Handbook of Denominations in the United States

The Handbook of Denominations has been recognized as an accurate, objective, and comprehensive source of information on denominational groupings in the United States for over half a century. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated. However, it maintains the accessibility and readability that have been hallmarks of previous editions. The thirteenth edition presents updated entries on the major Christian denominations in the United States---their historical background, their doctrines or main teachings, and their polity or structure of governance. Included are statistics on the number of churches and church members and information about church-related schools and institutions. The Handbook also treats the major branches of Judaism and Islam that are found in the U.S. The Handbook features a reorganized division of denominational "families" intended to help readers find information on and understand relationships between churches more quickly. A new introduction on religion in America, lists of church membership in the main ecumenical organizations, charts depicting the historical development of denominations, a directory of denominational headquarters and Web sites, a list of suggested readings, and an index add to the usefulness of the volume. Clearly the standard in the field, the Handbook of Denominations is an essential resource for seminary students, clergy, laity, librarians, journalists, researchers, teachers---in short, for anyone seeking authoritative information on religious life in America!