Encyclopedia of Christianity [Hardcover]

John Bowden (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0195223934 | ISBN-13: 978-0195223934 | Edition: First Edition

There are numerous reference volumes dealing with Christianity. Remarkably, however, until now there has been no one-volume encyclopedia dedicated Christianity on a global scale.

This exhaustive work presupposes no prior knowledge of Christianity, and can usefully be consulted by Jews and Muslims, people of other faiths or no faith at all. It covers all forms of Christianity throughout history and the world. Over 300 major articles by distinguished international contributors are linked through a novel series of pointers that provide different angles on topics and show the connections between them. The contributors include the leading experts on the topics under consideration, which range from regional surveys to portraits of denominations and sects, explorations of theological and moral questions, relationships with other faiths, and a "Who's Who" of Christianity. In addition to the main articles, helpful "fact boxes" present basic factual material, often in the form of lists, bringing together information that is often surprisingly difficult to find: creeds, councils, popes, miracles and parables of Jesus, religious orders, and much more. This remarkable resource, more than ten years in the making, fills a major gap in the literature on world Christianity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The more than 300 stylish and informative articles collected in this encyclopedia make a fascinating introduction to Christianity through the ages and around the world. The distinguished contributors include Oxford University professor John Barton, Georgetown University ethicist Cynthia B. Cohen and University of Chicago emeritus Martin Marty. If some of the essays-such as those on "persecution" and "saint"-are a tad predictable, others are delightfully counterintuitive. Elizabeth J. Harris's contribution on "Buddhism and Christianity" shows that church fathers were aware of Buddhism by the second century and suggests Buddhist monasticism may have shaped Christian monasticism. Carolyn J.B. Hammond moves from Christian understandings of God's activity in human history to the question of human suffering in an entry on historiography. A delightfully quirky essay on "Community Arts," by Rod Pattenden, shows the mission of the local church is reshaped when churches sponsor artists-in-residence. Twenty-one stunning color plates help inflate the price-tag, but they are well worth it. (There are also 96 black and white illustrations.) Call-out boxes explain Latin and Greek theological term, catalogue papal encyclicals and list famous Marian apparitions. Caveat lector: those readers who come to reference books expecting ideological neutrality won't find it here. The essay on "Women in Christianity," for example, was written by Rosemary Radford Ruether and suggests that many Catholics find the Church's teaching on gender "unacceptable and even incomprehensible." Overall, this encyclopedia is a must-have for any Christian reference shelf.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–Christianity cant be crammed into a box–but much of it fits into this Bible-size book. General readers will find most of the articles accessible, well written, and substantial, but not overwhelming. Major topics (e.g., Arts, Communication, Death, Diversity, Ethics, Mission, Prayer, Story, Symbols) appear in 33 Gateway articles. Appealing features include 166 boxes with statistics, lists, and fascinating byways, and a Whos Who of 400-plus figures (deficient in females) in addition to the full articles afforded major players. Other articles cover wide-ranging topics (e.g., Ecotheology, Environmental ethics, Love, the Roman empire, Mysticism, Science, Pilgrimage, Satan, Poverty, Sin, Wars of religion, Sexuality, Homosexuality, and Gay and lesbian theology). Like Martin Martys masterly summation of Christianity in North America, articles on regional Christian churches and on relations between Christianity and other major world religions are extended and thoughtful. Bibliographies follow each article. The marginal symbols for cross-referencing are not improvements on the usual bold or italic type. Small errors and omissions are unavoidable (two errors in index entries for Taizé; there is no mention of Santeria, though other Afro-Caribbean syncretizing sects are discussed), but they do not detract from the undeniable achievement of this remarkable resource.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. Georges School, Newport, RI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1406 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (July 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195223934
• ISBN-13: 978-0195223934
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.6 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,339,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A tremendous reference August 31, 2005

By FrKurt Messick HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Editor John Bowden has set up this encyclopedia for the new millenium - it is a collaborative effort between more than 200 scholars from around the world, and utilises icons for further reading, websites, cross-references (rather like websites), and topically pull-boxes (166 of them) that treat particular topics that come up within other articles in greater depth and clarity. There is a very thorough and comprehensive index at the back of the book which references both major and minor instances of key words, people, and places.

There are also Gateway articles, major articles that introduce pivotal and foundational issues and topics. These taken by themselves could serve as a good introduction to Christianity - these Gateway articles avoid technical and obscure language, and strive to connect the broader text of the encyclopedia to more general frameworks of Christian thought and history.

The editors also provide an alphabetical listing, a sort of 'Who's Who' of Christianity just before the index. This has more than 400 entries giving one or two paragraph biographical details - very few figures get articles of their own in the major portion of the encyclopedia (I might quibble with the selection for this a bit; Calvin and Luther get major entries, but Augustine and Aquinas do not). There are entries that deal with Christianity from the standpoint of different creeds and doctrines, different denominational and ecclesiatical structures, different geographic regions, different historical periods, and different philosophical/theological paradigms. The text also brings in ideas of the relationship of Christianity to other faiths, and the relationship of Christianity to the modern world in its different facets....

There is the intention to make this an 'ecumenical' text, not just in terms of being broad across denominational lines, but also in the sense that it has appeal both to those within a Christian community and those from outside the Christian culture. As the public side of Christianity continues to wane, but the historic impact of Christianity cannot be denied, it is important for those both with a general familiarity of some part of Christianity as well as those with little or no familiarity to be able to get information quickly and accessibly. This text succeeds admirable on that score, and makes a great reference. Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource February 24, 2011

By Scott Kenworthy

This is a great volume. Laid out quite differently than other similar encyclopedias (such as the new Cambridge Dictionary, also a great resource but with different strengths), many of the articles are quite substantial. Most of the articles strike an excellent balance between introducing the reader to the material, assuming no prior knowledge, while at the same time giving very sophisticated and nuanced coverage even for advanced students. If you want a reference for Christian history, beliefs, worship, or the variety of Christian manifestations throughout the world, this is a great place to turn. It could practically serve as a comprehensive introduction to Christianity.