About the Book

The New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy makes the provocative argument that the differences between the world’s religions are far greater than we have acknowledged — and that we ignore this at our own peril.

God Is Not One is a major book that challenges the underlying premise of books like Karen Armstrong’s A History of God and Jack Miles’s God: A Biography. Author and religion scholar Stephen Prothero debunks the popular myth that all religions are “different paths to the same God.” Contrary to what many popular religion writers (Huston Smith) say, we actually disrespect the core of each religious tradition when we treat them as if they were indistinguishable. God Is Not One showcases the disparities between each tradition, revealing the undeniable differences drawn by religious boundaries of belief and practice.

To claim that all religions are the same is to misunderstand that each tradition attempts to solve a different aspect of the human condition. For example:

• Christianity: the problem is sin / the solution is salvation

• Buddhism: the problem is suffering / the solution is enlightenment

• Islam: the problem is pride / the solution is submission

• Confucianism: the problem is chaos / the solution is social order

When we gloss over these differences we fail to appreciate each religion on its own terms. Prothero provides an up-to-date look at the religions that continue to shape the lives of billions of people around the globe.

Critical Praise

“enormously timely, thoughtful and balanced” — Los Angeles Times

“God is Not One is 2010’s must-read for anyone religiously illiterate….Don’t know much about the world’s faiths? Get a copy now.” — The Daily Beast

“Provocative, thoughtful, fiercely intelligent and, for both believing and nonbelieving, formal and informal students of religion, a must-read.” — Booklist

“An urgently needed and very nicely done corrective to politically correct nonsense.” — Rodney Stark, author of Discovering God: The Origins of the Great Religions and the Evolution of Faith

“Stephen Prothero has done it again. This is a powerfully-written, paradigm-shifting book. How religious differences can be a bridge of cooperation rather than a bomb of destruction is one of the most important challenges of our era, and Prothero is as good a guide as you will find.” — Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core and author of Acts of Faith

“This book could well be the most highly readable, accurate, and up-to-date introduction to the world’s major religions.” — Harvey Cox, Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, Harvard University, and author of The Future of Faith

“A very much needed book!” — Miroslav Volf, Professor, Yale University, and author of Exclusion and Embrace

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780061571282
• ISBN 10: 0061571288
• Imprint: HarperOne
• On Sale: 05/03/2011
• Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 0.900 in (d)
• Pages: 400
• List Price: $17.99
• BISAC1 : ART / History / General
• BISAC2 : HISTORY / General
• BISAC3 : HISTORY / Military / World War II
• BISAC4 : HISTORY / World
• BISAC5 : RELIGION / General
• BISAC6 : RELIGION / Hinduism / Theology
• BISAC7 : RELIGION / Reference