This annotated bibliography provides summaries for 10 sources on world religions. The sources discuss major world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. They explore the histories, beliefs, practices, and texts of different religious traditions. The sources also examine challenges facing religions in the 21st century from globalization and secularism, and consider how religions may converge or assimilate over time.

1. Annotated Bibliography in related course
By: Thla Peng Cung (Ph.D Student)
Submitted to: Rev. Dr. Dennis Shu Maung
Submitted on: October 20, 2012
1. Halverson, C. Dean, “The Compact Guide to World Religions”, Minneapolis: Bethany
House Publishers, 1996.
This book is a very good book about many other religions. It provides much
information about each religion and then tells the best way to reach a person in that
particular religion for Christ. This book addresses many various world-
views/religions and does so in a very practical fashion. Within each chapter of this
book it gives the background, major tenants, and perhaps other minor facts about each
religion. Then there is another section dedicated to either objection to the Christian by
the respective view and then tips in how to discuss with a person from the respective
view.
2. Burke, T. Patrick, “The Major Religions, An Introduction With Texts”, Oxford, Uk:
Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004.
This book is a revised and updated third edition that acclaimed anthology surveys all
the major religious traditions; Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism,
Christianity, Islam, and African religions, and also covers Zen Buddhism, Shinto, and
the religious experience in America. Ideal for courses in world religions and
comparative religion, it introduces the unique claims, hopes, and wisdom of each
tradition in its own voice, through substantial excerpts from its scriptures, prophets,
and authors.
3. Kitagawa, M. Joseph, The Religious Traditions of Asia “Religion, History and Culture”,
USA: Macmillan Publishing Company, 2002.
This book “The Religious Traditions of Asia” provides the discussions of the major
traditions that are described from the south to the west, Hinduism, Jainism,
Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam, and from the east Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto.
In addition it describes more on the tradition of Bon in Tibet, the shamanistic
religions of Inner Asia, and general Chinese, Korean and Japanese religion which are
also given full courage.

2. 4. Eastman, Roger, “The Ways of Religion, “An Introduction to the Major Traditions, 3rd
ed.”, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
This book talks about all major religions’ viewpoints to their particular gods. The
explanation or clarification of their beliefs is included. Each religion claims their gods
as true and just while Christians claim their God as the God of all gods.
5. Buller, Laura. A Faith Like Mine: A Celebration of the World’s Religions – Seen through
the Eyes of Children. New York: DK Publishing, 2005.
This book explores the world’s religions through the experiences of children,
providing fascinating information about their beliefs, places of workshop, sacred
texts, festivals, and holy days. Using simple language and colorful photographs, this
book shows how humanity’s faiths are different, and how they are the same.
6. Matthews, Warren. World Religions 6th Ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2007.
This book presents both the histories and the prevalent worldviews of the major world
religions, and it introduces the richness and diversity of these traditions. The
"Worldview" sections in particular make this book helpful for comparative analyses
of the religions. These sections show how the different religions approach a common
set of ten themes that are fundamental to all traditions, including the nature of the
absolute, the place of humans in the world, rituals and symbols, and the prospects for
life after death.
7. Chritoffersen, Lisbet, Raun Hans, eds., Religion in the 21 century: Challenges and
Transformations. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2010
This book explores how religions continue to challenge secular democracy and
science, and how religions are themselves being challenged by secular values and
practices. All traditions, whether religious or secular, experience a struggle over
authority, and this struggle seems to intensify with globalization, as it has brought
people around the world in closer contact with each other. In this book internationally
leading scholars from sociology, law, political science, religious studies, theology and
the religion and science debate, take stock of the current interdisciplinary research on
religion and open new perspectives at the cutting edge of the debate on religion in the
21st century.
8. Esposito, F. John. The Future of Islam. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010
Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st
century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in
a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human
rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in
the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many

3. Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims
assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To
answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim
thinkers; Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others
9. Fisher, Pat Mary. World Religions in the 21st century. London: Calmann & King Ltd.,
1999.
This book provides a valuable introduction to a variety of new religious movements,
whether founded as offshoots of traditional religions or as a result of millennial
expectations or charismatic leaders. It also considers the role of the Interfaith
Movement and the ways in which modern technology is spreading religions both
new and old.
10. Whitson, Edward Robley. The Coming Convergence of World Religions. New York:
Newman Press, 1971
This book is a study of an exploration of the new situation of religion in terms of a
corresponding new situation theology. And it concludes in many ways of model for
the evolutionary development of all that is attempted here.