Review: The Religions Next Door

reviewed by T. C. Pinckney                                                                            Vol. XX, No. 5, May 2007

Subtitled “What we need to know about Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam – and what reporters are missing”, this book supplies important information as modern transport makes the world smaller and enables multitudes of people to immigrate to America in numbers previously inconceivable. Not surprisingly, when they come, they bring with them their customs, their culture, and their religion. When there are only a handful of Hindus or Muslims in a city of a million, nobody notices. But when such a group reaches 25% to 50% of a community, others cannot help but notice.

Christians are commanded by Jesus to “Make disciples.” If we are to be obedient, we must understand more of where these folks stand, what they believe, how we can approach them and speak to their hearts.

The other side of the coin is that ignorance of a potential enemy makes one extremely vulnerable.

The author, Marvin Olasky, provides a lot of information helpful in knowing those who follow these other religions, whether peaceful or belligerent. If you read The Religions Next Door, you will understand a lot more about our world, about our country, and about challenges we face.

[Marvin Olasky, The Religions Next Door (Broadman & Holman, Nashville, 2004) 245 pp., ISBN 0-8054-3143-8.]