Humans across the globe and throughout millennia have searched for answers to questions like, “why are we here?” or “what am I supposed to do with my life?” And the answers people have found, or created, or chosen, have varied as widely as the cultures and people themselves. \u00a0Some people focus on rules. \u00a0Some focus on afterlives. \u00a0Some look to become whole. \u00a0Some seek adventure and learning. So this text, while full of various ways that people have searched and discovered and created, is only touching a few of the bigger traditions in our world. \u00a0Hopefully each chapter will introduce the reader to some ideas from that specific tradition that enlighten them as to how a specific group of people think, believe, and live. This text is set up to be an ebook. \u00a0The various videos, links and resources will only really work if the user keeps to the digital format. \u00a0Read this book on a device–it will be a much more rewarding experience!<\/p>\n
The human spirit seems to search for meaning in a whole variety of ways. Some people use science to help them search. Some practice physical disciplines. Some find a leader to follow. Some study various philosophies. And many use some variety of religious tradition<\/a> or spiritual expression to order their search, to name their lives\u2019 meaning, to structure their lives\u2019 activities. This text is a compilation of materials that talk about just a few of the many ways that more recent human groups have created religion and religious practice. There are indications that truly ancient groups of people also had religious traditions, but we are going to start, in this text, with materials found within the last 4,000 years or so. Religions<\/a> continue to evolve, of course, but these given traditions in the text will have some basic information about their histories, their belief, and their structure, that can help the student of religion understand them\u2013 at least at a basic level.<\/p>\n The text is set up, in part, geographically. Religious traditions all begin somewhere, and it is the places of origin that set a tone and feel for each of those traditions. There will be chapters indicating specific faiths, and with each geographic section containing, as well, a whole set of links to interesting outside resources, many that could provide additional activities, information, or assignments.There will be traditions that are not included here. Truthfully, the study of humans and religion, spiritual quests and faith is enormous. One could not possibly cover it all. But knowing something about various large and global traditions is essential in our increasingly mobile and interactive world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"