2002

BB -- Religion

Metzler-Lexikon Religion: Gegenwart—Alltag—Medien [Metzler Dictionary of Religion: The Present—Everyday Life—The Media]. Ed. Christoph Auffarth and Agnes Imhof. Stuttgart; Weimar: Metzler. 25 cm. ISBN 3-476-01678-1 (set): EUR 369.90 [02-2-274]

Vol. 4. Text- und Bildquellen, Filmographie, Zeittafeln, Gesamtregister [Sources for Text and Illustrations, Filmography, Chronology, General Index]. 2002. vi, 438 p. ill. ISBN 3-476-01554-8: EUR 89.90

The questionable aspects of this dictionary have already been discussed on the basis of the first three volumes (see RREA 6:101), and none is resolved in volume 4. This volume provides an introduction to research in the field of religious studies. It has a very bibliographic orientation, without the necessary explanations that would help an inexperienced reader. The reader must be able to evaluate the material and know where he can seek information that is lacking; only then can he use the diverse information on the media and the sensory aspects of religion appropriately. Sometimes the selection seems insufficient or puzzling (for example, the choice of only three writers for the section on “Historians of the Christian Religion” or the eight “Systematic Topics” in another part of the volume). In addition, the index is not detailed enough, neglecting especially entries in the final volume. This dictionary, which has definitely taken a new approach, leaves a mixed impression. [ar/vh]

Index theologicus: IxTheo; Zeitschriften-Inhaltsdienst Theologie [Theological Index (IxTheo): Theology Periodicals Abstracting Service]. Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. Formerly: Zeitschriften-Inhaltsdienst Theologie. ISSN 1618-7156 (single-user version), ISSN 1618-7148 (network version) [02-1-034]

2002, 1. 1 CD-ROM + user manual. 24 cm. EUR 49.00 (single-user version, 2002 subscription, 2 updates), EUR 199.00 (network version, 2002 subscription, 4 updates)

For the first time, this periodicals index, produced by the Tübingen University Library since 1975, is available in DVD format from a commercial publisher. A glance back at the reviews of its many previous manifestations as Zeitschriften-Inhaltsdienst Theologie—in 1997 (see RREA 3:125), 1998 (see RREA 4:86), and 1999 (see RREA 5:88)—will quickly show the linear technological development, growth, and improvement in quality this resource has seen since computerization of the database was undertaken in 1995. The latest edition, covering the years 1989 to 2001, contains over 170,000 citations from 700 journals and over 1,000 monographs, and again represents a qualitative improvement over the 1999 edition. The excellent indexing of personal names and subjects (according to Regeln für den Schlagwortkatalog (RSWK)—the thesaurus and rules used for subject cataloging in German academic libraries—with hypertext links makes this a powerful tool. Some 30,000 subject terms are English, a good step toward accommodating the foreign market. Library holdings for the indexed periodicals represent a new enhancement. All in all, this product is a model periodicals index. [ar/hh]

Theologen, Ketzer, Heilige: kleines Personenlexikon zur Kirchengeschichte [Theologians, Heretics, Saints: Concise Dictionary of Persons in Church History]. Ed. Manfred Heim. München: Beck, 2001. 432 p. 21 cm. ISBN 3-406-47977-4: EUR 24.50 [02-1-035]

As a supplement to Kleines Lexikon der Kirchengeschichte [Concise Dictionary of Church History] and Mönchtum, Orden, Kloster [Monasticism, Orders, Monasteries], the publisher has issued this biographical dictionary to stimulate interest in the multi-faceted history of the Christian Church and the people who influenced it. The work is less a reference book for libraries than an attractive volume useful to people in related professions who don’t want to buy larger lexicons. The quality of the articles is good, and for the target group the dictionary is a useful reference tool.

There are numerous problems, however, the main one being the vast scope, which cannot be covered in a “concise” dictionary. The articles are generally very short—only a few figures are given more than two columns (one page), and only four have more than three columns. Some of the inclusions and omissions are questionable. One finds a Central European concentration and a bias toward Roman Catholic church history, despite long articles on the main reformation leaders. The articles on Mary (along with the history of Mariolatry) and Jesus show that the history of dogma has also been included. Surely that is important information, but not necessarily expected in a concise reference work.

The decision to cite mainly the larger lexicons is puzzling, as the target group won’t have them at hand and in many cases they don’t offer much more information. Primary literature and editions are cited inconsistently (more would be better), and some of the literature is too old. The index of persons is useful, including people mentioned in articles on others, but a few omissions could be added in a new edition. In summary, this is an attractive book with useful information, but not essential for libraries that have the classic theological reference works. [ar/gh]

Dictionnaire thématique et géographique des saints imaginaires, facétieux et substitués en France et en Belgique francophone du moyen âge à nos jours (Traditions & Devotions populaires—Littérature—Argot) suivi d’un Répertoire raisonné des dévotions et patronages par calembour [Thematic and Geographical Dictionary of Imaginary, Humorous, and Substituted Saints in France and French-Speaking Belgium from the Middle Ages to the Present (Popular Traditions and Devotions, Literature, Slang), Followed by a Descriptive Catalog of Devotions and Patronages Based on Puns]. Jacques E. Merceron. Paris: Seuil, 2002. 1,288 p. ill. 24 cm. ISBN 2-02-051681-0: EURO 35.00.

This dictionary will be of interest primarily to scholars of French history, folklore, popular religion, and medieval and modern French literature, and even to students of French slang. It will amuse anyone with a reading knowledge of French and an interest in cultural trivia, or anyone fascinated by imaginary and folkloric saints. Many of us are familiar with the sainted greyhound Guinefort from Jean Claude Schmitt’s book, Le Saint Lévrier: Guinefort, guérisseur d’enfants depuis le XIIIe siècle [The Holy Greyhound: Guinefort, Healer of Children since the Thirteenth Century] (Paris, 1979; also Cambridge; New York; Paris, 1983), or from the 1987 film Le Moine et la Sorcière = Sorceress directed by Suzanne Schiffman. France and Belgium, as it turns out, are teeming with such non-canonical saints, whether they are based on a local legend or on a pun. The product of 15 years of research, Merceron’s dictionary lists them all, meticulously organized and indexed, accompanied by maps indicating in what regions various names appear.

The kinds of saints covered include legendary figures whose feast days are celebrated, such as Saint Pansard, the personification of Mardi Gras; literary creations, such as the Saint Cucufin to whom Voltaire devoted La Canonisation de Saint Cucufin in 1769; linguistic inventions whose patronage, if not whose very existence, is based on a pun (there are enough for an entire separate section of the dictionary); facetious figments from sermon parodies or folk remedies; and what Merceron calls “substituted” figures, where the name of a canonical saint has been deformed or replaced, denoting a curative property.

At 1,288 pages, including a 50-page bibliography, this is a hefty tome. It is organized in 12 thematic and geographic sections, and includes several indexes. Examples of themes to which Merceron devotes a section are saints de la paresse [sloth], saints du maléfice [evil spell], de la gueuserie [beggary] et de la filouterie [fraud], and animaux, objets et concepts sanctifiés ou sacralisés [animals, objects, and concepts regarded as sacred]. The last section is a miscellany, “Gerbe [sheaf ] et pot-pourri de saints.” The organization makes it a bit hard to find a particular saint without referring to the index, though they are also listed by name in the “Vue d’ensemble des sections thématiques.” It would be useful if the indexes included a list of topics or patronages, indicating after each term all the saints to which that quality or responsibility was attributed. To some extent the arrangement into sections serves that need, but the saints listed in “Gerbe et pot-pourri de saints” are truly miscellaneous in their nature and function.

Covering more than 1,000 saints, including every attested spelling of their names, this text is fairly exhaustive. It provides a wealth of historical and literary information in addition to the elements of folklore and popular religion that one would expect from a dictionary of fictitious saints.

Particularly useful features include the maps, the indexes of saints, places, and historical persons, and the extensive bibliography. Merceron gives very thorough references to the sources of his information in each entry. There are a few very entertaining illustrations, such as a carving of “Sainte Babille” from a 16th-century church stall; the dictionary would have been made even more appealing by the inclusion of more visual documentation.

Many other dictionaries of saints exist, but none cover the imaginary saints of France. Merceron’s bibliography lists dozens of such works, including historical dictionaries of saints, as well as studies of popular devotion to imaginary saints, many of them focusing on particular regions of France; none, however, covers exactly the same scope as his own.

One problem with this dictionary is that it is soft-cover and hence does not lend itself to frequent and repeated reference use. However, at only 35 Euros, Merceron’s Dictionnaire is well worth the price, and will make a useful addition to the collection of any academic or research library that serves scholars of French civilization or popular religion and folklore.

Die Bischöfe des Heiligen Römischen Reiches: 1198 bis 1448; ein biographisches Lexikon [The Bishops of the Holy Roman Empire, 1198–1448. A Biographical Dictionary]. Ed. Erwin Gatz. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2001. cxci, 926 p. maps, 26 cm. ISBN 3-428-10303-3: EUR 149.00 [02-1-036]

Die Bischöfe der deutschsprachigen Länder: 1945–2001; ein biographisches Lexikon [The Bishops of German-Speaking Countries, 1945–2001: A Biographical Dictionary]. Ed. Erwin Gatz. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2002. 589 p. ill. maps 26 cm. ISBN 3-428-10684-9: EUR 84.00 [02-1-037]

These two volumes are concluding parts of a project to list and describe the bishops from German-speaking countries for the period between 1198 and 2001. The volume for the period 1198–1448 organizes the bishops according to their respective bishoprics, or the bishopric in which the person made his most significant contribution, rather than in a continuous alphabetic sequence. In each case, a brief historical sketch of the bishopric precedes the signed, biographical articles about the bishops. There are also brief, unsigned biographical sketches of the suffragans, as well as a comprehensive name index of all bishops and suffragans.

The volume dealing with the period from 1945–2001 follows a similar pattern of arrangement, listing bishops by bishopric and arranging all bishoprics in an alphabetical sequence, irrespective of the country in which they are located. The editor is planning to issue a final volume that will consist of a history of all of the bishoprics. It will complete a work that will be invaluable for researchers in both church and territorial history. [sh/ldl]

Das Exemte Bistum Bamberg [The Exempt Bishopric of Bamberg]. Berlin [et al.]: De Gruyter. 25 cm. (Germania sacra, Neue Folge, 38; Die Bistümer der Kirchenprovinz Mainz). [02-1-038]

Vol. 3. Die Bischofsreihe von 1522 bis 1693 [The Bishops from 1522 to 1693]. Ed. Dieter J. Weiss for the Max-Planck Institut für Geschichte. 2000. xvi, 682 p. (Germania sacra, Neue Folge, 38, 1). ISBN 3-11-016644-5: EUR 128.00

The present volume, part of a series that will present a comprehensive view of the Catholic Church in German-speaking Europe through the 18th century, focuses on the lives and accomplishments of the 15 Bishops of Bamberg between 1522 (near the beginning of the Reformation) and 1693, after which Bamberg was usually administered jointly with other bishoprics. Aspects covered, in a separate article for each bishop, include family origins and life before becoming bishop, election as bishop, activities within the diocese, relations with the papacy and secular forces, writings, and the opinions of others. Additional features include a bibliography, a general introduction, and a series of short profiles of the holders of other diocesan offices during the period covered. The substantial index includes not only personal and place names, but also subject keywords, such as “Jews,” making these topics more easily accessible to researchers. [sh/gw]

Die Freiburger Bischöfe: 175 Jahre Erzbistum Freiburg; eine Geschichte in Lebensbildern [The Bishops of Freiburg: 175 years of the Archdiocese of Freiburg; A History in Biographical Sketches]. Christoph Schmider. Freiburg im Breisgau [et al.]: Herder, 2002. 223 p. ill. maps, 22 cm. ISBN 3-451-27847-2: EUR 9.90 [02-1-039]

The Archdiocese of Freiburg has no medieval history, having been formed in 1827 from parts of the dioceses of Strasbourg, Speyer, Worms, and Würzburg, and especially portions of the former diocese of Konstanz; a map on page 24 depicts the changes involved. The brief (average 6.5 pages) biographies of 14 archbishops and 9 suffragan bishops are supplemented by an introductory article that fills in aspects of diocesan history not covered in the biographies. The biographies of the five most recent bishops are less comprehensive than the others. Most of the material in this book, a commemorative rather than a scholarly publication, is reprinted from diocesan publications. There are no bibliographical references accompanying the texts, but a brief listing of other materials on the archdiocese’s history is provided. [sh/gw]

Prosopographia iesuitica belgica antiqua: (PIBA); A Biographical Dictionary of the Jesuits in the Low Countries, 1542–1773. Willem Audenaert. 4 vols. Leuven-Heverlee: Filosofisch en Theologisch College, 2000. 1,761 p. ISBN 90-9013748-3: FB 3500 (Filosofisch en Theologisch College, Waversebaan 220, B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee) [02-1-040]

This publication aims at a complete listing of all Jesuits who served or were born in provinces in the Low Countries: Belgica (1542–1612), Flandro-Belgica (1612–1773), and Gallo-Belgica (1612–1773). Unlike other Jesuit biographies that rely primarily on records in Rome, this work utilizes records that are found in the relevant regions. In volumes 1 and 2, 10,500 persons are listed alphabetically with information for each on his status, variant names, dates, and sources. The third volume contains no fewer than 31 lists of Jesuits in various categories, while the fourth volume is an index of names, including variant forms. This work records no further biographical or bio-bibliographical details. For more information the reader must consult the sources cited in volumes 1 and 2, or László Polgár, Bibliographie sur l’histoire de la Compagnie de Jésus, 1901–1980 (Roma, 1981–1990). [sh/jpn]

Guide pour l’histoire des ordres et des congrégations religieuses: France, XVIe–XXe siècles [Guide to the History of Religious Orders and Congregations: France, 16th–20th Centuries]. Ed. Daniel-Odon Hurel. Turnhout: Brepols, 2001. 465 p. 24 cm. (Bibliothèque de l’École des Hautes Études, Section des Sciences Religieuses, 111). ISBN 2-503-51193-7: EUR 50.00 [02-1-041]

Despite the existence of the Dizionario degli istituti di perfezione, the most exhaustive reference work on Catholic religious orders and congregations past and present, there is still room for more specialized works such as the one reviewed here. It is devoted to French Catholic religious orders and congregations, as well as international orders with French branches, from the 16th century to the present. The 240 articles are arranged in three groups: (1) L’héritage medieval, covering orders founded in the medieval period and still in existence after 1500 (including those reestablished after 1500); (2) Créations de la Réforme catholique, i.e., the post-Tridentine period, beginning with the Jesuits; (3) Créations contemporaines, covering foundations from the 19th century to ca. 1960. All articles have a uniform arrangement. The historical section contains official and other names of the order, names and biographical dates of the founders, and detailed information about the order itself, e.g., its greatest geographical extent, number of members in particular years, special activities, and finally the names of beatified members. The bibliography compiles publications by and about each institution, as well as locations of archives. Also included are indexes by keyword, acronyms, persons, and names of orders and congregations. This is an outstanding reference work, which could serve as a model for works on the orders and congregations of other countries. [sh/jc]

Gesangbücher in Württemberg: Bestandsverzeichnis [Hymnals in Württemberg: A Union Catalog]. Heinz Dietrich Metzger. Stuttgart; Weimar: Metzler, 2002. x, 868 p. 31 cm. (Repertorien zur deutschen Literaturgeschichte, 20). ISBN 3-476-01865-2: EUR 229.90 [02-1-042]

This bibliography, published in cooperation with Tübingen’s Gesellschaft für Musikgeschichte in Baden-Württemberg e.V. [Society for Music History in Baden-Württemberg], catalogs the impressive hymnal collection of the Württembergische Landesbibliothek [Württemberg State Library] in Stuttgart, as well as the holdings of the most important parish and institute libraries in the old church jurisdiction of Württemberg (not to be confused with the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg, which also includes the Roman Catholic Baden). Though not as well known as the Württemberg Landesbibliothek’s Bible collection, the hymnal collection is also quite large, comprising some 3,800 of the over 5,000 hymnals listed in the bibliography. Entries are presented in chronological order and then by a code indicating the presence or absence of musical notes; presence or absence of exact dating; and status as facsimile, the odd manuscript, or as prayer books with significant musical content. Each entry includes a bibliographic description, notes on the literature, holding libraries, special notes on content and publication history, and the hymnal’s call number in the Württembergische Landesbibliothek. There are indexes for titles, persons, printers and publishers, places and countries mentioned in songs, corporate bodies, library abbreviations, and abbreviations of literature cited. This union catalog, impressive for its content and organization, will set the standard for future bibliographies of hymnals, and its numbering system stands a chance of being taken up by other such works, as well as by used book catalogs. [sh/rb]

August Hermann Francke 1663–1727: Bibliographie seiner Schriften [August Hermann Francke, 1663–1727: A Bibliography of his Writings]. Comp. Paul Raabe and Almut Pfeiffer. Tübingen: Verlag der Franckeschen Stiftungen Halle im Max-Niemeyer-Verlag, 2001. xxv, 783 p. ill. 23 cm. (Hallesche Quellenpublikationen und Repertorien, 5). ISBN 3-484-84105-2 (Niemeyer), 3-931479-18-8 (Franckesche Stiftungen): EUR 98.00 [02-1-043]

The 300th anniversary of the Frankesche Stiftungen, the important establishment created by the Pietist theologian and educational reformer August Hermann Francke and now a group of libraries, archives, museums, and a publishing enterprise, all affiliated with the University of Halle, has prompted a great many publications. Although Francke was a widely read author of both religious and scholarly writing, a complete accounting of his copious and wide-ranging works has not been available until now. Hence this bibliography, compiled by two prominent scholars long associated with the Franckesche Stiftungen, is most welcome.

All of Francke’s writings, in both German and Latin, are noted here. Included are sermons, essays, occasional poetry, lectures, published letters, and lengthier scholarly works—in all, more than 1,700 items. Entries are presented systematically, and variant editions are noted. Date, title, and personal indexes are included.

In the German library world, where materials have been dispersed and holdings information about older materials is sometimes difficult to obtain, this bibliography is a very useful resource. It provides a solid foundation for additional research on Francke and his work, as well as for extended research on Pietism and the German Enlightenment. [pfh/baw]

Bibliographie der Werke Lavaters: Verzeichnis der zu seinen Lebzeiten im Druck erschienenen Schriften [Bibliography of Lavater’s Works: Index to Writings Published During His Lifetime]. Ed. Horst Weigelt and Niklaus Landolt. Zürich: NZZ-Verlag, 2001. 308 p. 22 cm. (Ausgewählte Werke in historischkritischer Ausgabe. Johann Caspar Lavater, supp.). ISBN 3-85823-864-3: SFr 90.00 [02-1-044]

The preparations for a bibliography of Swiss theologian Johann Caspar Lavater, initiated in Bamberg in conjunction with an edition of Lavater’s travel journals, have now been published as a supplemental volume of the Ausgewählte Werke in historisch-kritischer Ausgabe [Selected Works in a Historical-Critical Edition], of which volume 2, Aussichten in die Ewigkeit [Prospects of Eternity], was also published in 2001. The critical edition will be complete in 10 volumes. According to the introduction, the editors limit the scope of the bibliography to the individually published works. As explained on p.11, however, this limitation is not absolute. Items published in journals and anthologies that were not themselves published by Lavater are treated; the point is that articles found in Lavater’s own anthologies and journals are not listed separately. Contemporary editions and translations are included, along with some works edited, translated by, or otherwise attributed to Lavater. A total of 403 works are listed by uniform title and described according to ISBD (A) standards, with descriptive information and notes on Swiss, German, and other library holdings. Indexes cover publishers and printers, persons, year of publication, and libraries. This bibliography will serve well as a reference for the works of an influential and controversial theologian. [sh/rb]

Lexikon der antiken christlichen Literatur [Lexicon of Early Christian Literature]. Ed. Siegmar Döpp and Wilhelm Geerlings. 3d completely rev. and expanded ed. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2002. xviii, 763 p. 25 cm. ISBN 3-451-27776-X: EUR 65.00 [02-2-281]

The first edition of LACL was published in 1998 (see RREA 5:96). A second edition, with corrections of obvious errors and typos, followed in 1999. This third edition accurately designates itself as “completely revised and expanded.” The time-frame being reported has been expanded, no longer closing with the death of Isidore of Seville in 636, but with that of Beda Verabilis in 735. Even beyond the chronological expansion, entries covering the earlier centuries are more numerous, and the bibliographic references have also greatly multiplied. As with the earlier editions of this work, one disadvantage is that the abbreviations are pushed to the far extreme and can often only be deciphered with help of a specialized theological abbreviations dictionary. Given the high quality of the LACL and its probable sales success for the future, one hopes for the appearance of continued editions that will not only bring information up to date but will also expand the coverage. [sh/rdh]

Germania Benedictina [Benedictine Germany]. Ed. Bayerische Benediktinerakademie München, in conjunction with the Abt-Herwegen-Institut Maria Laach. St. Ottilien: EOS-Verlag. 25 cm. [02-2-283]

Vol. 1. Die Reformverbände und Kongregationen der Benediktiner im deutschen Sprachraum [The Reform Associations and Congregations of the Benedictines in the German-Speaking Areas]. Ed. Ulrich Faust and Franz Quartal. 1999. 916 p. ISBN 3-8306-6994-1: EUR 55.00

Thirteen volumes of this series have appeared since 1970, with several others forthcoming. The goal is “a comprehensive historical description of all monasteries in the German-speaking areas that lived or live according to the Benedictine rule.” Articles on the individual monasteries provide a more or less comprehensive outline of their history. Unfortunately there is inconsistency in the level of detail and points of emphasis among the articles in various volumes, including the one under review. This problem does an injustice to the high quality of individual entries and undermines the reference function of Germania Benedictina. Thus one must hope for greater standardization in the course of the very desirable continuation of the series. [fh/jpn]

Benediktinische Stätten in Frankreich [Benedictine Houses in France]. Madeleine and Walter Stephan. Sankt-Ottilien: EOS-Verlag, 2002. 2 vols. 1,271 p. ill. 21 cm. ISBN 3-8306-7123-7: EUR 60.00 [02-2-284]

The authors, who have previously published registers of all known “cloisters, churches, and estates” belonging to the Benedictine, Cistercian, and their reformed orders in the German-speaking and Scandinavian lands, extend their work to France with these volumes. Their scope is ambitious, beginning with orders established even before the reforms of 534 associated with Cîteaux and Cluny. All told, there are entries for ca. 10,000 establishments. (The number is elevated because the authors include what they call “Wirtschaftshöfe” or working estates along with cloisters and churches.) However, in 2000, only 28 Benedictine cloisters still existed for men in France, and 57 for women.

The entries vary in length from two lines to three pages. They are listed by their postal-code and modern name of the nearest town, followed by the historic name of the site, modern province, name of the order, patron saint, founding date, other relevant dates, and location relative to the provincial capital and other nearby landmarks. Following this is a more (but usually less) lengthy historical note. For this, the authors rely heavily on previous compilations, especially the Répertoire topo-bibliographique des abbayes et prieurés of L. Cottineau (Mâcon, 1935; repr. Turnhout, 1995) and the Dictionnaire des monastères cisterciens of M. Cocheril and E. Manning (Rochefort, 1976–1979). Information about artistic monuments derives mostly from popular works and guidebooks.

It is far from clear who will benefit from this work: its extent would exhaust even the most ardent cultural tourist, who will in any event find more help in the better guidebooks. Lack of up-to-date bibliography and adequate citation makes it useless for scholars. Philatelists will at least find something to like: about seventy pages (p. 1,204–1,271) of “stamps and postmarks referring to Benedictine history.” The authors’ philatelic leanings appear to be the real foundation of their interest in “Benedictine houses.” [sh/dss]

Repertorium der lateinischen Sermones des Mittelalters für die Zeit von 1350–1500 [Repertory of Latin Sermons of the Middle Ages for the Period 1350–1500]. Ed. L. Hödl and W. Knoch, based on preliminary work by J.B. Schneyer. Münster: Aschendorff, 2001. 1 CD-ROM. ISBN 3-402-03144-2: EUR 171.30 [02-2-285]

Johann Baptist Schneyer (1908–1979) compiled the Repertorium der lateinischen Sermones des Mittelalters für die Zeit von 1150 bis 1350 (Münster, 1969–1990) in 11 volumes. It has long been an essential reference work for identifying the source and authorship of Latin sermons during the specified time period. During his research Schneyer also made notes on sermons from the later period, which Ludwig Hödl and Wendelin Knoch found in his papers at the Ruhr University Bochum and have compiled for this CD-ROM. Structure and content are modeled on the printed volumes, and are searchable across eight fields, most of which link to thesauri that identify all available terms. There is also a field that searches across all the others, and results are easily saved and manipulated. Occasional inconsistencies of spelling should not trouble a knowledgeable user. There is much information here that is unavailable in the database Manuscripta mediaevalia, because Schneyer analyzed collections that are only described more generally in the manuscript catalogs. [ch/jpn]

Lexikon der Reformationszeit [Encyclopedia of the Reformation]. Ed. Klaus Ganzer and Bruno Steimer. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 2002. 14, 874 p. 22 cm. (Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche kompakt). ISBN 3-451-22019-9: EUR 19.90 [02-2-286]

The Lexikon der Reformationszeit is the fourth repackaging of content from the Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche [Encyclopedia for Theology and Church], third edition, into thematic encyclopedias, preceded by similar subject encyclopedias on church history, the papacy, and the pastorate. Each of these derivative encyclopedias consists of entire articles from the Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, as well as relevant excerpts from broader articles, often with updated bibliographies. As in the previous subject encyclopedias, some of the articles have been newly added, in this case, for example, “Music and Reformation,” “Art and Reformation,” and “Zwinglianism.” Despite the additions found in the subject encyclopedias, libraries might consider waiting for a CD-ROM edition of the entire Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche. [sh/dfb]

Haus des Lebens: jüdische Friedhöfe in Deutschland [House of Life: Jewish Cemeteries in Germany]. Michael Brocke and Christiane E. Müller. Leipzig: Reclam, 2001. 264 p. ill. 25 cm. ISBN 3-379-00777-3: EUR 39.90 [02-1-045]

Compiled by the director of Duisburg University’s Institute for Jewish History and a colleague, this guide takes its title from the Jewish characterization of cemeteries as “houses of life,” where, as stated on the dust jacket, “the hope of new life is never extinguished.” A lengthy introductory section provides interested non-specialists with the necessary background information on Jewish community history, cemetery history and culture, and tomb inscriptions, to enhance visits to these cemeteries. This section is well prepared and useful. The main part of the book contains over 100 profiles of individual cemeteries, including information on size, topography, time period of burials, number of tombstones, inscriptions, special features, and directions (sometimes less than helpful) for reaching the cemetery. No criteria are given for the selection of the cemeteries profiled, and a number of well-known sites are not represented. The work includes a listing of all locations in Germany with a Jewish cemetery, arranged alphabetically by city name, but with no references from subordinate place names and no indication which cemeteries are profiled in the book. A brief glossary and a bibliography are also included. [sh/gw]

Die jüdischen Friedhöfe im Hohenlohekreis: Memor-Buch [Jewish Cemeteries in the Hohenlohe District: Memory Book]. Naftali Bar-Giora Bamberger for the Landratsamt Hohenlohekreis. 2 vols. Künzelsau: Swiridoff, 2002. 1,104 p. 33 cm. Parallel text in Hebrew. ISBN 3-934350-59-3: DM 238.00 [02-1-046]

Publication was subsidized by private and government bodies. These memory books are only a small portion of the complete inventory being taken by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Well over half of this work is done. Documentation about progress in this and other German states is provided by the Zentralarchiv zur Erforschung der Geschichte der Juden in Deutschland, located in Heidelberg, at http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institute/sonst/aj. [sh/jpn]

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