A History of the World's Religions

David S. Noss taught in the Religion and Philosophy Department of Heidelberg College from 1950 until his retirement in 1989, although he continued teaching students and advising faculty until his passing in 2010. Blake Grangaard earned his B.A. from St. Olaf College, M.Div. from Luther Theological Seminary and Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He was a church pastor for almost 10 years before turning to academia.

Part I. Some Primal and Bygone Religions 1. Religion in Prehistoric and Primal Cultures 2. Bygone Religions That Have Left Their Mark on the West Part II. The Religions of South Asia 3. Early Hinduism: The Passage from Ritual Sacrifice to Mystical Union 4. Later Hinduism: Religion as the Determinant of Social Behavior 5. Jainism: A Study in Asceticism 6. Buddhism in Its First Phase: Moderation in World Renunciation 7. The Religious Development of Buddhism: Diversity in Paths to Nirvana 8. Sikhism: A Study in Syncretism Part III. The Religions of East Asia 9. Native Chinese Religion and Daoism 10. Confucius and Confucianism: A Study in Optimistic Humanism 11. Shinto: The Native Contribution to Japanese Religion Part IV. The Religions of the Middle East 12. Zoroastrianism: A Religion Based on Ethical Dualism 13. Judaism in Its Early Phases: From Hebrew Origins to the Exile 14. The Religious Development of Judaism 15. Christianity in Its Opening Phase: The Words and Work of Jesus in Apostolic Perspective 16. The Religious Development of Christianity 17. Islam: The Religion of Submission to God: Beginnings 18. The Sh `ah Alternative and Regional Developments Glossary