Anthology of World Scriptures
Robert Van Voorst
9th Edition
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,Table of Contents
Scripture among the World’s Religions
• A Brief History of Scripture Scholarship
• The Definition of Scripture
• The Uses of Scripture
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Religions through Their Scriptures
• World Scriptures and Modern Scholarship
• Scriptures and the World Wide Web
• The Plan of This Book
• Suggestions on How to Read Scriptures
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
Hinduism
• Introduction
• Overview of Structure
• Contemporary Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• Teaching
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o Aditi and the Birth of the Gods
o Two Philosophical Views of Creation
o The God Indra
o Rudra and Shiva
o “That You Are” (Atman-Brahman)
o Hindu Rejection of Buddhism and Jainism
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• Ethics
o Sin and Forgiveness
o The Three “Dā”s
o The Way of Knowledge
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o Stages of Life for a Twice-Born Man
o The Life of Women
• Organization
o Caste System and Duties
o Outcastes
• Ritual and Meditation
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o The Gayātrī Mantra
o Sacrifice to Agni
o Soma
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o Marriage
o Cremation
o Charms and Spells
o Chanting of Āum
o The Practice of Yoga
• Selections from the Bhagavad-Gītā
• Selections from Tamil Poets (Appar & Tukāram)
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
Buddhism
• Introduction
• Overview of Structure
• Contemporary Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• History (Life of the Buddha, Past Lives, Death)
• Teaching (Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path, Skandhas, Mahāyāna)
• Ethics (Monastic and Lay Conduct, Parables)
• Organization (Monastic Order, Rules for Monks & Nuns)
• Ritual (Relics, Meditation, Koans, Magical Formulas)
, • Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
Jainism
• (Similar structure: Introduction, History, Ethics, Organization, Ritual, etc.)
Sikhism
• (Chapters on Sikh scripture, teaching, ethics, history)
Confucianism
• Introduction
• Overview of Structure
• Contemporary Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• History (Confucius, Mencius)
• Teaching (The Way, Human Nature)
• Ethics (Virtues, Relationships, Filiality, Propriety)
• Ritual (Divination, Music, Sacrifice)
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
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• Scriptures in Film
Taoism
• Introduction
• Overview of Structure
• Contemporary Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• Teaching (Nature of the Tao, Nonaction, Harmony)
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• Ethics (Death, Reward & Retribution)
• Ritual (Meditation, Death, Social Harmony)
• Glossary
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• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
Shinto
• (Scripture selections, rituals, history, ethics)
Zoroastrianism
• (Scriptures, teachings, ethics, rituals)
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Judaism
• Introduction
• Names
• Overview of Structure
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• Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• History (Abraham, Moses, Covenant, Exile)
• Teaching
• Ethics (Ten Commandments, Law, Wisdom)
• Organization (Priests, Prophets)
• Ritual (Circumcision, Passover, Sabbath, Atonement)
• Selections from Rabbinic Literature
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
Christianity
• Introduction
• Names
• Overview of Structure
• Use
• Origin and Development
• History (Life of Jesus, Resurrection, Early Church)
• Teaching (Parables, Incarnation)
, • Ethics (Sermon on the Mount, Marriage)
• Organization (Apostles, Mission)
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
Islam
• Introduction
• Name
• Overview of Structure
• Contemporary Use
• Historical Origin and Development
• History (Muhammad’s Call, Mission, Death)
• Teaching (Tawḥīd, Names of God, Predestination, Creation, Eschatology)
• Ethics (Believer Conduct, Women, Jinn)
• Ritual (Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting, Pilgrimage)
• Selections from the Qur’an
• Selections from Hadith and Sharīʿa
• Glossary
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• Questions for Study and Discussion
• Scriptures in Film
New Religious Movements
• Baha’i
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• Christian Science
• The Unification Church
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• (Possibly others)
• Glossary
• Questions for Study and Discussion
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• Scriptures in Film
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