Refined by over forty years of dialogue and correspondence with religious experts and practitioners around the world, this text is widely regarded as the hallmark of fairness and accuracy in its field. It is also the most thorough, yet concise history of world religions available in a single volume, treating many subjects largely neglected in other texts. The book's depth, breadth, and organization free instructors from having to cover everything in lectures, enabling them to select specific assignments and use class time for questions, discussion, and their own favorite materials.