Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author), Alvin J. Schmidt (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Here is a complete dictionary of sects, cults, and religions containing cross-references to major in-depth articles that deal with the history, beliefs, and demography of each.

From the Back Cover

The Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult is probably the most significant reference book on the subject to be published in recent decades. In addition to traditional, well-known groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Islam, and Baha'i, the Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult deals with groups that are not yet well-known but are making strong inroads in North America, such as Santeria, Rastafarians, Haitian Voodoo, white supremacy groups, and Satanism. The authors evaluate the beliefs and practices of each group from the perspective of the Bible and the historic creeds of the Christian church. Numerous short articles about people, places, and concepts provide brief definitions and descriptions. These articles are cross-referenced to the major in-depth articles that deal with the history, beliefs, and demography of each cult, sect, or religion. The book contains many illustrations and charts and includes an up-to-date bibliography for each of the groups and movements.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Company (April 9, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310531004
• ISBN-13: 978-0310531005
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,233,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise and extensive handbook of many of today's cults., July 21, 1998

By	[e-mail], Rev. Robert F. Shonholz "sh... (Boardman, OH) - See all my reviews

The strongpoint of this dictionary is its extensive coverage of the hundreds of cults and sects that are around today. While it was impossible to cover all of them, the authors went to great pains to include all the the best known ones as well as some that enjoy less popularity.

Each article is written from a strong Christological viewpoint, includes an extensive list of primary and secondary resources for further investigation while still being immensly readable. Theological language is either explained or avoided making each synopsis easily understandable for the average layman.

Kingdom of the Cultsm move over, your repalcement is here.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good cataloging, horrible interpretation, December 15, 2007

By	C. Cornell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Encyclopedic Dictionary of Cults, Sects, and World Religions: Revised and Updated Edition (Hardcover)

Though commenting upon an array of religions, cults, and sects so great you could hardly ask for more, this book is crippled by its own bias.

It is written from such a Christian-centered viewpoint that all non Judaic religions become horribly tainted. Just about everything, even religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism which pre-date Christianity, are compared extensively to the Christian faith. The trouble in this is, as any student of subaltern groups knows, that the reader cannot develop an organic understanding of a religion, but rather can only see religions as measured by the yardstick of Christianity.

For example, the section on Buddhism is broken down into the following categories: History, Teachings, God, Sin, Salvation & the Future, Morality, and Conclusion. In every section except for History and Conclusion, Buddhism is compared to Christianity, even though Buddhism predates Jesus by hundreds of years. The authors do not even attempt to hide such bias, openly declaring that they will portray Buddhism only through Christian lenses on page 42.

The section on Christianity itself is almost laughable. The masturbatory, emotive waxing on the noble history of Christianity (and its inherent correctness!) in the conclusion is hilariously sad. "Yet despite persecution, moral laxity, heresies challenging it both from within and without, the church of Jesus Christ prevails... It has experienced dark moments, but even as the darkness of the first Good Friday gave way to the brightness and splendor of the resurrection and the empty tomb, so too has the church experienced a glorious history with a future that will be brighter still when Jesus and the church - that is, when the bridegroom and the bride - unite forever." (Page 72)

If you want a comprehensive list of religions, cults, and sects, this will do - but if you want to understand them and see them from a relatively neutral viewpoint, go elsewhere.

P.S. Zoroastrianism doesn't have its own encyclopedic entry. Hello!? The People's Temple (the organization/cult of Jim "Purple Kool-Aid" Jones) which had perhaps 1000 members at its height gets its own section, but not a religion which heavily informed both Christianity and Islam and which still boasts 200,000 members world-wide today.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This Dictionary Rapes The Truth, November 10, 2008

By	SunTiger "of SunTiger MOJO" (Greater Seattle Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedic Dictionary of Cults, Sects, and World Religions: Revised and Updated Edition (Hardcover)

Most of us buy books to educate ourselves and NOBODY wants to spend time researching false facts that only make us grow more ignorant and misinformed. Yet that is exactly what this so-called dictionary attempts to do; promote ignorance and slanderous lies (when it's not simply providing partial truths).

The authors clearly did NOT research the occult or much about the other religious groups they write about. Not only do they repeatedly credit Satanism for beliefs completely unrelated to that Sect, but they mutilate any respectable definition of the peace sign -- calling it the "Satanists Pentacle" (when penta is the prefix meaning "five" and there are no five points inside a peace sign).

Regarding the Wiccan Rede -- the authors erroneously attribute it to Aleister Crowley who had NOTHING to do with either Wicca or with the Rede, as an ethical principle that's regularly drummed around many neo-pagan circles. Many would argue Crowley had nothing to do with ethics at all. In fact, he purported "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole law" (feel like having sex with your neighbor's infant? Do it!) while the Wiccan Rede states "An it harm none, do what ye will." The authors also falsely claim that Satanists follow the Rede, when they are not at all compelled by Wiccan dogma, but (according to the Satanist Bible) follow their own rules to do whatever's the OPPOSITE of Christianity.

The two examples, provided above, are but the tip of the iceberg for how inaccurate is this dictionary. (I hope you find this review helpful/truthful because I utterly adore books and education and we'd all benefit from promoting intelligence instead of lies.)

Best advice in regards to this "dictionary": Save your money. THESE GROSSLY IGNORANT PAGES ARE NOT FIT FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE BIRD CAGE.