--"Teachings," "Way of Life," and "History"--enables students to focus on content rather than trying to navigate each chapter anew In personal, candid interviews, a diverse array of people share the ways in which they live their faiths Keys to important religious symbols--in easy-to-read tables--offer quick reference and comparison points provide geographical context for each religion's development help students trace the evolution of each religion within its larger social and political context sections at the end of each chapter encourage students to constructively compare the ways in which different religions address the same essential questions prompt students to reexamine essential concepts invite students to think critically and to engage in deeper analyses are boldfaced at their first appearance and defined in the glossary that follows each chapter A at the back of the book includes all of the key terms from the text direct students to some of the best and most recent print and online resources on each tradition keep students visually engaged An downloadable and a provide additional resources