Introduction 1: the postmodern revolution in reference books -- Introduction 2: reference books as self-teachers -- Glossary: types and functions of reference books -- Directory of reference books in religious studies -- How to use the directory -- The world's religions -- Alphabetical reference books -- Compendia -- Christianity -- General -- Ecumenism -- Biblical studies -- Bible dictionaries -- Bible commentaries -- Handbooks of interpretation -- Theology -- Nonconfessional -- Protestant -- Roman Catholic -- Spirituality -- Hagiography (lives of saints) -- Liturgy -- The Westminster/SCM dictionaries -- Churches and denominations -- Protestantism -- Roman Catholicism -- Lexicons and compendia -- French mega-encyclopedias -- Eastern Christianity -- Periods of church history -- Surveys of the papacy and national churches -- Early church (to 600/800) -- Medieval church (313-1400) -- Early modern church (1400-1700) -- Modernity (since 1700) -- North America -- Other prophetic religions -- Judaism -- General -- Introductory glossaries -- Islam -- General -- The Qur'an -- Asian religions -- General -- South Asia -- General -- Mythology -- Philosophy -- Buddhism -- General -- Glossaries (Japanese) -- Alternative approaches -- Mythology -- General -- Who's whos -- Regional -- Philosophy of religion and ethics -- Social sciences of religion -- General -- Sociology -- Psychology -- Folklore -- Favorite reference books -- A home library of reference books in English -- Preeminent reference books in French and German -- Reference books suitable for browsing -- Illustrated reference books -- Reference books on women and religion -- Reference books that cry out to be written -- Concerning a particular religion or region -- Academic disciplines -- Index of titles -- Index of authors -- Index of topics -- Index of persons -- Index of places -- Addendum: works published during 1996 and 1997
