An Educator's Classroom Guide to America's Religious Beliefs and Practices

by Benjamin J. Hubbard, John T. Hatfield, James A. Santucci

Overview

Today, with all of the controversies surrounding religion in the schools and in the public sphere, it would seem more important than ever that teachers and librarians have a quick source of up-to-date, correct, unbiased information to give to patrons and students. The authors of this book (all are or have been professors of religion at various well known universities) offer just that. The book is arranged to cover most all of the known (and little known) religions in America.

Today, with all of the controversies surrounding religion in the schools and in the public sphere, it would seem more important than ever that teachers and librarians have a quick source of up-to-date, correct, unbiased information to give to patrons and students. The authors of this book (all are or have been professors of religion at various well- known universities) offer just that. The book is arranged to cover most of the known (and little-known) religions in America. Each section includes: Origins, Beliefs, Sacred Book/Scriptures, Practices, Main Subgroups, Common Misunderstandings and Stereotypes, Classroom Concerns, Population Data, and Further Readings. Though there are many guides to religions, this book has the unique advantage of looking at each religion as it may affect the classroom and other student groups and activities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591584094
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/30/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Benjamin J. Hubbard, PhD, is professor emeritus of comparative religion at California State University, Fullerton where he was department chair for 15 years. He has been a frequent contributor on religion-related issues to the Los Angeles Times/Orange County and the Orange County Register. His specialties include Judaic studies, the interfaith movement, and religion and media studies.

John T. Hatfield, PhD, is professor emeritus of Ethnic and Women's' Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is a past president of the American Academy of Religion's Western Region and of the Far Western Philosophy of Religion Society. His special interests include Native American religion, and religion and public education.

James A. Santucci, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Comparative Religion, California State University, Fullerton. For nearly 20 years he has edited the jourbanal Theosophical History. He is an expert on Theosophy and other non-traditional religious movements, as well as the religions of South Asia (Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism).

Table of Contents

Foreword     vii
Preface     ix
Acknowledgments     xiii
Introduction     xv
The Baha'i Faith     1
Buddhism     5
Chinese Religions: An Overview     16
Confucianism     21
Daoism     29
Christianity: Common Elements     35
African American Christianity     41
Christian Science/Church of Christ, Scientist     45
Jehovah's Witnesses     51
Mormonism/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints     57
Orthodox Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy)     63
Protestantism     69
Roman Catholicism     77
Seventh-day Adventists     83
The Church of Scientology     89
Fundamentalism     101
Hinduism     107
Islam     113
Jainism     121
Judaism     129
Native American Religions     135
New Age     143
Rastafarianism     153
Secular Humanism/Atheism     159
Sikhism     163
Unitarian Universalism     169
Wicca     173
Zoroastrianism     181
General Bibliography     191
Ramona Unified School District Policy Instruction     195
Interfaith Calendar: 2007-2008     201
Index     207

Editorial Reviews

This book is highly recommended to schools and school districts for both the wealth of information about religions and religious beliefs and the practical guidelines, which support educators as they go about their daily responsibilities of teaching students.” —American Reference Books Annual

“The authors' primary purpose in creating this helpful resource is to supply the public school teacher with accurate, at-a-glance information about religious beliefs in North America. . . . This book does an exemplary job of combining correct, impartial information from authoritative sources with much-welcomed brevity.” —VOYA

“Hubbard, a school administrator, and Jon T. Hatfield and James A. Santucci, who are not further identified, set out fundamentals of behavior typical or expected of people from various religious backgrounds to help classroom teachers avoid discourteous or offensive behavior of their own. The 1997 first edition is here expanded with chapters on four additional traditions, and revised to make the resource more useful in elementary as well as secondary schools.” —Reference & Research Book News

From the Publisher