Humanity Our Place in the Universe: The Central Beliefs of the World's Religions

This book shows how Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism view the place of humanity in the universe. Each religion is investigated by considering how the it answers the five big existential questions: 1/ Is there a God, or an Absolute Reality, and if so what is His (Its) nature? 2/ How was the universe created and what is the nature and purpose of this creation? 3/ What is the essential nature of a human being ? are we just ephemeral material beings or do we possess some kind of indestructible essence? 4/ What is the purpose of life? 5/ What happens upon the death of the human body? Does this entail annihilation or is there some kind of afterlife, and if so, what is its nature? The answers to these questions give the essential beliefs of each religion, showing the nature of creation and our place in it. This a unique contribution to comparative religion, as by studying these religions using the same framework, the central beliefs of these religions can be clearly presented and compared.