Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States

Kurian and Lamport have produced a well-written, comprehensive guide detailing the many themes and people in the history of Christianity in the United States. Their aim is 'to facilitate greater reflection on our national and personal circumstances in light of our historical awareness; to hospitably engage ideas, cultures, and practices of faith tradition beyond the normal scope of our direct experiences; and to recall the gracious, sovereign mission of God in his Church in the United States.' These five volumes of fascinating entries by numerous scholars succeed in inviting readers to browse through and actively participate in that reflection, engagement, and recollection. The entries are organized alphabetically, but indexing by themes, names, and even the author of the articles makes finding and tracing specific threads of history easy. Brief bibliographical references are included for each item as well as an overarching selected bibliography and essay in the final volume. Among the other useful features are an introductory series of essays surveying the overall history of Christianity and its impact on the United States, an appendix detailing U.S. religious trends, and a series of concise essays giving perspectives on the subject from other cultural viewpoints such as Asian, Australian, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Jewish, and even atheist. The vast cultural and religious variety within the United States is well represented here. VERDICT A superb set that will appeal to both researchers and general readers interested in religion or history. Suitable for both academic and public libraries. * Library Journal, Starred Review *
A marvelous new five-volume reference work...containing contributions from nearly 500 scholars, provides us with an 'Abbey to Zwemer' resource on people, denominations, and movements. This 2800-page publication...will serve ministers and students well for a decade or more. * Christianity Today *
Although many faith traditions have been stirred into the melting pot that is America, Christianity has always predominated, and its history in this country is complicated, rich in diversity, and consists of manifold expressions of a single faith. This new encyclopedia set seeks to tell these many stories. Some 1,800 of the entries are biographical and include well-known figures. Historical descriptions of the staggering number of Christian denominations, ranging from the Assyrian Church of the East to the United Church of Christ, are provided, along with articles on ministries such as Catholic Relief Services and the Gideons. The nexus of Christianity and the arts is explored in entries such as Christian rock and Jesus in American movies. Discussion of theological movements, biblical interpretations, important legal cases, and much more content complete the set…. [T]heological collections and academic libraries should consider acquiring it due to the scope and timeliness. * Booklist *
This extensive multi-volume reference work provides extensive resources for scholars, students, and those interested in further study in American Christianities. The entries not only contain factual information, but attempt to go a step further and interpret the significance of the subject to American Christianities on the whole…. Overall, the encyclopedia does an excellent job at capturing the depth and diversities within the field. As a reference work the writing is clear and inviting. * Anglican and Episcopal History *
Relishing these richly informative pages, I was reminded of Oscar Handlin’s notable claim that immigrants were America. The Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States does not suggest that Christians are America, but it demonstrates in impressive detail just how wide-ranging Christianity’s influence on America has been. -- Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University
Encyclopedias are among the great tools of modern knowledge-making, all the more so when forged by hands as experienced as those of Kurian and Lamport. As a reference guide to Christianity’s variegated history and ongoing expression in the United States, these volumes stand out for their breadth of coverage and range of perspectives. Capsule biographies, denominational overviews, thematic analyses—all these and more can be found in this compendious collection. -- Leigh E. Schmidt, Edward C. Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor, Washington University in St. Louis
The Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States will be a most valuable resource for anyone who wants to find reliable information on the history or current state of Christianity in this country. It is up to date and intelligently organized. It reflects the insights of an impressive board of editors. -- George Marsden, professor emeritus, University of Notre Dame
This encyclopedia is a highly useful, comprehensively imagined resource for students, teachers, and the general public who want to learn about the future of Christianity by better understanding its past in American history. The five-volume work is rooted in twenty-first-century realizations and concerns about Christianity—its size and demographic patterns, its influence and role in society, its multiple forms and stunning internal differences—as it retrieves the past and smartly represents key historical themes and forces throughout U.S. history. Christianity is changing dramatically right before our very eyes, and inventive, comprehensive resources like this one will provide enlightening historical and cultural insights that bear on the present. I found myself immediately drawn to this encyclopedia for two compelling reasons: First, diversity is conceptually fundamental to the content, evident in the outstanding line-up of editorial advisory board members and in the range of topics found in the table of contents; and second, creativity is driving the organizational logic and global reach of the project, with snapshots, impressions, profiles, and so on that keep the reading lively and grounded. -- Gary Laderman, chair and Goodrich C. White Professor of American Religious History and Cultures, Emory University
This multi-volume set creatively explores the diversity and depth of Christian expression in the United States. With entries written by a broadly trained and accomplished group of scholars, it moves well beyond traditional understandings of what is Christian, or even what is traditionally “religious.” Best of all, it uses fresh angles of vision to shed new light on both historical developments and current events, including views of Christianity from outside the nation and abundant charts and images. This is a gold mine of an encyclopedia that will keep the reader exploring and discovering for a long time to come. -- Laurie Maffly-Kipp, Archer Alexander Distinguished Professor, John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics, Washington University in St. Louis