"Anything Carl Olson creates, and he has created a lot, is eagerly awaited. Here is another superb book from him. It is an essential text to anyone’s understanding of cross-cultural religious ways of experiencing life."Sushil Mittal, James Madison University, USA"This book amazes by its comprehensiveness. Almost every domain of the religious phenomenon is surveyed with a discerning eye, from ancient times to the present. Professor Olson shows why religion must continue to be taken seriously by all who are interested in understanding the human condition. This wonderful achievement is truly a tribute to our globalized world."Julius Lipner, University of Cambridge, UK