1. Melton, J. Gordon., ed. (1996) Encyclopedia of American Religions. Detroit: Gale Research

Melton is known to be a very reliable source in the study of American religions, and the author of this web site has adopted his style of organizing religions by family-- a method of organization which is more useful for the study of the contemporary religions and, it can be argued, more useful than the church-sect-cult triad of classification in previous religious studies. He clearly explains his criteria for evaluating religions that he has included in this encyclopedia. He recognizes the influence of other socio-religious factors such as "ethnicity, class, recial composition, type of leadership (priest? guru? pastor?) and the degree of acceptance of or hostility to the world"(xviii), but believes that the strength of family relationships is the determining factor for the existence of religious traditions. It must be noted that gender and sexual orientation were not mentioned here but are also aspects that the user of this page should consider inculding in the study of religions. According to Melton, the three defining characteristics of a religious organization are heritage, thought world, and lifestyle, where "thought world' refers to broader understanding of theology. His encyclopedia focuses on the development of religions in America, but includes extensive chapters on historical world developments of the religious "families" and their specific traditions.

2. Lewis, J. R., ed. (1998) The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions. New York: Prometheus Books

Although this encyclopedia is one of the most current compilations of non-mainstream religious organizations, it must be cautioned that Lewis' scholarship is not known to be very balanced. Yet this encyclopedia is good because it does provide the reader with an extensive list of contemporary religious organizations and movements; currency is extremely important when pursuing the study of new religious movements, as these groups are often less stable than other major religions, and just as unpredicatable. This encyclopedia is a good starting point for those interested in pursuing further work in this area, but it is suggested that the reader does not rely solely on this work for accuracy of information.

3. Lewis, J.R., ed. (1999) Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions. Santa Barbara: Abc-CLIO, Inc.

As cautioned in number 2, this encyclopedia is a very good starting point as an introduction to the Neopagan and Wiccan groups that currently exist. It is suggested that for further research and information specifically about Wicca, to refer to the next source (#4). But for information on Neopagan groups, this is a decent source. This encyclopedia is difficult to navigate intelligently because the book is organized alphabetically; information pertaining to specific groups is thus mixed and leads to a very confusing search. Yet, this is a good source to find key words for further research.

4. Guiley, Rosemary Ellen., ed. (1999) Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, 2nd edition. New York: Facts on File

For the specific study of Wicca, the largest Pagan religion, this is an excellent starting point. Guiley's work is comprehensive and current, and this encyclopedia covers historical and contemporary views of what witchcraft was/is understood to mean. Much information can be found from this source, whether it be on contemporary issues, specific Wiccan traditions, or historical events.

5. Eliade, M., ed. (1987) The Encyclopedia of Religion. 16 volumes. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers

This work is probably the only that approaches a truly "comprehensive" encyclopedic compilation of world religions. It is cautioned, though, that this collection is so large as to be a burden rather than a help. Eliade's own scholarship is being questioned by contemporary scholars, but as an editor of such a vast encyclopedia, this issue is mostly irrelevant. This encyclopedia is already dated, but it is certainly still useful for many of the world's religions, which tend to be stable over time.

6. Glasse, Cyril., ed. (1989) The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam. San Fransisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.

This encyclopedia is not the most user-friendly, but it does provide a wealth of information about Islam. It is somewhat dated, but for research into core beliefs, specific traditions, this is a good starting point. For current issues, refer to #7.

7. Nanji, Azim A., ed. (1996) The Muslim Almanac. Detroit: Gale Research, Inc.

This book is an excellent source for information on contemporary issues, important people, historical developments, and general information about Islam. It is very user-friendly and is relatively current. It also includes chronological organization of events and a tree of the development of the various religious groups, for easy reference.

8. Murphy, L.G., & J. G. Melton & G. L. Ward, eds. (1993) The Encyclopedia of African American Religions. New York & London: Garland Publishing.

This encyclopedia is user-friendly and well-organized. In this book you can find information on the three general time periods of African American religious developments as explained by the editors in an introductory essay, one of several essays that expound key issues/people in the development of African-American Religions. Included in these essays are a discussion of the womanist position as it relates to theology and to 'white middle-class' feminism. Also included is a discussion of Malcom X's role in the development of African American religious communities, within the larger political and cultural contexts. It can be said that the information contained in this book is a necessary starting point for anyone wishing to gain an understanding of the development of African American religions and how these developments relate to racism, classism, sexism, and gender discrimination from an African-American religious perspective.

9. Werblowsky, R. J. Zwi, & J. Wigoder, eds. (1997) The Oxford Dictioary of the Jewish Religion. New York: Oxford University Press.

This work is a current and reliable source of information on the Jewish religion, although it is not very user-friendly. Without previous knowledge of some of the basic keywords related to Judaism, it is difficult to navigate this resource.

10. Singh, Harbans, ed. (1995) The Encyclopedia of Sikhism. 4 volumes. Patiala: Punjabi University

This four volume encyclopedia is organized alphabetically and is somewhat difficult to navigate without previous knowledge of keywords related to Sikhism. It is a relatively current collection and, despite navigational difficulties, does provide accurate information about Sikhism and is a good place for the beginner to start.

11. Luncunac Conner, Randy P., & D. Hatfield Sparks & M Sparks, eds. (1997) Cassel's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol, and Spirit. New York & London: Cassel

This encyclopedia is a cross-religious exploration of homosexuality as it is manifest in various world religions and mythologies. It also contains information on contemporary religious traditions oriented towards homosexuality. A very good resource for those looking for introductory information on the intersection between homosexuality and religion.

12. Barker, Eileen. (1989) New Religious Movements: A Practical Introduction. London: HMSO

This is a classic book that addresses controversial issues surrounding New Religious Movements and their classification. Although somewhat dated, the approach Barker promotes is still relevant for the study of NRMs as they come and go. A source of information for the student of religious studies student as well as for the general population.