Religion: Religion Books

Featuring more than sixty brand new maps, photographs, diagrams and charts, this is an essential companion to any study on the key religions of the world.

Long considered the standard reference source for information on holidays and other events, this 6th edition includes more than 3,500 holidays, festivals, commemorations, holy days, feasts and fasts, and other observances from all parts of the world. A key resource for anyone seeking information on different cultures, countries, and ethnic groups.

In hundreds of thoughtful, informative entries, this 4th Edition outlines the numerous philosophers, personalities, social issues, and cultural histories of religious practices throughout American history.

Presents the religious affiliations and beliefs of prominent philosophers, in A-Z entries. Biographical information is given with a special focus on his or her religious upbringing, practice, and beliefs (or lack thereof). Each entry also contains a summary of the points each philosopher made concerning God and religion, typically gathered from a study of the philosopher's writings.

Extensive A-Z entries provide coverage of key court decisions, case studies, concepts, individuals, religious groups, organizations, and agencies shaping religion and law in today's society.

A theological dictionary that presumes the contribution of the Western tradition but moves beyond it to embrace and explore a full range of global expressions of theology.

Contains concise, straightforward summaries, analyzing and explaining groundbreaking court cases on the issue of freedom of religion.

Examines the key sacred texts and foundational documents of the world's primary religions, from ancient times to the present, providing researchers with a fresh perspective on how critical religious texts have influenced both the past and the present.

A comprehensive, authoritative source of information about the calendars and holidays of the world's religions. It also provides concise information about the beliefs, practices, and history of major religions.

Provides information on current religious practices around the world with an emphasis on how religions impact the daily lives of their followers.

Israel is a modern country with a short history set into the lengthy story of Jewish history. This 3rd Edition explores that history with an emphasis on the period since Israel's independence in 1948. It is a complex story of a people and their modern state, established thousands of years after the destruction of the old one. The story of the independent state of Israel is narrated against the backdrop of exile, anti-Semitism, Zionism, and the Holocaust--all of which have helped shape the nature of the current state.

This multicultural reference work on Jewish folklore, legends, customs, and other elements of folklife covers specific artifacts, rituals, ceremonies, biblical figures, and legends-in addition to broad topics such as humor, folk dance, costumes, and folk narratives.

2nd Edition, explores a religion with a 2,000-year recorded history that has been a part of the culture of almost every country around the globe. Encapsulating Jewish language, laws, literature, arts, theology, ritual, land, culture, and personalities, this authoritative volume offers readers access to Judaism from both a historical and contemporary perspective.

Includes hundreds of special articles covering subjects in analytical depth, as well as short biographies of the major figures in the story of Judaism.

Covering approximately 5,000 years of history, this revised resource offers an accessible, reliable introduction to the rich and diverse history of India. Includes Indian history and culture, as well as the roots of the country's contemporary society and politics.

Provides accessible, informative and authoritative entries to answer any major question about Hinduism, its mythology, practices, customs and laws.

Offers easy access to the terms, concepts, personalities, historical events, institutions, and movements that helped shape the history of Buddhism and the way it is practiced today.

Focuses on the most significant groups within this religion, noteworthy teachers and their contributions, the religions and cultural movements that enriched its history, and the spread of Hindu thought and practice around the world.

With more than 5,000 entries totaling over a million words, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in English. This text bridges the major Buddhist traditions to provide encyclopedic coverage of the most important terms, concepts, texts, authors, deities, schools, monasteries, and geographical sites from across the history of Buddhism.

Compiled for reference, for practical helpfulness and for the sheer enjoyment of browsing through the Bible's riches.

Represents a fresh, ecumenical approach to theological reference. Written with an emphasis on clarity and concision, all entries are designed to help the reader understand and assess the specifically theological significance of the most important concepts.

Covers the key people, movements, institutions, practices, and doctrines of Roman Catholicism from its earliest origins. Focusing on the living faith and its historical and social background, this volume provides academic and college students with the tools to help them understand this multifaceted religion.

Explores the movement that began in Europe in the 16th century, established itself in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church, spread around the world, and today lives on in thousands of individual denominations and church organizations. A comprehensive work on Protestantism, this invaluable reference covers its history, concepts, people, events, and major organizations worldwide.

A concise, full-color dictionary that provides helpful insights into the world of the Bible.

A quick-reference guide to the Bible. Entries consist of the main people, places, customs, religious and cultural aspects, events, and institutions of the Bible.

Timely and unbiased, this new 4th edition explores the influence of religion on legislation and society, while examining the alignment of the religious right with the political right. From the fight to outlaw the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution to the struggle to outlaw abortion, the religious right is continually exerting an influence on public policy.

Every single individual whose name is listed in the Bible is listed here in order of their appearance in the Bible with their dates, a concise description of their lives and significance, and references to where they occur in the text.

This unparalleled Companion provides a comprehensive and authoritative guide to Islamic law to all with an interest in this increasingly relevant and developing field. The volume presents classical Islamic law through a historiographical introduction to and analysis of Western scholarship, while key debates about hot-button issues in modern-day circumstances are also addressed.

This 2nd Edition offers a clear, concise account of this country's historical and cultural heritage, from 3000 BCE to the present. This insightful book explores the culture and politics of the Pashtun tribes whose homeland extends across much of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, as well as the Taliban insurgency and the relationship between local leaders and the central government in Kabul.

From Saudi Arabia's pre-Islamic history to the events of today, this 2nd Edition offers a balanced, informative perspective on the country's long history.

Provides a comprehensive introduction to the history of this turbulent region. Spanning from pre-Islam to the present day, it explores the evolution of Islamic institutions and culture, the influence of the West, modernization efforts in the Middle East, the struggle of various peoples for political independence, the Arab-Israel conflict, the reassertion of Islamic values and power, the issues surrounding the Palestinian Question, and the Middle East post-9/11 and post-Arab uprisings.

Rich historical content is partnered with coverage of the issues, countries, and people that are important in todays world, allowing for an assessment of Islams influence on all areas of human activity throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

In about 550 A-to-Z entries, this Encyclopedia explores the terms, concepts, personalities, historical events, and institutions that helped shape the history of the religion and the way it is practiced today. An informative introduction provides readers with an overview of Islam, and a chronology, a detailed bibliography complete the work.

Essential overview for everyone who wants to understand what Islam is and what it means today.