Comparing Religions

Comparing Religions is a next-generation textbook which expertly guides, inspires, and challenges those who wish to think seriously about religious pluralism in the modern world.

• A unique book teaching the art and practice of comparing religions
• Draws on a wide range of religious traditions to demonstrate the complexity and power of comparative practices
• Provides both a history and understanding of comparative practice and a series of thematic chapters showing how responsible practice is done
• A three part structure provides readers with a map and effective process through which to grasp this challenging but fascinating approach
• The author is a leading academic, writer, and exponent of comparative practice
• Contains numerous learning features, including chapter outlines, summaries, toolkits, discussion questions, a glossary, and many images
• Supported by a companion website (available on publication) at , which includes information on individual religious traditions, links of other sites, an interview with the author, learning features, and much more

“"This volume is highly recommended for undergraduates, and even graduate students and general readers." ( Religious Studies Review , 1 September 2014)”

“This volume is highly recommended for undergraduates, and even graduate students and general readers.”  (Religious Studies Review, 1 September 2014)

Jeffrey J. Kripal is the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University. His most recent publications include Mutants and Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal (2011); Authors of the Impossible: The Paranormal and the Sacred (2010); Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion (2007); and The Serpent’s Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion (2007).

Comparing Religions is a next-generation textbook that teaches the art and practice of comparison as a vital skill in our modern globalizing world. Using a three-part "initiatory" structure, the book provides the reader with a map and an effective process through which to understand and practice the comparative analysis of religion. The three-part structure leads readers through: an historical outline of comparative practices, both in world history and in the modern West, demonstrating that comparative forms of understanding religion are ancient and global six chapters focusing on classic comparativist themes, exploring and modeling the nature of responsible com parativist practice the exploration of a number of key strategies through which to understand, analyze, and re-read religion with a sense of accomplishment and closure The result is a fascinating, wide-ranging, and genuinely exciting book that will inspire as well as guide readers who wish to think seriously about religious pluralism in the modern world. By embracing the last three decades of comparative work and critical theory, the book strikes a new balance and offers a positive vision of the field's most promising future. Throughout, the impact of comparativist practices on individuals is fully acknowledged and worked with. Toward this same end, the book contains numerous features to help students, professionals and interested readers understand this challenging but extraordinarily rich area of critique and wonder. The supporting website features numerous additional resources, including information on individual religious traditions, images, a glossary, discussion questions, links to other sites, and an interview with the author. These resources are available at

Comparing Religions is a next-generation textbook that teaches the art and practice of comparison as a vital skill in our modern globalizing world. Using a three-part "initiatory" structure, the book provides the reader with a map and an effective process through which to understand and practice the comparative analysis of religion. The three-part structure leads readers through: an historical outline of comparative practices, both in world history and in the modern West, demonstrating that comparative forms of understanding religion are ancient and global six chapters focusing on classic comparativist themes, exploring and modeling the nature of responsible com parativist practice the exploration of a number of key strategies through which to understand, analyze, and re-read religion with a sense of accomplishment and closure The result is a fascinating, wide-ranging, and genuinely exciting book that will inspire as well as guide readers who wish to think seriously about religious pluralism in the modern world. By embracing the last three decades of comparative work and critical theory, the book strikes a new balance and offers a positive vision of the field s most promising future. Throughout, the impact of comparativist practices on individuals is fully acknowledged and worked with. Toward this same end, the book contains numerous features to help students, professionals and interested readers understand this challenging but extraordinarily rich area of critique and wonder. The supporting website features numerous additional resources, including information on individual religious traditions, images, a glossary, discussion questions, links to other sites, and an interview with the author. These resources are available at

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