Encyclopedia of Religious Controversies in the United States

Leonard (Baptist studies and church history; The Challenge of Being Baptist: Owning a Scandalous Past and an Uncertain Future) and Crainshaw (worship and liturgical theology; both at Sch. of Divinity, Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, NC; Keep the Call: Leading the Congregation Without Losing Your Soul) offer a short introduction followed by entries on a wide range of religious controversies, from those surrounding people such as Benny Hinn to topics such as school prayer. Each entry is between one and three pages in length and provides a clear and sufficient overview of its topic, beginning with an introduction and then explaining different viewpoints on the subject and the reasons for the controversy, as well as its development over time. Entries include bolded cross-references and further-reading suggestions. Some also include supplemental documents, such as copies of legislative acts or pictures, which help to give the reader a fuller understanding of the controversy. This edition adds material covering 21st-century issues and updates some entries with additional commentary and further-reading options.