Encyclopedia of the World's Religions

by R.C. Zaehner

Examines the major living faiths, with a focus on the traditions, tenets, and writings central to each. Part One covers religions of prophetic revelation, with sections on Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Zoroastrianism. Part Two covers wisdom religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, et al.) -- whose teachings do not necessarily emanate from a divine source.

Genres: Religion, Reference, Nonfiction, History, Philosophy, Theology

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Robert Charles Zaehner had a gift for languages and became an expert in Oriental languages. As a result, he was chosen as a British counterintelligence agent in Tehran, Persia during World War II and an MI6 agent there after the war. He returned to academia and became Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College, writing numerous books on religion, both eastern and western.

Information adapted from Wikipedia and the back cover of The Bhagavad-Gita which he translated and authored

Reviews

[ryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

each article has a distinct authorial and rhetorical flavor, and it's tempting to correlate the style of the writing with the substance of the religion being discussed.

perhaps unsurprisingly, this compendium is heavily weighted towards Christianity (absorbing over a quarter of the text).

[Chloe Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good starting point.