Introduction: Welcome to the world of religions -- Overview of the religious history of mankind -- Points of departure and guidelines for the study and teaching of religious studies and religion education -- African religion: terminology and main features -- The San, Batswana and Amazulu -- The Shona and Yoruba: African religion in world perspective -- Hiduism -- The origin and scriptures of Hinduism -- Hindu doctrine, philosophy and ethics -- The modern era, Hindu adherents and functionaries, worship, holy days and Hinduism in South Africa -- Buddhism: the founder and the movement -- Teachings of early Buddhism -- Teachings in Mahayana schools and Buddhist practices -- Jainism and Sikhism -- Zoroastrianism -- Judaism: overview of Jewish history -- Doctrine, scriptures and ethics -- Rituals and worship, different branches of Judaism and Judaism in South Africa -- Christianity: the founder and the early church -- From the great triumph to the great division -- The church in the modern era -- Islam: the beginning and spread of Islam -- Scriptures, doctrine and main branches of Islam -- Practice -- Baha'i -- Religion in contemporary society -- Religion: critique and predictions -- The secularisation thesis -- Reactions to modernisation and secularisation -- Teaching religion: the National Policy on Religion and Education and its application -- The National Policy on Religion and Education -- The learning outcomes of religion education and religion studies -- Philosophical, methodological and educational principles underlying the teaching and learning of religion studies in public schools.