ren (human-heartedness), 113, 115–18, 129
renouncers (sannyasins), 145–47, 162
Revolve (New Testament), 75
Rey, Terry, 221
Rig Veda (Hinduism), 140, 141–42
Rilke, Rainer Maria, 23, 178, 248, 339
Rinpoche, Sogyal, 195
rituals: Confucianism on need for, 141; Daoist, 311; Hindu puja, 157–59; Judaism life cycle, 266–67; Judaism’s commandments, 258–59; range of senses in religious, 158; religious importance of, 69; Vedic religion on, 141
Robert, Dana, 94
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (film), 30
Robinson, Gene, 95
Roman Catholic Church: comparisons of Protestantism and, 80–82; Protestant Reformation split from, 76–78; Second Vatican Council (1962–65), 82; split between Orthodoxy and, 75–76; transubstantiation doctrine of, 78
Romney, Mitt, 91
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 17
Roots (Haley), 229
Rorty, Richard, 23
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish festival), 264
Roth, Philip, 246
Roy, Ram Mohan, 165, 166, 167
RSS (Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh), 168
Ruge, Arnold, 326
Rumi, 60–62
Russell, Bertrand, 324
Sabbath (Judaism), 260, 262–63
Sacred Hoops (Jackson), 176
Sadat, Anwar, 9
Safi, Omid, 54
The Sage and the Second Sex (Chenyang Li), 123
Said, Edward, 54
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (Cape Cod), 67
Saladin, 97
Salafism (Islamic intellectual movement), 53–54
Sallman, Warner, 94
salvation: biblical stories on sin and, 72–73; as Christian goal, 21–22; moksha (spiritual liberation) versus, 136–37
Samaj, Brahmo, 165
samsara (life, death, and rebirth cycle) [Hinduism], 136, 151, 152–53, 200
sangha (community), 180, 181
Santeria, 219, 223, 227–30
Saraswati, Dayananda, 166–67
Sarnath (Buddhist sacred place), 173, 174
satori (Zen moment of awakening), 192–93
satyagraha (nonviolent resistance), 10
Saxe, John Godfrey, 339
Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman, 276–77
Schechter, Solomon, 269
Schipper, Kristopher, 304
“School of Principle” (Neo-Confucianism), 120
Schori, Katharine Jefferts, 90
Scientology movement, 15
Sebastian, St., 239
Second Great Awakening (nineteenth century), 328
Second Vatican Council (1962–65), 82
Secular Left, 338
Seder (Jewish Passover), 264–66
Self-Realization Fellowship, 168
Seligman, Adam, 4
Sephardic Jews, 247, 250
September 11, 2001. See 9/11
Sermon on the Mount, 11
“Seven Immortals” (Perfect Realization Daoism), 309–10
Seventh-Day Adventists, 82
Seven Years in Tibet (film), 29, 176
Seymour, William Joseph, 88
Shahadah (central pillar) [Islam], 33, 36
Shakespeare, William, 11, 71
shakti (Hindu goddess energy), 156
Shakur, Tupac, 203
Shammai, Rabbi, 249–50, 278
Shams, 61
Shango Temple (later Yoruba Temple), 228
Shango (Yoruba orisha), 218
Shantideva, 188
Shariah (law) [Islam], 49–50
Sharif, Omar, 29
Shavuot (Pentecost), 258
Shema (Judaism), 251–52
Shias: differences between Sunnis and, 50–52; Ishmaili branch of, 52; legal opinion followed by, 50; Twelver branch of, 51–52. See also Muslims; Sunnis
Shinto, 15
shirk (ignoring oneness of God), 37
Shiva (Hindu destroyer god), 132–33, 137
Shopona (Yoruba orisha), 218
Shulchan Aruch (Judaism), 250
shunyata (emptiness) [Mahayana Buddhism], 193–96, 199
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), 169–74
Sikhism, 16
Silence (Endo), 9
Simeon the Stylite, St., 66
The Simpsons (TV show), 137, 176, 282
sin: Christian beliefs about, 71–72; Islam beliefs related to, 31–32; Seven Deadly Sins, 71
Sir Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam (New York), 132
Sita Sings the Blues (animated film), 163
Sitayana, 163
Sivananda, Swami, 2, 5
Smart, Ninian, 13, 49
Smith, Huston, 1, 2, 5, 6, 21, 166, 337
Smith, Joseph, Jr., 51, 82–83
Smith, Wilfred Cantwell, 39
Society of Friends (Quakers), 68, 276
Society of Jesus (Jesuits), 78
Socrates, 43, 102, 113, 118, 148
Sojourners Community (Washington, D.C.), 86
Soka Gakkai International (SGI), 191
Song dynasty (China), 104, 120
souls: Buddhist anatta (no soul) teaching on, 184–85; Mormon belief in, 184; Yoruba religion on emi and ori, 205–6
The Souls of Black Folk (DuBois), 11
Soyinka, Wole, 217, 231, 232
Spielberg, Steven, 247
spirit/body possession (Yoruba religion), 236–38
Arya Samaj, 166
Stalin, Joseph, 17, 317, 324
Stella, Mãe, 227, 228
suffering (Buddhist dukkha), 177, 179, 182–83
Sufism, 57–63, 109, 199
suicide bombers: Hindu Tamils, 168; understanding motives of, 35, 36, 96
Sunday, Billy, 85–86
Sunnis: African-American Muslims as, 29; differences between Shias and, 50–52; legal opinion followed by, 50. See also Muslims; Shias
Svetaketu (Upanishad character), 149–50
Swedish Pentecostalism, 88–89
Sweeney, Julia, 327
“sword verses” (Quran), 97
Taiji (Tai Chi) classes, 282–83
Taiping Rebellion (1851–64), 290
Tai Shan (China), 114
Taliban (Afghanistan), 52, 53
Talmud (Judaism text), 244, 249–50, 251, 262, 273, 275
Tanakh (Judaism text), 244, 249, 253, 254, 257, 261–62, 275
Tan, Amy, 307
Tang dynasty (China), 120, 290
Tantric Buddhism, 197
Taoism. See Daoism
“Tao of” books, 283
Tariqah (Sufism mysticism), 60
Tat tvam asi (“You are that”) (philosophical Hinduism), 149–50
Taylor, Barbara Brown, 201
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (film), 282
Ten Commandments, 2
Teresa of Avila, 98
Teresa, Mother, 99
terrorism, role of religion in, 8, 10; suicide bombers, 35, 36, 96. See also 9/11
Theravada Buddhism: on Buddha as pathfinder, 114; description of, 177, 186–90; wisdom of, 42
Thich Nhat Hanh, 180
“Thirteen Principles” (Maimonides),
252, 266
Thomas Aquinas, 98
Thompson, Robert Farris, 219, 226
Thoreau, Henry David, 125, 167, 294
Three Baskets (Tripitaka) [Buddhism], 187
Three Bonds (Confucianism), 125
Three Refuges (or Three Jewels) [Buddhism], 180–81
Three Teachings (China), 103–4, 105,
121, 281
Thurman, Robert, 197
Tibetan Book of the Dead, 198
Tibetan Buddhism, 196–98
Tillich, Paul, 107, 326
Time magazine, 17, 247
Torah (Judaism text): contents of the, 140, 258–59; delivered through Moses, 244; Islamic belief on Allah’s revelation of, 41; Shavuot (Pentecost) celebrating giving of, 258; meanings of, 244
Tov, Baal Shem, 269
/> transubstantiation doctrine (Roman Catholic), 78
Trible, Phyllis, 47
Trinity doctrine (Christianity), 36,
68–70, 84
trinity (Hindu), 153–57
Tripitaka (Three Baskets) [Buddhism], 187
Tukaram, 152
Tutu, Desmond, 94
Tu Weiming, 107, 108, 124
Twain, Mark, 164, 319
Twilight series (Meyer), 84
Tyagananda, Swami, 6
Tylor, E. B., 186
Unitarianism, 84
United Coalition of Reason, 325
United States: Asian-American “model minority” in the, 105, 133; born of rebellion to authority, 125; evangelization of, 84–86; Jewish Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements in the, 267–70; Nation of Islam (NOI) in the, 29. See also American politics; American popular culture; 9/11
Universal Church of the Kingdom of
God, 90
Upanishads (Hinduism), 137, 140, 144–45, 149–50, 151
Updike, John, 200
Vajrayana Buddhism, 196–98
Varanasi (Hindu sacred city), 156
Vedanta Society, 166, 168
Vedas (Hinduism scriptures), 134, 137, 139, 140, 141, 148
Vedic religion, 140–43, 144, 145–46
Vedic sacrifice, 141–42, 147
VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad), 168
via negativa (negative way to God), 99
vipassana (Buddhist meditation), 178
Virgin Mary, 80, 81
Vishnu (Hindu sustainer god), 132, 137, 152
Vivekananda, Swami, 166, 167
Vrat Katha tradition (Hinduism), 159
Wadud, Amina, 55
Wahhabism (Islamic theology), 53–54
Wallace, David Foster, 323
Wallis, Jim, 86
Wang Chongyang, 309
Wang Yang-ming, 121–22
Warren, Rick, 93
Way of Heaven (Confucianism), 116–17
Way of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi dao),
308, 310
Weber, Max, 102
Weil, Simone, 140–41
Wesley, Charles, 82
Wesley, John, 82
White Cloud Monastery (Beijing), 310
Whitman, Walt, 23, 134, 300
The Whole Earth Catalog, 276
Wicca, 15
Wiesel, Elie, 9, 249, 262
Wilde, Oscar, 250
Wine, Sherwin, 271
Winthrop, John, 111–12
women: Confucianism Three Bonds over, 125; Confucian respect for, 123–24; hijab (Muslim women’s head covering), 29, 56; Candomble terreiros run by, 236; Jewish life cycle rituals for, 266; Judaism feminist theology on role of, 272–73; Muslim, 55–56; Pentecostal female preachers, 90–91
Wordsworth, William, 57, 61
World Religion Database, 18, 284
World’s Parliament of Religions, 166
The World’s Religions (Smith), 5
World Vision, 86
wu wei (natural action) [Daoism], 295–96, 299, 312
Xunzi, 119–20, 124, 314
Yai, Olabiyi Babalola, 239
Yan Hui, 302
Yemoja (Yoruba orisha), 218
Yijing (or I Ching), 102–3
yin and yang, 124, 282, 296
Yochai, Shimon bar, 274
Yogananda, Swami, 168
yoga practice, 148
Yoido Full Gospel Church, 93
Yom Kippur (Jewish holiday), 246, 252, 254, 264
Yoruba orishas: ashe (power) of the, 219–20; description of, 206–11; Eshu, 212–13; Obatala, 215–16; Ogun, 216–18; Olodumare (Supreme Being), 211–12, 234; Orunmila, 214; Oshun, 214–15; Shango, Oya, Shopona, Yemoja, and Osanyin, 218
Yoruba religion: accommodative spirit and elasticity of the, 230–34; ajogun and egungun spirits of, 207; American popular culture adoption of, 229; ashe (power) of the orishas, 219–20; babalawo (father of secrets) of, 204, 205, 206, 235; Candomble practitioners of, 224–27, 229; criticisms of, 227, 229–30; demographics of followers of the, 223–27; description of, 69, 203–6; emi and ori (souls) of, 205–6; global nature, 220–23; human flourishing purpose of, 240–41; Ifa divination practice of, 205, 213, 234–36; iyalawo (mother of secrets) of, 204; New World transformations of, 238–40; orishas of, 206–19; spirit (and body) possession in, 236–38; variations and Africanization of, 227–28. See also Africa
Young, Brigham, 84
Yu Dan, 122
Zen Buddhism, 190–93
Zhang Daoling (Chang Tao-ling), 307–8
Zhou dynasty (China), 109–10
Zhuangzi (or Chuang-Tzu), 5, 313, 314
Zhuangzi (or Chuang-Tzu) [Daoism], 280, 299–303, 313
Zhu Xi, 121
Zionism movement, 268, 271–72
Zohar (Aramaic book), 274–75
Zoroastrianism, 15, 296
Zusya, Rabbi, 332–33
Zwingli, Ulrich, 76
Acknowledgments
This book is informed throughout by the generosity of colleagues, the writings of other scholars, the encouragement of friends and family, and the provocations of students.
At Boston University, I benefited from the support of my Chair, Deeana Klepper, and my deans, Jeffrey Henderson and Virginia Sapiro. A dozen or more graduate students in BU’s Division of Religious and Theological Studies lent me their expertise. BU colleagues who pushed this project forward by brainstorming with me, reading chapters, or answering frantic emails on this phrase or that date include Kecia Ali, Nancy Ammerman, David Eckel, Paula Fredriksen, Donna Freitas, Scott Girdner, Catherine Hudak, Jonathan Klawans, Jennifer Knust, Frank Korom, Christopher Lehrich, Robert Hefner, Tom Michael, Dana Robert, Adam Seligman, Onaje Woodbine, Wesley Wildman, and Michael Zank. John Berthrong and Diana Lobel were extraordinarily generous, commenting on multiple chapters and encouraging me along the way.
From outside of my home university came expert assistance from Juhn Ahn, Heather Burns, David Chappell, Yvonne Chireau, Lesleigh Cushing, Yvonne Daniel, Alice Frank, Georgia Frank, Seth Handy, Leah Hochman, Paul Johnson, Ashley Makar, Kathryn McClymond, Joseph Murphy, Jacob Olupona, Robert Ross, Nora Rubel, Ken Serbin, Kristin Swenson, Robert Farris Thompson, Scot Thumma, Robert Thurman, Thomas Tweed, Duncan Williams, Jeff Wilson, and Lauren Winner.
I also want to acknowledge Nicholas Jagdeo and David Neuhaus, who guided me through their respective Jerusalems, and Laode Arham and Meghan Hynson, who took me into the homes of Muslims in Java and Hindus in Bali.
As always, I am extraordinarily grateful to have my extraordinary agent, Sandy Dijkstra, and her hard-working staff at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, in my corner. At HarperOne, my publisher, Mark Tauber, and my publicist, Julie Burton, are both first rate, as is my indefatigable editor, Roger Freet, who provided a wonderful sounding board for this project from proposal to publication and beyond.
I am also extraordinarily lucky to be blessed with two daughters who feign interest in my work.
Finally, I must thank my students, to whom this book is dedicated. Some, such as the multi-talented Shari Rabin, engaged me in thought-provoking discussions about this project. Others advanced my thinking through less direct but no less powerful means, not least a brimming curiosity about the great religions of the world. My students are Muslims and Christians, Confucians and Hindus, and nonbelievers. They practice Buddhism, Yoruba religions, Judaism, and Daoism. So they provide for me a living laboratory of religious difference and a model for how to coexist amiably alongside adherents of rival religions.
I view teaching and learning as conversation and conversation as provocation. I am happy to report that the conversations my students have had with me, and with one another, in my classrooms over the years have been all the provocation any professor could desire. I thank them above all else for asking big questions—the sorts of questions that no one book, and no one religion, can exhaust.
About the Author
STEPHEN PROTHERO is the New York T
imes bestselling author of Religious Literacy and a professor of religion at Boston University. His work has been featured on the cover of Time magazine, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, National Public Radio, and other top national media outlets. He writes and reviews for the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Salon, Slate, and other publications.
Visit the author online at www.stephenprothero.com.
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Praise for New York Times Bestseller Religious Literacy:
“Provocative and timely … combines a lively history of the rise and fall of American religious literacy with a set of proposed remedies based on his hope that ‘the Fall into religious ignorance is reversible.’ ”
—Washington Post
“Prothero is the kind of professor who makes you want to go back to college… . To describe Prothero as ‘quick-witted’ or his interests as ‘interdisciplinary’ wouldn’t do him justice. [He] is a worldreligions scholar with the soul of a late-night television comic.”
—Newsweek
“Compelling and persuasively presented … Religious Literacy is a critical addition to the debate about Americans’ civic education, in particular the teaching of religion in public school.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Remarkable … an especially deft examination of the reasons for Americans’ religious illiteracy.”
—Washington Monthly
“Religious Literacy presents a compelling argument for Bible-literacy courses.”
—Time
“This book is a must-read not only for educators, clergy, and government officials, but for all adults in a culture where, as Prothero puts it, ‘faith without understanding is the standard’ and ‘religious ignorance is bliss.’ ”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Copyright
GOD IS NOT ONE: THE EIGHT RIVAL RELIGIONS THAT RUN THE WORLD—AND WHY THEIR DIFFERENCES MATTER. Copyright © 2010 by Stephen Prothero. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
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