though, like so many things we use, they're really college texts. I
have used for several years T. Patrick Burke's "The Major Religions: An
Introduction with Texts" (Blackwell, now in a second edition). I like
the fact that it is, by comparison with so many textbooks, affordable
(around $35), and, while I'm not happy with all the primary sources he
uses, I love the fact that they are in the same volume. There is a web
site you can use that has some value for teacher and student, including
(if I do say so myself, since I wrote them) some pretty good study
questions to accompany some of the chapters.
Also good (better than Burke in many ways, but doesn't have the primary
sources) is Mary Pat Fisher, "Living Religions" (it's been through about
5 editions). One drawback I see with this text is that I often detect a
certain bias in places, but not enough not to use it. This book is more
expensive, though, like Burke, it is in paperback.
Some people will recommend Huston Smith's classic "The World's
Religions," which is cheap (an accompanying book of primary sources is
also inexpensive, done by Philip Novak), but, while I like the Novak
reader, I'm not a fan of Smith. It is idiosyncratic and conceptual, and
my students, when I used it, didn't find it very accessible.
I haven't used any of these with 9th graders, by the way.
Hope this helps.
Jim
--
Jim Dunaway
Dean of Faculty
The Kinkaid School
713-243-6555
Dave Mullen wrote:
> I currently teach a course in world religions using Michael Molloy's
> Experiencing the World's Religions. It's a college text that has
> worked nicely with the older kids I've typically taught, but having
> volunteered to take on the 9th graders next year I need a somewhat
> lighter text. Any recommendations from the vast experience pool of
> ISED-L?
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
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