Understanding Death - 2nd Edition by Angela Sumegi (Paperback)

About the Book

"In the field of death studies, there are numerous works available written from personal, medical, theological, psychological, grieving, or religious perspectives. However, very few resources are specifically targeted for use in a one semester undergraduate university course that aims to present an academic overview of religious beliefs and responses surrounding death and afterlife. This is the intent for this book. Building on the success of the first edition published in 2013 (4,660 print copies sold; 860 in FY20-FY22), Understanding Death: Ideas of Self and the Afterlife in Religions of the World, Second Edition introduces undergraduates to how religions understand death, dying, and the afterlife, drawing examples from Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Daoist, and Shamanic perspectives. The textbook is organized so that each religion is treated as a discrete unit, making it the ideal go-to resource for anyone interested in learning the basics on a specific faith or tradition as well as for a semester course. Every chapter will be thoroughly updated in light of recent studies, statistics, terminology, and references; material on Chinese religions will be re-written to emphasize common themes (ancestor veneration and filial piety); new chapters on Sikhism, Janaism, and death in 21st century (with a focus on death cafes, death doulas, online memorials and green burials) will be added. The author confirmed from her personal experience that in 25 years of teaching a course on death and afterlife, the enrolment level in her institution (Carleton University, Canada) never decreased: in 2020 over 600 students registered in the on-line course, and the course continues to draw an average of 300-500 students per year"--

Book Synopsis

What is death?
How can we respond to death?
Why must we die?
Where do we go from here?
Do we go anywhere?

Understanding Death offers a thorough introduction to the views and practices of various religions regarding death and life after death. Drawing on examples from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Shamanic traditions, this student-oriented textbook explores how different conceptions of the "self" or soul inform the way humans interpret life and assign meaning to the phenomenon of death.

Incorporating contributions from members of each faith, Understanding Death provides readers with a comparative overview of how death is expressed and constructed in religious texts and canonical interpretations. Accessible chapters discuss how major religions address the nature of death itself while illustrating how history, philosophy, and ritual reflect what is important in understanding the meaning of death in that religion.

Now in its second edition, Understanding Death is revised and updated throughout, featuring three entirely new chapters on Sikhism, Jainism, as well as changing attitudes and new technologies related to death and dying in the twenty-first century.

Understanding Death: Ideas of Self and the Afterlife in Religions of the World, Second Edition, is an ideal textbook for undergraduate students and lecturers in Religious Studies programs, and an excellent resource for non-specialist readers interested in the subject.

From the Back Cover

What is death?
How can we respond to death?
Why must we die?
Where do we go from here?
Do we go anywhere?

Understanding Death offers a thorough introduction to the views and practices of various religions regarding death and life after death. Drawing on examples from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Shamanic traditions, this student-oriented textbook explores how different conceptions of the "self" or soul inform the way humans interpret life and assign meaning to the phenomenon of death.

Incorporating contributions from members of each faith, Understanding Death provides readers with a comparative overview of how death is expressed and constructed in religious texts and canonical interpretations. Accessible chapters discuss how major religions address the nature of death itself while illustrating how history, philosophy, and ritual reflect what is important in understanding the meaning of death in that religion.

Now in its second edition, Understanding Death is revised and updated throughout, featuring three entirely new chapters on Sikhism, Jainism, as well as changing attitudes and new technologies related to death and dying in the twenty-first century.

Understanding Death: Ideas of Self and the Afterlife in Religions of the World, Second Edition, is an ideal textbook for undergraduate students and lecturers in Religious Studies programs, and an excellent resource for non-specialist readers interested in the subject.

About the Author

ANGELA SUMEGI is Associate Professor (ret.) in Religion at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. She is the author of Dreamworlds of Shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism: The Third Place and a Senior Editor with the International Network for Training, Education, and Research on Culture, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of Indigenous communities around the world.