"Religions speak in symbols-fire, cloud, hills and high places, darkness and light, incense, candles, colors. Religions, though, perhaps love water best. Buddhists use water for blessing. Hindus purify themselves in rivers. Christians undergo baptism in water as a rite of initiation. Followers of Islam and Shinto cleanse themselves with water before prayer. Water means change, purification, and new beginnings. Because water can signify so much to us, it is the major symbol of this book. By studying many religions, we also hope to be cleansed and brought to new life. This book was written for my students. Keeping their needs in mind, I have tried to provide what is essential and to present it in clear language. I want to talk about doctrine and practice. Yet I also hope to show some of those things that have captivated me: religious music, art, and architecture. I want to show my respect for all religious traditions, both in a scholarly and an approachable way. Finally, I hope to invite students not only to read about religions, but also to experience them firsthand. It is like the difference between reading maps of a country and then actually traveling on its roads and seeing its sights. Experience brings the prize"--