Global Institutions of Religion Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers [Paperback]

This work fills a significant gap in the current literature by providing a concise introduction to religious institutions and an insightful analysis of their role in world affairs.

Focusing on formal institutions specifically dedicated to governing religious communities, the work examines the intersections between religious and other global institutions, set against the fundamental question: why and how do these intersections matter?

The work explores the role of religion within key issues including

• Human rights
• Human security
• International development and humanitarian relief
• Climate change
• Moral responsibilities

The new forms that religious institutions are taking, their fit with human rights and democratic ideals, their changing nature in plural societies, are a highly relevant part of the global institutional picture and this book is essential reading for all students and scholars of global institutions, international relations and religion.

1. Religion: An institutional portrait  2. Global Religious Bodies  3. Faith-inspired Organizations at work  4. The World of Global Interfaith  5. Religious Movements   6. Emerging Issues and Future Directions

It is a paradox, that at a time when religiously motivated groups use violence to achieve perverse objectives, the potential of the world's diverse religious traditions and institutions to contribute to peace and development is largely ignored. With this book, Katherine Marshall, one of the first international development specialists who has emphasized the critical importance of religion in global development, provides anyone working in international affairs with an outstanding introduction to and analysis ofl“A