Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition [6 Volumes]

Melton, J Gordon

ISBN 10: 1598842048 ISBN 13: 9781598842043

Publisher: ABC-CLIO, 2010

Synopsis

This masterful six-volume encyclopedia provides comprehensive, global coverage of religion, emphasizing larger religious communities without neglecting the world's smaller religious outposts.

· Coverage of the religions of more than 240 countries, including all of the larger religious communities, denominations, and sects

· Detailed statistical information on the major religious communities in each country

· 100+ entries on famous and important religious sites and places of pilgrimage

· Biographies of the 100 most influential religious leaders in history

· More than 150 photographs, plus maps and illustrations for each nation

· A bibliography for each entry

About this title

About the Author:

J. Gordon Melton is director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion, a religious studies research facility based in Santa Barbara, CA.

Martin Baumann is a professor of the history of religions at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland.

From Booklist:

This impressive reference set has really grown up since its birth, in 2002. The new edition is more than 1,000 pages longer, which translates to two extra volumes on the shelf. Crammed into each volume is a dizzying number of AZ entries devoted primarily to two things: regions and religions. You name the region, and it seems to be covered, whether its a little-known country like Tajikistan or a small island like Niue. Each region receives a full article, complete with a map, a statistical table depicting current adherence to various religions (plus future projections), and a brief bibliography of sources. The wide-angle coverage of regions will surprise those accustomed to the massive Encyclopedia of Religion (Macmillan, 2005). For example, a place like Honduras receives no focused attention in Encyclopedia of Religion but gets a 12-page treatment here. The net is cast just as wide for religions, with a fair number of pagan and esoteric groups to accompany the countless Christian and other major religious groups. Most of the articles in this category include at least a couple of references, a mailing address, and a website or two. At times, though, users may wonder whether the coverage is as comprehensive as the encyclopedias subtitle suggests. Eastern Orthodoxy, for example, is discussed in only 2 pages, barely including the high points of a long and rich faith tradition. Researchers looking for depth will likely prefer the aforementioned Encyclopedia of Religion. Researchers needing biography may also wish to look elsewhere, because here it is quite sparse. Topical coverage is moderate as well, with articles devoted to things like Easter, Flagellation, Homosexuality, and Martyrdom. With its currency and particular emphasis, this work warrants the attention of virtually every academic and pubic library. Also available as an e-book. --Wade Osburn

About this edition

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1598842048
• ISBN 13: 9781598842043
• Binding: Digital
• Number of pages: 3200