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| Introduction to the World’s Major Religions |
Greenwood Press, one of the world's leading publishers of reference titles
and academic texts, released a new textbook on Hinduism last week.
Written by independent scholar Steven J. Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa), it is the final volume of
a six-part series called Introduction to the World’s Major Religions.
Rosen is the author of over twenty books on Hindu-related subjects and
editor-in-chief of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies, a peer-refereed
academic journal. He is also a practitioner of Vaishnavism and a disciple of A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the worldwide Hare Krishna
movement.
The new book comes, significantly, at a time when academics and activists
are locked in a debate over whether the California Department of
Education should accept revisions, proposed by various Hindu
organisations, to textbook depictions of Hinduism. While opponents fear
that the revisions are motivated by a political-religious agenda,
proponents of the revisions point out the need to correct long-standing
biases and misconceptions in portrayals of their faith.
In having him write its Hinduism book, Rosen contends, Greenwood Press
seeks to address this tension by portraying Hinduism in a way that is true
to an academic approach, but simultaneously respects the unique insights
of a practitioner.
“World religions and religious diversity are increasingly being taught in
schools,” a statement on the Greenwood website explains. “This trend
reflects the changing religious landscape of the United States with
significant new immigrant groups who worship outside the dominant
Judeo-Christian traditions.” The new textbook thus aims “to provide high
school students on up and general readers with a clear, objective,
detailed overview on the religion's history of foundation, text and major
tenets, branches, practice worldwide, rituals and holidays, and major
figures.”
Rosen practices Vaishnavism, a monotheistic faith that is often considered
the largest denomination within the broad Vedic, or Hindu culture. His own
practice notwithstanding, in the book he is careful to accurately present
other traditions within the Hindu fold as well. In fact, early on the
text, Rosen asserts that the word “Hindu” is a misnomer, which is found
nowhere within the tradition itself. Instead, Rosen explains, what is
commonly called “Hinduism” is actually an umbrella encompassing different
faith traditions, beliefs, and schools of philosophy.
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