Introducing Religion: Religious Studies for the Twenty-First Century

Introducing Religion examines the different ways of looking at religion in the twenty-first century. Providing a broad overview to the discipline of religious studies, this new edition continues to introduce students to engaging and contemporary topics such as:

• sociology of religion
• psychology of religion
• history of religion
• religion and art
• religious ethics
• popular religion
• religion and violence

Thoroughly updated throughout, this sixth edition includes new coverage of current debates and hot topics in the field, such as concerns about ＂essentialism＂ in religion, the importance of categorization, and the role of psychology in religious experience. This textbook is fundamental reading for students approaching this subject area for the first time.

Robert S. Ellwood is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Religion at the University of Southern California, USA. He is the author of over twenty-five books, including Many Peoples, Many Faiths, The Fifties Spiritual Marketplace, The Sixties Spiritual Awakening, and Islands of the Dawn.

Patrick Horn is Lecturer in Religion at Hope International University and a past President of the American Society for the Philosophy of Religion.