The evolution of religious diversity and complexity in the United States is explained clearly in this richly illustrated historical work. This volume provides an overview of the more than 400 native tribal religions at the time of Columbus, examines the major survivors, and discusses contemporary efforts to breathe new life into old faiths. The book charts the initial colonization and the arrival of religious pioneers and tells how religious groups in the post Revolutionary era struggled with their new dependence on voluntary member support. This easy to read, easy to understand reference work outlines the evolution, key developments, and seminal figures in this most tolerant of religious settings. American Religions: An Illustrated History is generously enhanced with more than 200 illustrations-many of them rare-and written in accessible language without scholarly jargon. Divided into eight concise chronological and thematic chapters Includes a comprehensive introduction and chapter bibliographies

The material in this book, first published in 1990, provides important documentation for the first generation of Rosicrucianism in North America, especially the still vigorous Rosicrucian Fraternity. These chapters reprinted here are so necessary to the understanding of this most occult organization, and are otherwise difficult to locate and read.

The material in this book, first published in 1990, provides important documentation for the first generation of Rosicrucianism in North America, especially the still vigorous Rosicrucian Fraternity. These chapters reprinted here are so necessary to the understanding of this most occult organization, and are otherwise difficult to locate and read.

First published in 1992, this book focuses on the Muslim community and how it has developed in North America. Divided into eight sections, it traces the history of the Muslim community in North America from the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth-century and examines different aspects of the community such as Sectarian Movements, Islam in the African American community and points of contact between Christian and Islamic communities. The text includes a number of bibliographies to aid further study and closes with a helpful directory of Muslim organizations and centers in North America. This book will be of particular interest to those studying Islam and Religion in North America.

First published in 1992, this book focuses on the Muslim community and how it has developed in North America. Divided into eight sections, it traces the history of the Muslim community in North America from the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth-century and examines different aspects of the community such as Sectarian Movements, Islam in the African American community and points of contact between Christian and Islamic communities. The text includes a number of bibliographies to aid further study and closes with a helpful directory of Muslim organizations and centers in North America. This book will be of particular interest to those studying Islam and Religion in North America.

Introducing the first authoritative guide to cover every aspect of religious broadcasting from its inception in 1921 to the present. "Prime Time Religion" contains over 430 entries chosen for their historical importance, national or international impact, exemplary nature, and longevity in the field of religious broadcasting. The book covers all religious groups who have turned to radio and television to promote their messages.

The Vampire in Folklore, History, Literature, Film and Television is the most comprehensive listing of writings about the vampire and related creatures covering material generated through the nineteenth and twentieth century to the present. The listings document the penetration of the vampire into all areas of Western society from scholarly discourse to popular culture, from politics to cook books. It especially reaches into to the mass market aspects of vampire life in television and the movies from Bela Lugosi's Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, and the Twilight Saga. Beginning with vampire folklore, the volume covers historical writings, the vampire in literature, the cinema and television, and its widespread appearing in academic writings and its presence among true believers who want nothing more than to become a child of the night.

First Published in 1992. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First Published in 1993. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor and Francis, an informa company.

Death and immortality, sexual prowess and surrender, intimacy and alienation, rebellion and temptation. The allure of the vampire is eternal. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead, 3rd edition, explores the historical, literary, mythological, biographical, and popular aspects of one of the world's most mesmerizing paranormal subject. This vast reference is an alphabetical tour of the psychosexual, macabre world of the soul-sucking undead.This exhaustive guide has more than 400 essays to quench your thirst for facts, biographies, definitions, and more.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, violent episodes involving cults are rare historically. But their potential to affect and disrupt civic life looms large and efforts to manage these incidents involve controversial issues of religious freedom, politics, state intervention, and public security. The interpretive challenge of this book is to provide a social scientific explanation for these rare events. The authors conclude that they usually involve some combination of internal and external dynamics through which a new religious movement and society become polarized.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, violent episodes involving cults are rare historically. But their potential to affect and disrupt civic life looms large and efforts to manage these incidents involve controversial issues of religious freedom, politics, state intervention, and public security. The interpretive challenge of this book is to provide a social scientific explanation for these rare events. The authors conclude that they usually involve some combination of internal and external dynamics through which a new religious movement and society become polarized.

Preceded by three introductory essays and a chronology of major events in black religious history from 1618 to 1991, this A-Z encyclopedia includes three types of entries:
* Biographical sketches of 773 African American religious leaders
* 341 entries on African American denominations and religious organizations (including white churches with significant black memberships and educational institutions)
* Topical articles on important aspects of African American religious life (e.g., African American Christians during the Colonial Era, Music in the African American Church)
The biographical sketches range from a paragraph to several pages for such major figures as Martin Luther King. Entries for the larger African American denominations are likewise several pages in length, as are most of the topical articles.
A bibliography of 303 major texts on African American religion follows the entries, most of which conclude with a list of references specifically related to their subject. A directory section provides the current addresses and telephone numbers of the national headquarters of the churches and organizations covered in the encyclopedia.

From sacred mountains and places of pilgrimage to visions and out-of-body travel, this reference explores unusual and unexplained physical events, apparitions, and other phenomena rooted in religious beliefs. Each entry features a balanced presentation and includes a description of the phenomenon, the religious claims surrounding the occurrence, and a scientific response. Touring the world and history, this comprehensive reference includes entries on angels, comets, Marian apparitions, and religious figures such as Jesus, Mohammad, and Lao Tzu.

Covers the history, founders, beliefs, and literature of over five hundred nonconventional and alternative religious movements.

In "Finding Enlightenment," J. Gordon Melton, a respected scholar of traditional modern religions, chronicles the life of JZ Knight, her extraordinary experiences as the channel for the ancient warrior teacher Ramtha, and the school whose teachings are based on the ancient wisdom of Gnosticism.
Located in Yelm, Washington, this esoteric mystery school was founded by Knight in 1988. Melton presents the Gnostic teachings of Ramtha and shows how the inner path of wisdom and knowledge is accessible to students today.

This unique reference work provides students and the general public alike with coverage of more than 2, 300 North American religious groups in the U.S. and Canada -- from Adventists to Zen Buddhists. The culmination of more than forty years of research, the information is presented in 26 chapters, each of which focuses on a different religious family. Each chapter includes an overview of the familys history, followed by directory entries on specific groups within that family. The directory entries provide factual information including, when available, rubrics for membership figures, educational facilities, and periodicals. This ninth edition of Meltona s Encyclopedia of American Religions is an enormous leap forward for a title already acclaimed for its unique coverage. This edition is now two volumes instead of one, reflecting the expanded coverage of Canadian religion. Volume 1 covers the U.S., and Volume 2 covers Canada; both volumes include the same chapters for easy comparison between U.S. and Canadian religious expression. The Canadian volume also includes the Defunct Appendix (for all the religious groups that no longer exist), an alphabetical listing of all religious groups, a geographic listing for an additional way to search the content, and a subject index.