The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions

Here is the most comprehensive and up-to-date dictionary of religion available in paperback. Written by an expert team of 80 international and multi-faith contributors, the volume contains over 8,200 entries and an original and in-depth introductory essay.
Readers will find information on:
Religions: Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and much more
Movements, Sects, and Cults: Over 500 entries on everything from Cargo Cults and the New Age movement to Rastafarians and Soka Gakkai
Sacred Texts: Over 1,000 entries covering the sacred writings of religions worldwide
Individuals: Including founders, leaders, gurus, philosophers, mystics, and heretics
Sacred Sites: Cities, buildings, centers of pilgrimage
Customs: Religious practices, dogmas, beliefs, traditions, festivals and fasts, and artifacts such as altars, rosaries, icons, and torah ornaments
Ethics: Entries cover world-wide religious teachings on abortion, animals, birth control, war, sexuality and homosexuality, and suicide
In addition, the Dictionary features a 13,000-item topical index, directing readers to subjects that might not have their own entries, such as Brahman, breathing, death, heavens and paradises, mandala, mantra and yantra, Sufism, yoga, and Zen practice. There is also a detailed system of cross-references so that readers can explore related topics in the book, and suggestions for further reading for those who wish to pursue a subject in greater depth.
The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions is the definitive reference work on this subject, the most comprehensive and authoritative one-volume resource available. Now in an affordable paperback edition, it is the first place to turn for information on virtually any aspect of religion worldwide.