A principle of the Bahá'í Faith is “the essential unity of the world’s religions”. However when we speak of this we may well get a response about the major diversity of these faiths, their varying histories, and the contradictory nature of many of their teachings. Of course the word “essential” addresses the basis of these points, and we are not talking of accepting the wide range of man-made developments that have taken place in so many of the world’s belief systems. But we should know something of these other religions, and not just the one we came from into the Bahá’í Faith.

There are a number of books that can help us do this, and this new one is a useful addition to the list. It is pitched at a more scholarly level than some more basic texts, which means that the serious reader can gain a lot more information and insight: it is not an intense academic work but it is not a light read either. And it has some useful essays on areas not normally covered, in particular on African religious beliefs.