Lack of understanding about world religions is arguably one of the major challenges facing our increasingly globalized world. This handbook sheds light on these crucial concepts by discussing 50 remarkable individuals whose ideas about the nature and power of faith have reshaped human history. From Jesus of Nazareth to the Prophet Muhammad and from Buddha to Zarathustra, this beautifully concise, richly informative book discusses both the beginnings of the world's major religions and their theologians—from Caliphs of Islam to St. Augustine and John Calvin—who interpreted and revised those systems of faith in the centuries that followed. With in-depth features on 10 of the most influential theological issues and arguments, this guide will help anyone who wants concise insight into the world's greatest religious thinkers.