John Renard, a Roman Catholic, got a Ph.D. from Harvard in Islamic Studies in 1978 and has since taught Islamic and other religions at St. Louis Univ. This book was recommended as giving an excellent overview of 8 major world religions.

The book has 9 chapters. Ch 1 sets the Q&A style with definitions and methods: History & Sources; Religious Beliefs; Signs & Symbols; Membership, Community, Diversity; Leadership, Authority, Organization; Personalities & Powers; Holidays & Regular Observances; Customs & Rituals. I focused most on the 3: History & Sources, Religious Beliefs, and Customs & Rituals. The 8 religious traditions are Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. I learned a lot, especially about the Asian religions and their meditation goals. (I’m more into contemplation than meditation.) His Q&A style (The A is usually 1 paragraph) makes it easy to find specifics to compare. To quote him: “I have sought to set up categories that privilege no tradition in particular …” Another quote I like: “I am persuaded that, as the great traditions teach in so many ways, there is an absolute truth that is somehow accessible to human beings honestly in quest of it. But I am equally convinced that human beings are by definition incapable of possessing the truth either exhaustively … or exclusively …” I also agree with this: “I do believe, however, that God, or Ultimate Reality, is far too great for any religious tradition, or all of them put together, to master or dispense; and that each individual who seeks with a sincere heart the center and goal of his or her life will be led to it. Meanwhile, one of the noblest and most useful tasks to which we can commit ourselves is a greater understanding of how and why people believe as they do.” That’s what I’m seeking, and this book by John Renard helped me in my task of achieving a greater understanding – more religious and spiritual ideas for me to contemplate.