Building upon its already strong foundation, the third edition of World Religions: Western Traditions examines in detail the major Western religious traditions: Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, and religions of the ancient world. Featuring work from renowned contributors, this rich and descriptive text discusses the historical basis for the religious traditions, shows how they have developed over time, and explains how they are now situated in the contemporary world.New to this Edition:* Full redesign featuring four-color throughout, 65 photos, and 6 maps* An introductory chapter ("Why Religion?") that explores the origins of religion and some of the basic elements that traditions around the world share* A concluding chapter ("Current Trends in Religion") examining how various traditions are responding to contemporary issues in such areas as politics, bioethics, gender, environment, and interfaith dialogue* New chapters on ancient religions (Chapter 2), indigenous traditions (Chapter 6), and new religious movements (Ch 7)* More coverage of the role of women throughout* Pedagogical features including "Traditions at a Glance" boxes, scripture boxes, bolded key terms, a glossary, and recommended websites* A Companion Website featuring resources for both students and instructorsIdeal for courses western religions and comparative religions, World Religions: Western Traditions, Third Edition, combines a historically descriptive perspective with a spirit of sympathetic fascination.