Encyclopedia of Religious Freedom (Religion and Society)

The intertwined issues of religious freedom, religious rights and church-state relations are a major issue around the world. In fact, much of the story of human history is the story of quests for freedom by different religious groups in different places at different times. These quests and stories continue today in many countries.

The Encyclopedia consists of 150 essays by scholars on topics including concepts and ideas, historical events and eras, major world religions, key issues of religious freedom, minority groups and the stance of major world religions on the issues of religious freedom.

Grade 10 Up--This encyclopedia contains 140 entries covering geographical areas, ancient and modern countries, individual religions, legal issues, historical events, and human-rights documents. Each article includes a list for further reading and citations to pertinent court cases, and the index is thorough. Some articles contain quotations or excerpts from primary-source documents, and there are a few charts and some poor-quality, black-and-white illustrations. Although the information is current, it will be of limited use to students due to its extremely narrow scope: each entry focuses solely on the topic's connection with religious freedom. Much prior knowledge is assumed regarding religious, cultural, and social history. The entries vary considerably in accessibility and clarity. The book would have benefited from a glossary of basic religious terms, as well as maps and charts showing religious affiliations over time. However, nothing similar is available for any age.--Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY
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The fourth volume in Routledge's Religion and Society series, this encyclopedia covers key concepts and issues related to religious freedom, topics in U.S and world history, world religions, the rights of religious minorities, and the philosophical and legal framework of religious freedom, among many other topics. The 140 essays vary in length from one to several pages and are mostly written by college professors. The quality and usefulness of individual entries vary: two entries on Jehovah's Witnesses (international and U.S.), for example, provide an excellent overview; other entries, such as Middle East, attempt to survey very broad topics in too few words.

The chronological scope and geographical range of coverage are impressive: the entries include Augustine on religious coercion (fourth century C.E.), Imperial China, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Especially noteworthy are the generally excellent bibliographies at the end of each entry. The prominent sidebars scattered throughout the volume--helpfully citing the source--provide useful and, occasionally, very hard-to-locate documentary material (e.g., a list of Coptic Christians tortured in Egypt in 1998). The topical list of entries in the introduction and a well-organized index facilitate access.

This volume fills a void in reference sources on this increasingly important topic and is recommended for academic and large public libraries. RBB
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