CHRISTIANITY AND WORLD RELIGIONS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD’S MAJOR FAITHS, by Derek Cooper

A Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance 

by Kirsten Birkett 

 

About the Author 

Derek Cooper (MA, MDiv, Biblical Seminary, Hatfield, PA; PhD, Lutheran Seminary, Philadelphia, PA) is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies and Historical Theology, Associate Director of the DMin program, and Director of the LEAD MDiv Program at Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, Pennsylvania.

 

Contents 

Introduction
Part 1: The Six Rival Stories of the World

1. Hinduism: The Story of Diversity and Devotion 
2. Buddhism: The Story of Enlightenment 
3. Confucianism and Daoism: The Stories of Order and Nature 
4. Judaism: The Story of Tradition and Identity 
5. Islam: The Story of Submission 

Part 2: Christian Responses to These Stories

6. Biblical Responses to Other Religions 
7. Theological Responses to Other Religions 

Conclusion
Appendix A: Projects, Essays, and Worldview Questions
Appendix B: Online Links to Religious Writings
Appendix C: A Guide to Visiting Non-Christian Worship Spaces
Glossary

 

General Summary

An overview of major world religions and suggested Christian responses. Each chapter includes discussion questions and further reading.

 

Introduction

Paul, in Athens, engages with other religions and shares the story of Jesus. Today we live in a world where other religions are our neighbours. Christians often know little about other faiths and so engage minimally. Knowing more means being in a better position to share Christ’s love. This book is “a guided tour of the world’s most influential religions.”

 

Part 1: The Six Rival Stories of the World

 

1. Hinduism: The Story of Diversity and Devotion

The beginning: There are thousands of Hindu creation stories, all held to refract a “tiny light of a much greater reality.” The world is created and destroyed countless times.

Historical origin: There was no one founder of Hinduism, but four identifiable traditions. 

1. Indo-Aryans, the Indus civilization from whom the term “Hindu” came.
2. The Vedic period, developing the caste system, the priestly caste (Brahmins) at the top.
3. The third tradition emphasizes wisdom and philosophy (eg reincarnation, karma). This teaching is distilled to four truths leading to one concept: I and Brahman (the supreme being and creator) are one.
4. Devotional (bhakti) Hinduism is now the most common form, involving day-to-day worship of a god (any god, as all are representations of Brahman).

Religious writings: Hindu Scriptures are enormous and still being written. The foundation is the four Vedas, which with four other Scriptures are Shruti, “the words of the universe”; then there are four Smirti, authored by humans. 

Beliefs: With so many Scriptures and gods, there is no dogmatic belief but nine “commonalities”: the all-pervasive Brahman; divinity of the four Vedas; cyclic time; karma; reincarnation; existence of gods; the necessity of an enlightened master, and personal disciplines, to reach the Transcendent; all life is sacred; all religions lead to God.

Worship practices: Which god a person worships can depend on upbringing, need, or choice. Shrines can be at home; temples might be only for special occasions although there are typically services three times a day. There are three main religious paths: karma yoga, selfless action, doing one’s given duty; bhakti yoga, devotion to a god or goddess; jnana yoga, philosophical study for the very spiritual, to discern what is real and what is unreal.

Point of contact: Hindus look not for salvation but liberation from the endless cycle of rebirth to be united with Brahman, and may even worship Jesus as part of their quest, not seeing any way as exclusive. But Jesus is the way, the one true yoga, and we will only die once, and can trust Jesus to take us through that. . . .

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