Understanding World Religions: A Road Map for Justice and Peace

Understanding World Religions studies major religions and worldviews current in todays world in order to seek their assistance in work for justice and peace and to discourage their promotion of selfish privilege and war. Worldviews studied include Hindu Buddhist Muslim Jewish Christian Marxist and Native American. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is given as a case study for how worldviews impact justice and peace. Further chapters explore Christian social teaching liberation theologies active nonviolence and just war theory. Numerous examples (Gandhi Vinoba Bhave Thich Nhat Hanh A.T. Ariyaratne Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Etty Hillesum Marc Ellis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dorothy Day and Women in Black) provide concrete models for the reader to consider. The treatment is designed to excite interest and invite further study rather than to offer a comprehensive picture.