This book covers all major world religions and beliefs. Exceptionally broad scope giving insight into beliefs and practices of all major religions and ideologies.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Originally slated for publication as Chamber's Dictionary of Beliefs and Religions, this dictionary went through a name change with the company's reconsolidation as Larousse Kingfisher Chambers. Its entries cover current and historical religions and their beliefs in a single alphabetic arrangement. There are numerous cross references and an appendix that groups entry headings according to major religious traditions and a few other broad topics. Two additional appendixes featuring population distribution of major religions and major world religious festivals round out the volume. The scope of the work is quite broad, including topics usually treated in dictionaries of religion and, to a lesser degree, church history and biblical studies. In scope and size, this reference compares most closely with The Facts on File Dictionary of Religions (LJ 9/1/84), though it contains fuller treatment of such topics as books of the Bible and ecclesiastical figures. The New 20th-Century Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (Baker Bk., 1991. 2d ed.) provides better coverage of these subjects, but lacks somewhat in its treatment of ancient religions. Although this is not a definitive work, it should serve public and academic collections that do not have the works mentioned above or something similar.
Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Craig W. Beard, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Jacket copy describes this dictionary as "a comprehensive outline of spiritual concepts from pre-history to the present." Indeed, it covers ideas conceived in caves and "rediscovered" by New Age seekers. In the preface, the editors explain their three main objectives: to give insight into the major tenets of current and historic religions, to point out the similarities and differences in these teachings, and to explain rituals in order to allay some cultural biases.
Most of the alphabetically arranged entries are 100-250 words in length. They cover people, places, ideas, deities, and rituals of 29 religions or groups of religions (e.g., Native American religions, secularism). Cross-references are indicated at the ends of articles by a triangle. Line drawings illustrate some entries. Pronunciation is given for most foreign terms. The writing is to the point and quite readable.
There are three appendixes--population distribution by religion in various countries, festivals by religion using both the Gregorian calendar and that for the particular culture, and a list of entries by religion or concept (e.g., Study of Religion). A quick perusal of this list shows that Christianity has more entries than any other religion.
In reading the entries, the Board found some interesting anomalies that reflect the limitations of the scope of the dictionary. The general entry Festival is followed by entries for Ancient Near East, Christian, Chinese and Greek festivals, but none for Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, or Muslim festivals (these are, however, represented in the appendix). There is the entry Holy War, Jewish, but none for Muslim or even holy wars in general, and no cross-references to Jihad, the entry that describes the Muslim concept of holy war, nor Crusades. The entry Holocaust speaks only of its use for the genocide of the Jews in World War II, not its biblical meaning, which would explain why it is used in its current context.
This work is similar to The Facts On File Dictionary of Religions (1985). In spite of the criticisms above, Larousse has given religion reference collections a title well worth considering, especially by small public and school libraries, for its affordability and usefulness. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
true the spirit,
By Lalitha Sankar (Covington, Va USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs and Religions (Hardcover)
I bought this book several years ago and it to the most useful for learning and refreshing one memory when i think of certain fact etc. I have torn 4 books by excessive use and I have 3 other books lost due toforgetfulness.This includes the book which was gifted to me. I have so many books-literally 100's and I find this book to be the best of the lot.I had lost and I had to make a great deal of effort to get it. I hope to get it.If not I am going to somehow find the address of Ms rosemary Goring and ask her to help me
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