An authoritative scholarly compendium, offering profound insights into global religious traditions and thought.
Explore Overview 👇 Meet the Editor 👨🏫The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions stands as a significant reference work within the academic discipline of religious studies. It was meticulously edited by the distinguished scholar John Bowker and published by the esteemed Oxford University Press in the year 1997. This publication represents a comprehensive effort to document and elucidate the vast landscape of global religious phenomena.
The dictionary is a testament to international academic collaboration, featuring contributions from over 80 leading authorities in the field. These scholars hail from 13 different countries, bringing a diverse range of perspectives and specialized knowledge to the work. This global input ensures a broad and nuanced understanding of the world's diverse religious traditions.
As a product of Oxford University Press, the dictionary is firmly rooted in rigorous academic standards. Its focus on religious studies positions it as an indispensable resource for students and researchers seeking authoritative information on various faiths, their histories, practices, and philosophical underpinnings. It serves as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of human spirituality and belief systems.
At its core, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions comprises over 8,200 individual entries. Each entry is crafted by leading authorities, ensuring accuracy, depth, and scholarly rigor. These entries cover a vast array of subjects pertinent to religious studies, from foundational concepts and historical figures to specific rituals and theological doctrines across different traditions.
To facilitate ease of access and comprehensive research, the dictionary includes a detailed topic index featuring 13,000 headings. This extensive indexing system allows users to navigate complex interconnections between various religious concepts, figures, and movements, making it an invaluable tool for cross-referencing and in-depth study.
The sheer volume of entries and index headings underscores the dictionary's ambition to be a definitive repository of knowledge in world religions. It is designed to support advanced academic inquiry, providing a structured and accessible framework for understanding the intricate tapestry of global religious thought and practice.
The dictionary's content spans the entire spectrum of religious studies, encompassing both major world religions and smaller, indigenous, or historical traditions. It delves into the theological, philosophical, sociological, and historical dimensions of religion, offering a holistic understanding of human spiritual experience.
The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions was brought to fruition under the expert editorship of John Bowker. As a prominent figure in the field of theology and religious studies, Bowker's leadership was instrumental in shaping the dictionary's comprehensive scope and maintaining its high academic standards. His vision ensured that the work would serve as a lasting resource for the scholarly community.
Following the success and scholarly impact of the original work, an abbreviated version titled *The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions* was published in the year 2000. This edition distills the extensive content of the larger volume into a more compact format, making it accessible for a broader audience while retaining its core academic value.
The concise version serves as an excellent resource for students, general readers, and professionals who require quick, reliable access to information on world religions without the exhaustive detail of the full dictionary. It maintains the authoritative voice and scholarly integrity of the original, providing essential definitions and summaries for key religious concepts and terms.
The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions was first introduced to the academic world in 1997, a significant milestone for Oxford University Press in its commitment to publishing authoritative reference works. Its creation filled a critical need for a comprehensive, single-volume resource on global religious traditions, quickly establishing itself as a standard in the field of religious studies.
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This is not a substitute for scholarly research. The information provided on this website is not a replacement for consulting the original *Oxford Dictionary of World Religions* or other primary and secondary academic sources. Always refer to authoritative texts and engage in critical scholarly inquiry for in-depth understanding and research in religious studies.
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