This textbook is compiled on the basis of the author’s course of lectures given at the Moscow Theological Seminary from 2002 to 2012. Represents the first part of the course, including sections on paganism, Judaism and Islam. Contemporary data about these religions, their beliefs and practices are briefly presented in an accessible form. Since the course is aimed at seminary students, special attention is paid to the comparison of these religions with Christianity. Source: Table of Contents : Section I. INTRODUCTIONChapter 1. Subject and basic concepts of the history of religions§ 1. General concepts§ 2. Idea of the history of religions in the Holy Scripture§ 3. Theories of the natural origin of religion§ 4. Theories of the mythological explanation of Christianity§ 5. Theories of the supernatural origin of religionChapter 2. Principles of attitude towards other religions in the Orthodox traditionLiterature on the topic of the section Section II. PaganismChapter 3. Paganism of non-literate peoples§ 1. Ideas about the Creator God among non-literate peoples§ 2. Ideas about spirits in paganism§ 3. Pagan view of the structure of the world§ 4. Ideas of pagan peoples about the human soul§ 5. Ideas about the soul after death and about the afterlife§ 6. ShamanismChapter 4. Pagan religions of the Ancient World§ 1. General information§ 2. Religion of Ancient Mesopotamia§ 3. Religion of Ancient Egypt§ 4. Religion of Ancient GreeceChapter 5. Neopaganism§ 1. Origins, emergence and spread of neopaganism§ 2. The content of the beliefs of neo-pagans§ 3. Directions in neo-paganism, attitude towards ChristianityChapter 6. Orthodoxy and paganism§ 1. The Bible about paganism§ 2. The Holy Fathers about paganism§ 3. Attitude to miracles of other religionsLiterature on the topic of the section Section III. JUDAISMChapter 7. Old Testament religion§ 1. Distinctive features of the Old Testament religion§ 2. The religious state of Judea by the 1st century AD Chapter 8. The teachings and rituals of Judaism§ 1. Tanakh§ 2. Talmud§ 3. Peculiarities of doctrine§ 4. Jewish ritual Chapter 9. Currents in Judaism§ 1. Main divisions in Judaism§ 2. Hasidism§ 3. Reform Judaism§ 4. Liberal Judaism§ 5. Kabbalah§ 6. ResultsChapter 10. Orthodoxy and Judaism§ 1. Polemics and apologetics§ 2. The history of relations between the Orthodox and the Jews§ 3. The history of the Orthodox mission among the JewsLiterature on the topic of the section Section IV. ISLAMChapter 11. Muhammad - the founder of Islam§ 1. Pre-Islamic Arabia - religious, cultural, political background§ 2. Review of historical sources about Muhammad and his teachings§ 3. Biography of Muhammad: Meccan period§ 4. Biography of Muhammad: Medinan periodChapter 12. Muhammad: veneration in Islam and Christian attitude§ 1. Islamic ideas about Muhammad § 2. Attitude to Muhammad in the Christian tradition. Chapter 13. Koran§ 1. Origin and composition of the Koran§ 2. Muslim ideas about the Koran§ 3. Muslim arguments in favor of the truth of the KoranChapter 14. Sunna§ 1. General concepts about the Sunna§ 2. Composition, content and types of hadithsChapter 15. Islamic dogmatics§ 1. The first basis: faith in Allah.§ 2. The second basis: faith in angels.§ 3. The third basis: faith in the Scriptures.§ 4. The fourth basis: faith in messengers§ 5. Muslim teaching about Jesus Christ§ 6. Fifth foundation: belief in the last day§ 7. Sixth pillar: belief in predestination. Chapter 16. Islamic ritual§ 1. First pillar: confession of faith§ 2. Second pillar: prayer§ 3. Third pillar: zakat§ 4. Fourth pillar: fasting§ 5 The fifth pillar: pilgrimage to Mecca§ 6. Jihad and other institutions of IslamChapter 17. Islamic law§ 1. General concepts of Sharia§ 2. Sources of Islamic law§ 3. Religious legal schools (madhhabs)§ 4. Sharia laws in relation to Christians § 5. The position of women in IslamChapter 18. Currents and sects in Islam§ 1. Shiism§ 2. Kharijism§ 3. Sects that have disappeared and separated from IslamChapter 19. Islamic mysticism (Sufism)§ 1. General concepts about Islamic mysticism§ 2. Currents inside Sufism§ 3. Sufi worldview§ 4. Sufi “saints”§ 5. Sufi attitude towards God and the devilChapter 20. Orthodoxy and Islam§ 1. Polemics and apologetics§ 2. History of the Orthodox mission among Muslims§ 3. Saints of the Orthodox Church who converted from IslamLiterature on the topic of the section Name index