ESSAYS ON WORLD RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS
A COMPARATIVE STUDY
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Among scholars and religious people, there is the problem of religious truth. What constitutes a true doctrine, which religion has the truth or the message that guarantees salvation, liberation or enlightenment? As there are differing understandings regarding the meaning and essence of religion so there are on what constitute religious truth and where we can find such truth or truths. Some religions and their followers adopt an exclusive attitude that sees their own religion as the only deposit of truth. Some adopt an inclusive attitude that acknowledges some rays of truth in other religions other than theirs. However, such truths found in other religions are considered imperfect when compared to one’s own religion. There are those who adopt a more open-mind attitude on the question of religious truths. Such religions and adherents acknowledge that in all religions there are viable truths, and that all religions are expressing the truth, though in different ways. They acknowledge that it is whorth-while listening to followers of other religions with view of understanding them and, if need be, learning from them.
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About the Book
This book is a collection of essays on religious thoughts across various religious traditions and belief systems in the world. It covers essays on Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, African Traditional Religion, Mythology, and Philosophy of Religion from a comparative perspective. It offers the reader an insight into the thoughts of these religions, where they relate to each other and how they differ from each because of many factors, which include cultural background. An understanding of this nature in very important in interfaith, interreligious and intra-religious relationships aimed at fostering better understanding and appreciation of our diversities, towards building harmonious relationships among followers of various religions thereby reducing religious/global tensions occasioned by intolerance, misunderstanding and/or ignorance of other people’s religious beliefs and traditions.
About the Author
Hyacinth Kalu, Ph.D., is a Nigerian born Catholic Priest and a scholar with great passion for research, teaching and learning. He holds degrees in diverse academic fields of study including Religion, Education, Theology, Philosophy, Interfaith, and Culture, from Universities and Institutions around the World. He studied at University of the West, Rosemead, California; California Coast University, Santa Ana, California; Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California; Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont; United States Institute of Peace, Washington, D.C.; all in the United States of America. He also studied at the St. Joseph Major Seminary, an affiliate of Pontifical Urban University, Rome; and Bigard Memorial Seminary, Nigeria. He specializes in Comparative Religion, and translates his research and scholarship into classroom and concrete daily-live examples. He is the author of The Word Took Flesh: Incarnating the Christian Message in Igbo Land of Nigeria in the Light of Vatican II’s Theology of Inculturation.