Encyclopedia of Politics And Religion

From biographical discussion of Muhammad `Abduh (1849-1905), the Egyptian reformer and pioneer of Islamic modernism and nationalism, to the historical development of Zionism, the 281 alphabetical articles in this two-volume encyclopedia are presented by editor Wuthnow (sociology of religion and cultural sociology, Princeton U.) with the intent of showing interconnections between politics and religion and how they "have combined to shape public discourse, affect social attitudes, spark and sustain collective action, and influence policy, especially during the past two centuries." The entries, which range in length from a few hundred to eight thousand words, examine broad themes such as millennialism and pluralism, as well as specific religions, individuals, geographical regions, institutions, and events. Approximately half of the entries have been revised in this second edition, and 25 are either brand new or completely revised. In addition to the alphabetical entries a number of documentary sources are presented, including Martin Luther's Theses, Thomas Jefferson's thought on religious freedom, Federalist Paper no. 10 (on guarding against "factions"), the Balfour Declaration, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 1998 Irish Peace Accord. Also, reference materials are presented on religious affiliation in countries and regions of the world, constitutions of the world, and politics and religion on the Internet. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)