Encyclopedia Of Religious Phenomena

J. Gordon Melton is a research specialist in the Dept of Religious Studies, University College-Santa Barbara and author of a number of encyclopaedic works.

“J.Gordon Melton is a renowned authority on what academics call "NewReligious Movements." His expertise with the arcane shines fromthe pages. . . . [T]his is an entertaining and fascinating look at anastonishing variety of ways that people experience belief.” –The Dallas Morning News“Fromthe sensational to the conventional, this book covers it” –About.com“Meltonis a longtime researcher in esoteric traditions and new orunconventional religious movements, subjects on which he has writtenextensively. The book is fascinating to flip through, will interest awide range of readers, and is written for nonexperts.” –Library Journal“[Melton]gives readers interesting religious expressions and phenomena fromBuddhism, Baha'I, Islam, indigenous faiths and Christianity. Theresult cannot help but be inspiring or alarming, depending on yourunderstanding of true faith.” – Book News“Melton,a renowned authority on "New Religious Movements," takes ona broad range of topics. If you can't learn an interesting bunch offacts from this book, you must already have a doctorate on thetopic.” – The Modesto Bee“It'samazing how informative it is, without being disrespectful of anyreligious experience.” – Kliatt