the following:

• Chapter 1, “An Invitation to the Study of World Religions,” features new consideration of various issues: eschatology and religious perspectives on the fate of the natural world; the place of environmentalism and spiritual ecology within religions; and gender roles and personal identity.

• Chapter 2, “Indigenous Religions of North America,” and Chapter 3, “Indigenous Religions of Africa,” include expanded sections on historical events and processes, both precolonial and postcolonial.

• Chapter 5, “Buddhism,” has been extensively revised to present a clearer and more inviting explanation of conceptually challenging ideas, especially in Mahayana and

Vajrayana Buddhism.

• Chapter 14, “New Religious Movements,” features a more streamlined presentation on typological approaches and, in its new section on spiritual ecology, examination of the Findhom Foundation in Scotland, one of the West’s most successful ecovillages.