While there are many courses and tutorials online, learning from a book is still one of the best ways to greatly improve your skills. Below I have selected top Religion books.
1. 12 Major World Religions: The Beliefs, Rituals, and Traditions of Humanity’s Most Influential Faiths (2016)
For billions of people, having a religious belief system provides purpose in life. For some, religion serves as a guide for moral behavior. Today’s world is one in which our understanding of world religions is both understatedly important, as well as increasingly complex.After many years exploring the foundations of various world religions, Jason Boyett has written this comprehensive, easy-to-understand exploration of the twelve major world religions through a meticulous, yet unbiased lens. 12 Major World Religions offers an impartial look at where each of these belief systems intersects, how…
2. Spirituality Before Religions: Spirituality is Unseen Science…Science is Seen Spirituality (2019)
Spirituality Before Religions, delves deeply into many ideas researched by many brilliant writers and scholars. My ultimate purpose is to synthesize these writings into a comprehensive study of ancient African Deep Thought with Tep Heseb, the Kemetic (Egyptian) process of accurately reckoning by using the correct method of analysis. This clear and concise philosophy guided early humanity into the heavens on earth, while creating a heaven on earth. African educator, Dr. John Henrik Clarke teaches us that to be self-sufficient, people have to see the Creator when they look in the mirror. If not,…
3. The World’s Religions (Plus) (2009)
Huston Smith’s masterpiece explores the essential elements and teachings of the world’s predominant faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the native traditions of Australia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Emphasizing the inner—rather than the institutional—dimension of these religions, Smith devotes special attention to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the teachings of Jesus. He convincingly conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on…
4. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (2013)
Drawing on his twenty five years of groundbreaking research on moral psychology, Haidt shows how moral judgments arise not from reason but from gut feelings. He shows why liberals, conservatives, and libertarians have such different intuitions about right and wrong, and he shows why each side is actually right about many of its central concerns. In this subtle yet accessible book, Haidt gives you the key to understanding the miracle of human cooperation, as well as the curse of our eternal divisions and conflicts. If you’re ready to trade in anger for understanding, read The Righteous Mind. #1,194 in Books (See Top 100 in…
5. Religions of the World (13th Edition) (2015)
For courses in World Religions The histories, deep-seated beliefs, and ethical systems that make up the world’s religions are some of the most important forces at play on our incredibly diverse planet. Religions of the World, Thirteenth Edition guides students as they explore each of the world’s major faiths, imparting the knowledge they need to better understand today’s world. By explaining religious diversity and complex themes within a historical context, Religions of the World helps students relate to cultures very different from their own….
6. World Religions and Cults Box Set (World Religions & Cults) (2016)
A comprehensive series to help you reach those pursuing an answer other than Christ! These three volumes are a must for laymen, church leaders, teachers, and students wanting to understand the trends in our culture and around the world where certain religions dominate, helping you discern truth and guard your faith. When you understand a religion’s origins and teachings, you are in a better position to know how to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ as you take the good news to those in false religions. Prepare yourself, your family, and your church to answer questions and share the gospel with non-Christian friends and skeptics,…
7. Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World (2012)
“A book that brings people together on the firm grounds of shared values, reminding us why the Dalai Lama is still one of the most important religious figures in the world.” —Huffington Post, “Best Religious Books of 2011”Ten years ago, in the best-selling Ethics for a New Millennium, His Holiness the Dalai Lama first proposed an approach to ethics based on universal rather than religious principles. With Beyond Relgion, he returns to the conversation at his most outspoken, elaborating and deepening his vision for the nonreligious way—a…
8. World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored and Explained (2006)
A refreshing approach to understanding different faiths. Detailed annotations to stunning illustrations provide intriguing insights into the world’s most important religions—offering a deeper appreciation of the beliefs central to each. World Religions looks at the beliefs and practices of many different religions, from the ancient Egyptians through to Zoroastrianism—the oldest “living” religion—and the great faiths practiced today. Each of the major faiths—Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam—is examined in…
9. World Religions (2015): A Voyage of Discovery 4th Edition (2015)
The updated edition of this highly acclaimed text continues to help young people unlock the doors to the world’s major religious traditions. The textbook highlights recent events in the history of these traditions and helps eleventh- and twelfth-graders understand the people, dimensions, and religious principles of the world’s major religions.NEW in this edition:New! A new modern design with updated fonts, imagery, and colors brings new life to each pageNew! Each chapter begins with an updated opener to help draw students’ attention to key information that will be…
10. Jesus > Religion: Why He Is So Much Better Than Trying Harder, Doing More, and Being Good Enough (2013)
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAbandon dead, dry, rule-keeping and embrace the promise of being truly known and deeply loved. Jefferson Bethke burst into the cultural conversation in 2012 with a passionate, provocative poem titled “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus.” The 4-minute video literally became an overnight sensation, with 7 million YouTube views in its first 48 hours (and 23+ million in a year). The message blew up on social-media, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged.In Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks…
11. A Religion of One’s Own: A Guide to Creating a Personal Spirituality in a Secular World (2015)
Something essential is missing from modern life. Many who’ve turned away from religious institutions—and others who have lived wholly without religion—hunger for more than what contemporary secular life has to offer but are reluctant to follow organized religion’s strict and often inflexible path to spirituality. In A Religion of One’s Own, bestselling author and former monk Thomas Moore explores the myriad possibilities of creating a personal spiritual style, either inside or outside formal religion. Two…
12. The Kids Book of World Religions (2013)
By gaining a greater understanding of the cultures and beliefs of people around the world, children build respect and tolerance for the differences that make each of us unique.With objectivity and accessibility, this title in the Kids Book of series looks at the histories, scriptures, places of worship, religious leaders, gods and major festivals that are the foundations of many of the world’s religions. Features a glossary and an index. #23,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3 in Children’s Buddhism Books Would you like to ?If you are a seller for this product, would you like to ?…
13. The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft (2017)
This concise and accessible textbook introduces students to the anthropological study of religion. Stein and Stein examine religious expression from a cross-cultural perspective and expose students to the varying complexity of world religions. The chapters incorporate key theoretical concepts and a rich range of ethnographic material. The fourth edition of The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft offers:• increased coverage of new religious movements, fundamentalism, and religion and conflict/violence;• fresh case study material with…
14. God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World (2011)
In God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and religion scholar Stephen Prothero argues that persistent attempts to portray all religions as different paths to the same God overlook the distinct problem that each tradition seeks to solve. Delving into the different problems and solutions that Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Yoruba Religion, Daoism and Atheism strive to combat, God is Not One is an indispensable guide to the questions human beings have asked for millennia—and to the disparate…
Best Religion Books Worth Your Attention
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Genesis and download some religion books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
The Pariah problem : caste, religion, and the social in modern India
Author(s): Rupa Viswanath.
Publisher: Columbia University Press, Year: [2014], Size: 17 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 1308141
Orpheus and Greek religion : a study of the Orphic movement
Author(s): W K C Guthrie
Publisher: Methuen , Year: [1952], Size: 16 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 876376
‘Travelling fear’ in global context: Exploring everyday dynamics of in/security and im/mobility
Author(s): Aydan Greatrick; Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh
Publisher: The London School of Economics and Political Science: LSE Research Online, Year: May 9, 2017, Size: 272 Kb, Download: pdf
ID: 2318872
When Islam Is Not a Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious Freedom
Author(s): Asma T. Uddin
Publisher: Pegasus Books, Year: 9 July 2019, Size: 669 Kb, Download: epub
ID: 2387752
Brahman and Dao: Comparative Studies of Indian and Chinese Philosophy and Religion
Author(s): Ithamar Theodor, Zhihua Yao
Publisher: Lexington Books, Year: 7 Nov 2013, Size: 3 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 2307300
Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life
Author(s): Amber Scorah
Publisher: Viking, Year: 4 Jun 2019, Size: 791 Kb, Download: epub
ID: 2375213
God’s Red Son: the Ghost Dance Religion and the Making of Modern America
Author(s): Louis S. Warren
Publisher: Basic Books, Year: 4 Apr 2017, Size: 25 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 2388873
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
Author(s): Jonathan Haidt
Publisher: Penguin, Year: 29 Mar 2012, Size: 5 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 2397909
The Penguin Handbook of Ancient Religions
Author(s): John R. Hinnells (Ed.)
Publisher: Penguin, Year: 27 Aug 2009, Size: 17 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 2341964
Please note that this booklist is not absolute. Some books are truly best-sellers according to Los Angeles Times, others are composed by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant resources you could recommend? Leave a comment if you have any feedback on the list.