Revealing Western Religions

Revealing® Western Religions includes five modules that cover the religions most often taught in introductory western religion courses—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—along with modules on the academic study of religion and religious pluralism in the 21st century. The modules can be studied in whatever order the instructor prefers.

The text is designed to convey the maximum amount of information in the most user-friendly manner and to reinforce learning with interactive exercises. Revealing Western Religions is vastly more experiential than other introductory world religions textbooks. Evocative images of the religions presented appear at the rate of one for roughly every seventy words of text, a ratio that print textbooks cannot begin to match. Selected audio clips allow students to experience the sounds of the religions they are studying, for example, the Muslim call to prayer and evangelical Christian glossolalia. Links to scriptures of the world’s religions lessen the need for adjunct texts such as anthologies of primary readings.

Revealing® Western Religions Modules:

  • Exploring Religion
  • Judaism
  • Christianity
  • Islam
  • Religious Pluralism
Price: $50

Exploring Religion

What Is Religion?
  • Goals: What Is Religion?
  • Religion & Religions
  • One Reality or Many?
  • Defining Religion
  • Theoretical, Practical, Sociological
  • Religious Specialists
  • Religious Syncretism
  • Summary: What Is Religion?
  • Try It: What Is Religion?
Types of Religion
  • Goals: Types of Religions
  • Eastern & Western Religions
  • Families of Religions
  • Ethnic & Universal
  • Theisms
  • The Ineffable
  • Atheism & Agnosticism
  • Summary: Types of Religions
  • Try It: Types of Religions
Studying Religion
  • Goals: Studying Religion
  • Why Is There Religion?
  • Functionalism
  • Theorists of Religion
  • Ways to Study Religion
  • Belief & Unbelief
  • Why Study Religion?
  • The Religious Quest
  • Summary: Studying Religion
  • Try It: Studying Religion
Back to top

Judaism

Basic Principles of Judaism
  • Goals: Basic Principles of Judaism
  • Monotheism in Judaism
  • Iconoclasm in Judaism
  • The Chosen People
  • An Ethnic Religion
  • The Sacred in History
  • Orthopraxis
  • Jewish Theology
  • 13 Principles of Faith
  • Summary: Basic Principles of Judaism
  • Try It: Basic Principles of Judaism
Cultural Context of Judaism
  • Goals: Cultural Context
  • A Minority Religion
  • Anti-Semitism
  • Ghettoes
  • Jews & Banking
  • Blood Libel
  • The Holocaust
  • Warsaw Ghetto
  • Survival of the Jewish People
  • Summary: Cultural Context
  • Try It: Cultural Context
Hebrew Scriptures
  • Goals: Hebrew Scriptures
  • Hebrew Bible
  • Torah
  • Prophets & Writings
  • Talmud
  • Midrash
  • Mishnah
  • Gemara
  • Page from the Talmud
  • Study, Learning, & Debate
  • Summary: Hebrew Scriptures
  • Try It: Hebrew Scriptures
Ancient History of Judaism
  • Goals: Ancient History of Judaism
  • A Herding People
  • Judaism & the Creation of the World
  • Covenant with Abraham
  • Jacob & His Sons
  • Jewish Patriarchs
  • The Exodus
  • Kingdom of Israel
  • Second Temple Period
  • The Diaspora
  • Summary: Ancient History of Judaism
  • Try It: Ancient History of Judaism
The Jewish Diaspora
  • Goals: The Jewish Diaspora
  • From Temple to Synagogue
  • Judaism Under the Roman Empire
  • Sephardim
  • Matriliny
  • Ashkenazim
  • Kabbalah
  • Shabbatai Tzvi
  • Hasidim
  • Beginnings of Reform Judaism
  • Summary: The Jewish Diaspora
  • Try It: The Jewish Diaspora
Judaism in America
  • Goals: Judaism in America
  • Jewish Migration to America
  • Reform Judaism
  • Orthodox Judaism
  • Conservative Judaism
  • Reconstructionist Judaism
  • Intermarriage
  • Summary: Judaism in America
  • Try It: Judaism in America
The State of Israel
  • Goals: The State of Israel
  • State of Israel
  • Theodor Herzl
  • Proposed Zionist Homelands
  • Jewish Immigration to Palestine
  • Creation of the State of Israel
  • State of Israel Today
  • Tensions Within Israel
  • Population of Israel
  • Western Wall
  • Summary: The State of Israel
  • Try It: The State of Israel
Jewish Practice
  • Goals: Jewish Practice
  • Jewish Prayer
  • Dressing for Prayer
  • The Lord Is One
  • Shabbat
  • Reading the Torah
  • Laws of Kashrut
  • Levels of Jewish Observance
  • Summary: Jewish Practice
  • Try It: Jewish Practice
Jewish Holidays
  • Goals: Jewish Holidays
  • The Jewish Calendar
  • High Holy Days
  • Major Jewish Holidays
  • Passover
  • Shavuot & Sukkot
  • Simchat Torah
  • Hanukkah
  • Purim
  • Commemorative Holidays
  • Summary: Jewish Holidays
  • Try It: Jewish Holidays
Jewish Rites of Passage
  • Goals: Jewish Rites of Passage
  • Brit Milah
  • Baby Namings
  • Bar & Bat Mitzvah
  • Jewish Weddings
  • Mourning
  • Summary: Jewish Rites of Passage
  • Try It: Jewish Rites of Passage
Women in Judaism
  • Goals: Women in Judaism
  • Judaism as a Male-Dominated Religion
  • Matriarchs & Heroines
  • Role of Women in Judaism
  • Niddah
  • Marriage & Divorce in Judaism
  • Women Rabbis
  • Jewish Feminism
  • Summary: Women in Judaism
  • Try It: Women in Judaism
Living Judaism
  • Growing Up Jewish
  • Becoming Jewish
Back to top

Christianity

Jesus
  • Goals: Jesus
  • Early Life of Jesus
  • Life of Jesus: Social Context
  • Birth of Jesus
  • What Jesus Taught
  • Jesus as a Jew
  • God, Father of Jesus
  • Ministry of Jesus
  • Crucifixion of Jesus
  • Resurrection & Ascension of Jesus
  • Summary: Jesus
  • Try It: Jesus
Early Christianity
  • Goals: Early Christianity
  • Jesus Movement as a Jewish Sect
  • Paul
  • The Gentiles
  • Doctrine of the Atonement
  • Early Spread of Christianity
  • Summary: Early Christianity
  • Try It: Early Christianity
After the Fall of Rome
  • Goals: After the Fall of Rome
  • Under the Roman Empire
  • Gnosticism
  • The Religion of the Empire
  • Augustine
  • Wrestling Over Christian Doctrine
  • The Byzantine Empire
  • First Schism in Christianity
  • Catholicism & Eastern Orthodoxy
  • Christian Monasticism
  • Summary: After the Fall of Rome
  • Try It: After the Fall of Rome
Medieval Christianity
  • Goals: Medieval Christianity
  • Medieval Monasticism
  • The Virgin Mary
  • Christian Pilgrimage
  • The Crusades
  • The Inquisition
  • The Muslim Triumph
  • Cultural Impact of the Crusades
  • Thomas Aquinas
  • On the Eve of Reformation
  • Summary: Medieval Christianity
  • Try It: Medieval Christianity
Protestant Reformation
  • Goals: Protestant Reformation
  • Martin Luther
  • Luther’s Theology
  • The Lutheran Church
  • John Calvin
  • Double Predestination
  • Henry VIII, King of England
  • Witchcraft Persecutions
  • The Radical Reformation
  • The Catholic Reformation
  • Summary: Protestant Reformation
  • Try It: Protestant Reformation
Christian Practices
  • Goals: Christian Practices
  • Diversity of Christian Practices
  • Sacraments
  • Baptism
  • Eucharist
  • Confirmation & Reconciliation
  • Marriage & Holy Orders
  • Unction
  • Christian Prayer
  • Christian Art & Music
  • Summary: Christian Practices
  • Try It: Christian Practices
Christian Holidays
  • Goals: Christian Holidays
  • The Liturgical Year
  • Advent
  • Christmas
  • Lent
  • Easter
  • Ascension
  • Pentecost
  • Saints Days
  • The Assumption of Mary
  • Summary: Christian Holidays
  • Try It: Christian Holidays
Into the 21st Century
  • Goals: Into the 21st Century
  • Christian Denominations
  • Revivalism
  • New Christian Denominations
  • Roman Catholicism in America
  • Religious Pluralism in America
  • The Ecumenical Impulse
  • Pentecostalism
  • Global Christianity
  • The Future of Christianity
  • Summary: Into the 21st Century
  • Try It: Into the 21st Century
Living Christianity
  • Growing Up Christian
  • Becoming Christian
Back to top

Islam

Life of Muhammad
  • Goals: Life of Muhammad
  • Religion in Ancient Arabia
  • Early Life of Muhammad
  • The First Revelation
  • Muhammad & the Meccans
  • Night Journey
  • Hijrah
  • Islam Under Muhammad
  • Family of Muhammad
  • Summary: Life of Muhammad
  • Try It: Life of Muhammad
Islamic Texts
  • Goals: Islamic Texts
  • Quran
  • Biblical Figures in the Quran
  • Arabic & the Quran
  • Significance of the Quran
  • Quranic Recitation
  • Quranic Calligraphy
  • The Hadith
  • Sharia
  • Islamic Philosophy
  • Summary: Islamic Texts
  • Try It: Islamic Texts
Major Tenets of Islam
  • Goals: Major Tenets of Islam
  • Islamic Monotheism
  • No Original Sin
  • No Value Placed on Celibacy
  • Afterlife in Islam
  • Islam & Judaism
  • Islam & Christianity
  • The Prophet
  • People of the Book
  • Angels, Spirits, & Jinn
  • Summary: Major Tenets of Islam
  • Try It: Major Tenets of Islam
Islamic Religious Practices
  • Goals: Islamic Religious Practices
  • Five Pillars of Islam
  • Testimony
  • Prayer
  • Charity
  • Fasting
  • Islamic Pilgrimage
  • Jihad
  • Dietary Restrictions
  • Islamic Rites of Passage
  • Summary: Islamic Religious Practices
  • Try It: Islamic Religious Practices
History of Islam
  • Goals: History of Islam
  • Early Expansion
  • The Caliphate
  • Umayyad Dynasty
  • The Sunni/Shia Split
  • Shia Islam
  • Abbasid Dynasty
  • Later Islamic Empires
  • End of the Islamic Empires
  • Summary: History of Islam
  • Try It: History of Islam
Sufism
  • Goals: Sufism
  • Islamic Mysticism
  • Rabia al-Adawiyya
  • Controversies Over Sufism
  • Sufi Orders
  • Sufi Practices
  • Rumi
  • Sufism Today
  • Summary: Sufism
  • Try It: Sufism
Islamic Resurgence
  • Goals: Islamic Resurgence
  • Islam & the Modern World
  • Islamic States in the 20th Century
  • Modern Turkey
  • Modern Iran
  • Other Islamic States
  • Islamic Revivalism
  • Islamic Reform
  • Summary: Islamic Resurgence
  • Try It: Islamic Resurgence
Islam Around the World
  • Goals: Islam Around the World
  • Islam in Asia
  • Islam in Africa
  • Islam in Europe
  • Islam in America
  • African-American Islam
  • Summary: Islam Around the World
  • Try It: Islam Around the World
Women & Islam
  • Goals: Women & Islam
  • Role of Women in Islam
  • Women & the Prophet
  • Women in the Quran
  • Women in the Hadith
  • The Veil
  • Islamic Feminism
  • Summary: Women & Islam
  • Try It: Women & Islam
Living Islam
  • Growing Up Muslim
  • Becoming Muslim
Back to top

Religious Pluralism

Comparing Religions
  • Goals: Comparing Religions
  • Making Meaningful Comparisons
  • Universal & Ethnic Religions
  • Orthopraxis & Orthodoxy
  • Sacred Time
  • Founders, Prophets, & Teachers
  • Sex, Life, & Death
  • One God or Many?
  • Summary: Comparing Religions
  • Try It: Comparing Religions
New Religious Movements
  • Goals: New Religious Movements
  • Religious Change
  • Millennial Movements
  • Universalist Religions
  • Nature Religions
  • New Age Religions
  • Summary: New Religious Movements
  • Try It: New Religious Movements
The 21st Century
  • Goals: The 21st Century
  • The Secularization Thesis
  • Fundamentalism
  • Interreligious Dialogue
  • Female Religious Leadership
  • Religion in Popular Culture
  • Looking Forward
  • Summary: The 21st Century
  • Try It: The 21st Century

About the Author: Cynthia Eller, Ph.D.

Cynthia Eller has taught religious studies at Claremont Graduate University, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College, Montclair State University, Yale Divinity School, and Princeton University. She has written numerous books in the fields of women and religion, ethics, and women’s studies, including Living in the Lap of the Goddess: The Feminist Spirituality Movement in America (Boston: Beacon Press, 1995) and The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory: Why an Invented Past Won’t Give Women a Future (Boston: Beacon Press, 2000).

Like all religious studies faculty, Dr. Eller hopes to draw her students into an appreciation of the elements of a wide swath of religions and instill a desire in her students to explore religion and its study further through upper-division classes. In Revealing World Religions and Revealing Religion, she has developed digital texts that convey basic concepts and subject matter, illustrate lived religion in a compelling way, and reinforce learning in ways unavailable with a printed text. These courseware titles are a new kind of textbook for a new generation of learners.

Privacy Preferences

When you visit our website, it may store information through your browser from specific services, usually in the form of cookies. Here you can change your Privacy preferences. It is worth noting that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our website and the services we are able to offer.

Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking code.
Click to enable/disable Google Fonts.
Click to enable/disable Google Maps.
Click to enable/disable video embeds.
Our website uses cookies to enhance user experience. Define your Privacy Preferences and/or agree to our use of cookies. Thank you.