{"product_id":"the-oxford-handbook-of-global-religions","title":"The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a reference for understanding world religious societies in their contemporary global diversity. Comprising 60 essays  the volume focuses on communities rather than beliefs  symbols  or rites. It is organized into six sections corresponding to the major living religious traditions: the Indic cultural region  the Buddhist\/Confucian  the Jewish  Christian  and Muslim regions  and the African cultural region. In each section an introductory essay discusses the social development of that religious tradition historically. The other essays cover the basic social factsthe communitys size  location  organizational and pilgrimage centers  authority figures  patterns of governance  major subgroups and schismsas well as issues regarding boundary maintenance  political involvement  role in providing cultural identity  and encounters with modernity. Communities in the diaspora and at the periphery are covered  as well as the central geographic regions of the religious traditions. Thus  for example  Islamic communities in Asia and the United States are included along with Islamic societies in the Middle East. The contributors are leading scholars of world religions  many of whom are also members of the communities they study. The essays are written to be informative and accessible to the educated public  and to be respectful of the viewpoints of the communities analyzed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44985100828725,"sku":"ByrdShop_0199767645","price":105.43,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780199767649.jpg?v=1770846710","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-oxford-handbook-of-global-religions","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}