Leading scholars present entries on selected controversies and controversial individuals in American religious life from the colonial period to the present. Key figures, themes, terms, institutions and groups, books, and relevant secular topics that have contributed to religious controversy are included. This ambitious volume includes bibliographies for each entry which direct the reader to additional resources for further study. From Ralph David Abernathy to Zionism, this work will prove to be an essential reference tool for scholars, students, and anyone interested in religious issues. Controversy has been interwoven with religion throughout history. In an attempt to bring a sense of understanding to the causes and types of conflicts in American religious history, top scholars from different religious traditions have selected the key events and people that have shaped our religious heritage. With more than 1,700 religious bodies in the United States, the potential for conflicts and controversy is enormous. This work is the first attempt to being all of these elements together in one easy-to-use reference.

comprehensive subject and name index.

Contains alphabetically arranged entries that survey the events and people of the 1960s, discussing their impact on the life and culture of the United States.