Comparative Christianity

Abstract

Comparative Christianity: A Student's Guide to a Religion and its Diverse Traditions explores what Christians have in common and then works through the three major subdivisions of the faith: Eastern, Roman, and Protestant. Using categories common to many definitions of religion, each chapter employs the categories of belief, individual and group moral codes, ceremonies, and associations.

The book is a good choice for a textbook on Christianity, for the general reader and/or the follower of other religious traditions who want to learn about the Christian faith. By reading this book, readers will have a fuller knowledge of what Christians, whatever tradition, have in common and what distinguishes one Christian group from another.

Comparative Christianity is different than other similar books on the market. It includes groups normally ignored, such as the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and Mormon groups beyond the scope of the Salt Lake City Latter-day Saints community (including the recent Texas group at the center of a polygamy controversy). Also, Comparative Christianity includes a review quiz at the end of each chapter so that readers can see how much knowledge they have acquired. These quizzes may also be used by professors if the text is used in a course.

About the Author

Dr. Thomas Russell teaches Humanities for the Regents Online Degree Program for the State of Tennessee. He has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a B.A. from Furman University. He lives with his wife, Anne, in historic Franklin, TN. Dr. Russell's inspiration to write this textbook arises from his twenty-year college teaching career with its emphasis on comparative religion. Added to this have been research grants from Harvard University's Pluralism Project and the Louisville Institute as well as academic presentations and articles.