What Do You Believe? : Religion and faith in the world today

by Aled Jones (Foreword)

This is a fascinating introduction to the world of religion. Why are we here? What happens after we die? "What Do You Believe?" unpacks the big questions about life, God, morality and science vs. religion. Written by BBC TV and Radio personality Aled Jones, it presents faith and religion in a totally unbiased way, allowing children to better understand some of the challenging questions we face today. Tracing the history of religion around the world and charting key events and theories, this book helps us to understand the motivation behind beliefs and why some people do or don't have faith. Tricky concepts are explained and broken down into manageable chunks, with clear, curriculum-based information, "What Do You Believe?" promotes understanding, tolerance and respect for people whatever they believe.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Education, Childrens

96 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

Aled Jones MBE (born 29 December 1970) is a Welsh singer best known for his television work with BBC and ITV.
Jones came to fame as a treble, known for his single "Walking in the Air" in 1985 which peaked at #5 in the singles chart. In recent times, Jones has presented various television programmes for both BBC and ITV.

He has been one of the main presenters of Songs of Praise since 2004, as well as one of the presenters of Escape to the Country since 2010 and Cash in the Attic between 2010 and 2013.
Since September 2012, Jones has co-presented the ITV Breakfast programme Daybreak, alongside Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway, having replaced former hosts Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles on the show.

He has presented various programmes on the BBC Radio network, mainly for Radio 2 and participated in the second series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, where he was partnered with professional dancer Lilia Kopylova, he was voted off in the seventh week, narrowly missing out from claiming third place.

He was awarded an MBE in June 2013 for services to music and broadcasting for charitable services. He collected his award on 17 October 2013.

Reviews

[Lisa Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of information in this book aimed at children. It covers the six main religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism with information about rituals, food, their book and their golden rules, which are all the same - treat others as you wish to be treated, but worded differently.

[Arjun]

Bookmark...
8 Oct
The Big Ideas
pg. 19

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, good overview of world religions for tweens and young teens. First published in 2011 and again in 2016, it would be great to see it updated and published again.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super book for introducing the concept of religion and faith to children aged 7+. Rather good for adults, too! It explores in a simple and accessible way the question of why we are here and the place of faith in determination of an answer. The introduction covers the origins of religion, which leads to a narrative on the progressive debate between proponents of a creationist theory and those of a scientific theory. There is a keen tone of enquiry as the main faiths of the world are examined: their essence, purpose and effect on people. The book gives an honourable, unbiased account, true to its title; and pertinent questions, such as "Why do bad things happen to good people?", add to the integrity. The book claims to carry the one unequivocal message: that by understanding one another, we can have tolerance and respect. It is structured into clear sections, with colourful illustrations, which facilitates a dip-in reference approach. Aled Jones provides a foreword.

[Mai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and unbiased , suitable for young readers