Encyclopedia of Religion in America

Lippy and Williams collaborated on Scribner's well-received Encyclopedia of the American Religious Experience (1988), and readers of that set will not be disappointed with this new work featuring more than 350 articles from a wide array of contributors. Alphabetically organized entries provide scholarly background on the full landscape of religion in American society: sociology, economics, environmentalism, history, popular culture, and gender studies, all important access points on the subject. Each volume begins with a full alphabetical list of the entries, followed by a thematic list in which the articles are grouped into 48 areas. The complete general index is in each of the four volumes. The signed entries, most five to ten pages in length, conclude with references to related articles and a bibliography. The practice of having closely related articles authored by different scholars ensures that readers get a broad perspective on a topic. While one may question some editorial decisions—why, for instance, is there no article on particular religions in the thematic group called "Mainline Protestantism"?—one cannot deny the care taken in making this work accessible to undergraduate students through faculty in religious studies, sociology, or history. The writing is clear and approachable, the layout is eye-pleasing with plenty of white space and bold fonts for headings and subheadings, and the black-and-white photos are generally of high quality. BOTTOM LINE Highly recommended for most academic libraries and public libraries where demand for in-depth religious studies exists. Any library owning the Encyclopedia of the American Religious Experience will want to update their collection with this title.—Rosanne M. Cordell, Indiana Univ. Lib., South Bend