Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Religions of the World

Understand the Religions of the World from Christian Perspective and Be Equipped to Engage their Adherents

Christians live their faith more than ever in a pluralistic religious context. How should a Christian respond to the complex spiritual alternatives available today? Are all religions the same? Does the New Age fulfill the second coming of Jesus? Is Sun Myung Moon sinless? Is Islam a religion of peace? Is Mormonism true? Is Scientology a religion? How does the Dalai Lama view Jesus? Do witches worship Satan? Is the pope infallible? These and other crucial issues are examined in Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions.

Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions covers more than 200 religions, sects, and cults, most of them ones the reader might encounter on any given day. Key features include:

• Historical information on each major religion with detailed timelines
• Profiles of each group's primary leaders
• An inventory of key principles and beliefs of each religion
• An analysis and critique of religions from a Christian perspective
• Opinion and commentary on the controversial issues related to specific religious groups
• Recommended resources-- bibliographic information and extensive Internet sources for further study
• New groups explored--including The Lord Is Our Righteousness Church and the Sold-Out Discipling Movement
• Ten Tests for Truth in Religions--a set of multifaceted tests that Christians should apply when approaching the faith traditions of others--and their own faith

This volume offers both description and evaluation of the hundreds of religions in today's spiritual marketplace and provides basic data on the major world religions:

• Baha'i
• Buddhism
• Christianity
• Hinduism
• Islam
• Judaism
• New Age
• Sikhism.

Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions also explores the major divisions within Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism) and provides an introduction to over twenty-five Protestant denominations. The book examines famous sectarian movements including: the Branch Davidian, Christian Scientist, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, and Unification Church movements. The occult worlds of Witchcraft and Satanism are analyzed as well.

In addition to basic information, the reader has access to critical analysis of the controversies that arise in the debates about various religious groups and leaders. The author addresses the new evangelical-Mormon dialogue, the Emergent Church controversy, Local Church debates, Catholic-Evangelical tensions, the integrity of Seventh-day Adventism, the crimes of David Koresh, controversies over Muhammad, the extent of satanic ritual abuse, and much more.

Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions is based on Professor James Beverley's thirty years of research and frontline investigation of world and new religions. He has had face-to-face encounters with some of the world's most influential religious leaders, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Beverley has observed witchcraft rituals in Africa, conversed with Muslim leaders in Syria and Lebanon, visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, seen Hindu ceremonies along the Ganges, had private meetings with cult leaders throughout North America, and consulted with leading scholars all over the world. Professor Beverley is frequently interviewed by the media for his knowledge of religions and has served as an expert witness in both civil and criminal trials.

Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions is a comprehensive and engaging Christian guide to world religions and is ideal for students as well as the laypeople in the church.

James A. Beverley is Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion in Santa Barbara, California and a Professor at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto, Canada. He is a contributing editor to Christianity Today magazine, and a frequent contributor to Faith Today and Charisma magazines. He has specialized for twenty years in the study of modern religious movements. He is the author of many books including Holy Laughter & the Toronto Blessing. Jim and Gloria have two adult children.