Origin The Challenge to the Global Community of Religions
"In this new ecological age of developing global community and interfaith dialogue, the world religions face what is perhaps the greatest challenge that they have ever encountered. Each is inspired by a unique vision of the divine and has a distinct cultural identity. At the same time, each perceives the divine as the source of unity and peace. The challenge is to preserve their religious and cultural uniqueness without letting it operate as a cause of narrow and divisive sectarianism that contradicts the vision of unity and peace. It is a question of whether the healing light of religious vision will overcome the social and ideological issues that underline much of the conflict between religions." ~ Dr. Steven C. Rockefeller, Middlebury College, Spirit and Nature, p. 169
CONTENTS | INVOCATION | INTRODUCTION | PROLOGUE | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21
WS FORUM

INVOCATION

Synopsis
Title Page
This Archive
Advisors and Contributors
Foreword by Ninian Smart
How to obtain a printed (hardbound/paperback) version

PROLOGUE:
MANY PATHS TO ONE GOAL

The Truth in Many Paths
Tolerance and Respect for All Believers

INTRODUCTION
The Purpose of World Scripture
The Organization of World Scripture
The World's Religions and Their Scriptures
Acknowledgements
Notes

ESSAY:
World Scripture and Education for Peace

PART ONE:
Ultimate Reality and the Purpose of Human Existence

CHAPTER 1: Ultimate Reality
Traces of God's Existence
The One
Formless, Emptiness, Mystery
Transcendent, All-Pervasive Reality
Sovereign and Omnipotent
Omniscient
Immanent and Near at Hand
Eternal -- in a World of Transience
The Creator
Goodness and Love
Divine Father and Mother

CHAPTER 2: Divine Law, Truth, and Cosmic Principle
Eternal Truth
Moral Law
The Decalogue
The Golden Rule
Polarity, Relationality, and Interdependence
Cosmic Justice

CHAPTER 3: The Purpose of Life for the Individual
Joy and Happiness
For God's Good Pleasure
Image of God and Temple of God
Inborn Goodness and Conscience
Original Mind, No Mind
Perfection
True Love

CHAPTER 4: The Purpose of Life in the Family and in Society
The Family
Parents and Children
Husband and Wife
Friendship
Unity and Community
Equality
The People of God
The Ideal Society

CHAPTER 5: The Purpose of Life in the Natural World
The Sanctity of Nature
Reverence for Life
The Microcosm
Dominion
The Lord of Spirits
Creation Rejoices

CHAPTER 6: Life Beyond Death and the Spiritual World
The Spiritual World: Mystery, Multiplicity, Analogy, Harmony
The Immortal Soul
Prepare Now for Eternity
Passage Beyond
Heaven
Hell
Spiritual Benefactors
Spiritual Error and the Occult

PART TWO:
Evil, Sin, and the Human Fall

CHAPTER 7: The Human Condition
Ill
The War Within
Ignorance
Idolatry
Pride and Egotism
Selfish Desire, Lust, and Greed

CHAPTER 8: Fall and Deviation
The Human Fall
Demonic Powers
Heresy
Degraded Human Nature
God's Grief

CHAPTER 9: The Major Sins
Good and Evil
Adultery
Murder
Theft
Lying and Deceit
Hypocrisy
Slander, Gossip and Foul Speech
Addiction

PART THREE:
Salvation and the Savior

CHAPTER 10: Salvation-Liberation-Enlightenment
Grace
Universal Salvation
Atonement and Forgiveness of Sins
Healing
Liberation
Enlightenment
Crossing the Waters
Reversal and Restoration
Peace
Help and Deliverance
The Refining Fire
Born Anew
Eternal Life
The Unitive State

CHAPTER 11: The Founder
Call and Awakening
Rejected by the World
The Victor
He Who Subjugates Satan
The Revealer of Truth
The Man for Others
The Living Presence
The Person and Character of the Founder: Divine Person
Human Person
The Succession of Founders and Messengers

PART FOUR:
The Religious Life

CHAPTER 12: Responsibility and Predestination
Decision
Individual Responsibility
Synergy
Predestination
Karma and Inherited Sin
Duty

CHAPTER 13: Self-cultivation and Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Growth
Cultivate the Good
Sincerity
Purity
Self-Control
Preparing the Start
Vigilance
Perseverance and Patience

CHAPTER 14: Faith
Faith
Devotion and Praise
Fear, Submission, and Obedience
Anxiety
Gratitude
Argument with God

CHAPTER 15: Wisdom
The Search for Knowledge
Scripture and Tradition
Poverty of Conceptual Learning
Scripture Teaches in Parables
Learning and Practice
Teacher and Disciple
New Wine and Old Wineskins

CHAPTER 16: Worship
Prayer
The Name of God
Meditation
Ritual
Beyond Ritual

CHAPTER 17: Offering and Sacrifice
Offering
Donations
Self-Sacrifice
Persecution and Martyrdom

CHAPTER 18: Self-Denial and Renunciation
Self-denial and No-self
Repentance, Confession, and Restitution
Humility
Restraint and Moderation
Control Anger
Subdue Desires and Passions
Detachment from the Senses
Renunciation of Wealth
Asceticism and Monasticism
Separation from Family
Separation from the World

CHAPTER 19: Live for Others
Loving-kindness
Serving Others
Sacrificial Love
Giving and Receiving
Charity and Hospitality
Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Judge Not
Love Your Enemy
Turn the Other Cheek
Good Deeds
Labor and Industry
Honesty and Expediency
Witness

PART FIVE:
Providence, Society, and the Kingdom of Heaven

CHAPTER 20: Good Government and the Welfare of Society
The Pillars of Society
The Prophet and Reformer
War Against Evil
Respect for Legitimate Governments
Government by Divine Law
Consideration for the People
Leadership by Example and Honest Government
Judgments and Punishments
Providence and the Mandate of Heaven

CHAPTER 21: Eschatology and Messianic Hope
Tribulation
The Last Judgment
The Messiah
The Kingdom of Heaven

Interspirit Network for global illumination
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ADVISORS, CONTRIBUTORS, AND EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR: Andrew Wilson

FOREWORD: Ninian Smart


EDITORIAL BOARD

Savas C. Agourides
Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Chu-hsien Chen
Bernard Rex Davis
Fung Hu-hsiang
Emanuel S. Goldsmith
Raymond Hammer
Frederick Jelly, O.P.
Inamullah Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Ahmad Kuftaro
Byong Joo Lee
H. K. Mirza
Hajime Nakamura
Kofi Asare Opoku
Yasur Nuri Ozturk
Jordan Paper
Pahalawattage Don Premasiri
K. B. Ramakrishna Rao
K. L. Seshagiri Rao
Samdhong L. Tenzin Rinpoche
Losang Norbu Shastri
Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji
Antonio Silvestrelli
Avtar Singh
Giani Naranjan Singh
Huston Smith


ADVISORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Savas C. Agourides
Professor of New Testament
School of Theology
University of Athens
Athens, Greece
(Christianity, Orthodox)

Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Professor and Head
Department of Pali and Prakrit
Nagpur University
Nagpur, India
(Jainism)

Sister Maura Campbell
Professor of Religious Studies
Caldwell College
Caldwell, New Jersey
(Christianity, Roman Catholic)

Dr. Chu-hsien Chen
Hamburg, Germany
(Chinese Religions)

Canon Bernard Rex Davis
Subdean, Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln, United Kingdom
(Christianity, Protestant)

Dr. Homi B. Dhalla
Lecturer, B.J.P.C. Institute

Bombay, India
(Zoroastrianism)

Dr. Paul B. Fenton
University of Lyon
Lyon, France
(Judaism)

Dr. Betty J. Fisher
General Editor
Baha'i Publishing Trust
Wilmette, Illinois
(Baha'i Faith)

Fung Hu-hsiang
Professor of Philosophy and Dean
College of Liberal Arts
National Central University
Taiwan, Republic of China
(Confucianism)

Rabbi Dr. Emanuel S. Goldsmith
Associate Professor of Jewish Studies
Queens College of the City
University of New York
Flushing, New York

Rev. Canon Dr. Raymond J. Hammer
Anglican Interfaith Consultants
London, United Kingdom
Former Canon of Kobe Cathedral
Kobe, Japan
(Japanese Religions)

Institute for the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Sermons and Speeches
Sung Hwa University
Chonan, Korea
(Unification Church)

Rev. Dr. Frederick Jelly, O.P.
Dean of Studies
Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Emmitsburg, Maryland
(Christianity, Roman Catholic)

Jay E. Jensen
Director, Scriptures Coordination
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah
(Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Dr. Inamullah Khan
Secretary General
World Muslim Congress
Karachi, Pakistan
(Islam)

Dr. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
President, The Islamic Centre
New Dehli, India
(Islam)

Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Kuftaro
Grand Mufti of Syria
Damascus, Syria
(Islam)

Dr.Byong Joo Lee
Chairman, Chung Hyun Seo Wun
Senior Committee Member
Sung Kyun National Confucian University
Seoul, Korea
(Confucianism)

Prof. Gobind Singh Mansukhani
Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations
London, England
(Sikhism)

H. K. Mirza
High Priest of the Parsis
Professor Emeritus of Zoroastrian Studies
Bombay, India
(Zoroastrianism)

Hajime Nakamura
Professor of Religion Emeritus
Tokyo University
Founder-Director
The Eastern Institute
Tokyo, Japan
(Buddhism)

Prof. Kofi Asare Opoku
Institute of African Studies
University of Ghana
Legon, Ghana
(African Traditional Religions)

Dr. Yasur Nuri Ozturk
Faculty of Theology
Marmara University
Religion Commentator
Hurriyet Newspaper
Istanbul, Turkey
(Islam)

Dr. Ryszard Pachocinski
Head, Department of Comparative Education
Institute for Educational Research
Warsaw, Poland
(African Traditional Religions)

Jordan Paper
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
York University
North York, Ontario, Canada
(Native American Religions)

Dr. Pahalawattage Don Premasiri
Department of Philosophy
University of Peradeniya
Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
(Theravada Buddhism)

K. B. Ramakrishna Rao
Professor and Head,
Department of Philosophy
Mysore University
Mysore, University
(Hinduism)

K. L. Seshagiri Rao
Professor of Religious Studies
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
(Hinduism)

Gene Reeves
Professor of Theology
Meadville/Lombard Theological School
Chicago, Illinois
(Japanese New Religions)

Ven. Prof. Samdhong L. Tenzin, Rinpoche
Director, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies
Sarnath, Varanasi, India
(Tibetan Buddhism)

Rev. Losang Norbu Shastri
Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies
Sarnath, Varanasi, India
(Tibetan Buddhism)

Dr. Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji
Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Brihanmath
Sirigere, India
(Lingayat Hinduism)

Monsignor Antonio Silvestrelli
Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith
Vatican City
(Christianity, Roman Catholic)

Dr. Avtar Singh
Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Religious Studies
Punjabi University
Patiala, India
(Sikhism)

Sant Giani Naranjan Singh
Guru Nanak Ashram
Patiala, India
(Sikhism)

Ninian Smart
J. F. Rowney Professor of Comparative Religions
University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
(General Consultant)

Huston Smith
Thomas J. Watson Professor Emeritus of Religion
Syracuse University
Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, California
(General Consultant)

Rev. Takahide Takahashi
The Eastern Institute
Tokyo, Japan
(Japanese Buddhism)

Kapil Tiwari
Professor of World Religions
Victoria University
Wellington, New Zealand
(South Pacific Traditional Religion)

Dr. David Manning White
President, Marlborough Publishing House
Richmond, Virginia
(World Spirituality)