This essential guide to religion explains the key tenets and big ideas behind the world's five main religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism - alongside newer faiths. The Religions Book clearly explains the key concepts behind the earliest religious beliefs right up to the world's newest faiths, getting to the heart of what it means to believe with jargon-free descriptions, step-by-step diagrams, and witty illustrations that encapsulate every aspect of religious thinking. Examine major historical developments and ideas with a universal timeline, providing a global perspective on the origins and major events that have contributed to the growth and spread of religion and spirituality. Along with the teaching highlights of pre-eminent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Paul, and Al-Ghazali, you'll also find a handy reference section featuring a glossary of religious terms and a roadmap to all the branches of the major faiths and the points of doctrine or tradition on which they differ. Modern alternative religions and spiritual beliefs from around the world are also explored and set into the context of the political, social, and cultural climates from which they emerged. Compelling and accessible, The Religions Book is the perfect guide for students of religious study, or anyone interested in the ideas of ancient and present day faiths and religious philosophies.