This concise, authoritative compendium of information on the world's living religions brings together the work of 161 scholars from major religious traditions and related fields. Over 1600 cross-referenced beliefs, and current status of the world's living religions: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Shintoism, Sufism, Taoism, and the many other religions of the world. This information-packed, illustrated volume, complete with maps and charts, provides: comprehensive articles on the historical development and status of the worlds living religions; doctrines, sects, movements, significant personalities, sacred writings, religious practices, and holy sites, with key creeds, prayers, and mantras given in full; a detailed examination of religions that have spread to new geographical regions in articles such as Christianity in Africa, while other topics better studied across traditions have separate entries, such as Mysticism and Scarifice; over 150 black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams, line drawings, and charts.