Religious Studies: Christianity

The Encyclopedia of Christianity is the first of a five-volume English translation of the third revised edition of Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon. Its German articles have been tailored to suit an English readership, and articles of special interest to English readers have been added. The encyclopedi

First published in 1997. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Bible has had an immeasurable influence on Western culture, touching on virtually every aspect of our lives. It is one of the great wellsprings of Western religious, ethical, and philosophical traditions. It has been an endless source of inspiration to artists, from classic works such asMichaelangelo's Last Judgment, Handel's Messiah, or Milton's Paradise Lost, to modern works such as Thomas Mann's Joseph and His Brothers or Martin Scorsese's controversial Last Temptation of Christ. For countless generations, it has been a comfort in suffering, a place to reflect on the mysteriesof birth, death, and immortality. Its stories and characters are an integral part of the repertoire of every educated adult, forming an enduring bond that spans thousands of years and embraces a vast community of believers and nonbelievers.The Oxford Companion to the Bible provides an authoritative one-volume reference to the people, places, events, books, institutions, religious belief, and secular influence of the Bible. Written by more than 250 scholars from some 20 nations and embracing a wide variety of perspectives, theCompanion offers over seven hundred entries, ranging from brief identifications--who is Dives? where is Pisgah?--to extensive interpretive essays on topics such as the influence of the Bible on music or law.Ranging far beyond the scope of a traditional Bible dictionary, the Companion features, in addition to its many informative, factual entries, an abundance of interpretive essays. Here are extended entries on religious concepts from immortality, sin, and grace, to baptism, ethics, and the HolySpirit. The contributors also explore biblical views of modern issues such as homosexuality, marriage, and anti-Semitism, and the impact of the Bible on the secular world (including a four-part article on the Bible's influence on literature).Of course, the Companion can also serve as a handy reference, the first place to turn to find factual information on the Bible. Readers will find fascinating, informative articles on all the books of the Bible--including the Apocrypha and many other ancient texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls,Pseudepigrapha, and the Mishrah. Virtually every figure who walked across the biblical stage is identified here, ranging from Rebekah, Rachel, and Mary, to Joseph, Barabbas, and Jesus. The Companion also offers entries that shed light on daily life in ancient Israel and the earliest Christiancommunities, with fascinating articles on feasts and festivals, clothing, medicine, units of time, houses, and furniture. Finally, there are twenty-eight pages of full-color maps, providing an accurate, detailed portrait of the biblical world.A vast compendium of information related to scriptures, here is an ideal complement to the Bible, an essential volume for every home and library, the first place to turn for information on the central book of Western culture.

Six years in the making, this state-of-the-art dictionary offers the most up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of biblical subjects and scholarship. An essential reference for every serious reader of the Bible. B & W illustrations and line-art throughout.

Contrary to Jesus' wish that his followers 'may all be one', Christianity has become, over time, ever more schismatic. This concise, one-volume dictionary provides information on over a thousand significant denominations and movements, ranging from the mainstream historical churches, for example Roman Catholic and Orthodox, to heretical sects that flourished briefly in the third or fourth centuries to groups that sprang up around charismatic leaders in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Alternatives names are given at the end of entries and are cross-referenced in an Appendix. Such groups include the delightfully named 'Body-felt Salvation Church' in the Torres Strait Islands, with 300 members, and the 'Old Catholic Orthodox Church,' founded in London by (and apparently for) the Most Reverend James Bartholomew Banks, 'known to his friends as 'Piggy' on account of the happy conjunction of his vast inherited wealth and his surname'. The author approaches what might in other hands be a dull catalogue with considerable zest and obvious enjoyment, and the result is a mine of good stories and useful information.

A reference to the men and women who have, over the last two millennia, contributed to the life, history and study of Christianity in all its facets, regardless of denomination. Entries are concise but for the key influencial figures longer essays have been written. Entries range from major Biblical figures to figures of the modern era. Choice is not limited to the Western world, but includes entries from Africa, India and China as well as from Orthodoxy, Greek and Russian. The dictionary should be useful as a reference for the reader interested in church history and the study of Christian faith.

The first edition of this reference work, called the Catholic Encyclopedia, was published around the turn of the 20th century, with the last revised edition appearing in 1967. This new edition includes the best of the previous entries - many completely revised and updated - as well as new entries, written by subject experts, covering the latest topics of interest. Many thousands of articles are biographical profiles of the people who make up the history of the Catholic Church.

A reference to the major eastern branch of Christianity, providing information on theology and theologians, saints, sinners, organizations, movements, places, and events. Covers the entire two-millennia history through the Byzantine and Russian Empires, but focuses on the past 150 years and the mult

For more information including sample entries, full contents listing, and more, visit the Encyclopedia of Protestantism web site. Routledge is proud to announce the publication of a new major reference work from world-renowned scholar Hans J. Hillerbrand. The Encyclopedia of Protestantismis the definitive reference to the history and beliefs that continue to exert a profound influence on Western thought. Featuring entries written by an international team of specialists and scholars, the encyclopedia traces the course of Protestantism from its beginnings prior to 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral, to the vital and diverse international scene of the present day.