Encyclopedia of World Religions is a new series from Facts On File that explores the major religions of the world, emphasizing the living faiths and their historical and social backgrounds. Each volume was written by an expert in the field, and then reviewed and approved by series editor J. Gordon Melton. Ideal for high school and junior college students, these authoritative references are accessible enough to be of use to the general reader as well as the serious scholar. Each volume includes approximately 600 A-to-Z entries that provide easy access to the theological concepts, personalities, historical events, institutions, and movements that helped shape the history of each religion and the way it is practiced today. Fascinating introductions by each author place the religion in context, and further readings, a bibliography, an index, and approximately 80 black-and-white photographs complete these invaluable resources.