2005

BB -- Religion

Handbuch Religionswissenschaft: Religionen und ihre zentralen Themen [Handbook of Religious Studies: Religions and their Central Themes]. Ed. Johann Figl. Innsbruck [et al.]: Tyrolia-Verlag; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003. 880 p. 23 cm. ISBN 3-7022-2508-0 (Tyrolia), 3-525-50165-X (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht): EUR 79. [05-1-066]

Introductory works in religious studies are generally of one of two types: either descriptive works of religious history or systematic, comparative studies of religious phenomena. In this handbook, Viennese scholar Johann Figl attempts to enter unexplored territory by combining in one volume the usually separate historical/descriptive work on the history of religions with systematic comparative studies of religious phenomena. It is conceived as a reference work to be consulted rather than an entity to be read from cover to cover. Among the 32 religious scholars are many established theologians from Germany and Austria.

The discipline of theology, more than most others, is concerned with itself—with its understanding of its own content, its methodology, and its concepts. The first 12 chapters of Part 1, "Religions of the Past and Present", form the historical/descriptive part, but they cover only European, Mediterranean, and near Eastern religions, although there is also a chapter on Aztec religion. The next 16 chapters, devoted to present-day religions, emphasize primarily the so-called "world religions," but there are also chapters devoted to "ethnic religions," "new religions" and "alternative forms of religiosity" (the latter including material on esoteric religions and alternative spiritualities). This handbook reveals more facets of religion than do other similar works.

The second, systematic/analytical, part of this work "Central Concepts" contains 20 chapters and seeks to delineate some of the basic "central themes" of religion, such as concept of God, religious ritual and practices, ethics, and sociological dimensions. The desired result is to relate overarching theories of religion. For comparative purposes the editor asked each contributor to follow roughly the same organizational model by covering these four thematic areas. Use of this parallel structure is the editor’s attempt to solve a basic problem of religious studies—that of linking individual historical studies with systematic comprehensive theories. Each of the 32 authors had no way to see the essays to which they might have made references. It would have been helpful if the editor had remedied this by inserting references from the systematic section to the corresponding historical chapters to enable to reader to compare the analytical chapters with concrete historical examples. Instead, the reader still has to consult the table of contents to locate a specific text.

Such an ambitious attempt cannot be seen as completely successful; nevertheless, this contribution should be viewed as essentially positive, as it provides well-founded insights into the subjects it approaches. Beyond its immediate content, it includes extensive bibliographical references for further research. Researchers in the discipline should not pass up this essential work. [ro/mjc,jc]

Zitatenschatz der Weltreligionen: zentrale Aussagen und Begriffe aus Judentum, Christentum, Islam, Hinduismus, Buddhismus [Citation Treasury of World Religions: Central Messages and Concepts of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism]. Detlef Fischer. Münster: Aschendorff, 2003. 462 p. 22 cm. ISBN 3-402-05469-8: EUR 24 [05-1-067]

This work is a collection of selected texts from the world's five great religions arranged under more that 400 conceptual headings, such as "superstition," "doubt," "solitude," "beauty." The book’s liner notes indicate that the author is a proponent of inter-religious dialogue. He does not indicate the criteria he used in assembling the texts although all are taken from existing German translations. He has used a broad concept of a "religious text:" included are citations from canonical texts (the Bible, the Koran), from writings of major religious figures, and from authors who wrote in a religious context (Maimonides, Hildegard of Bingen, Al-Ghazzali). However the work also cites authors who can scarcely be considered religious authorities or even especially religiously inclined. For example, the rubric "silence" contains quotations from Woody Allen and Heinrich Böll as representatives of Judaism and Christianity respectively. The only criterion for their inclusion would appear to be their association with a particular religion. The book contains an "author and word" index with biographical information on the quoted authors and a list of their works. The bibliographical information is, however, very brief (page numbers for citations are not given), making it difficult for anyone interested in reading the selected citations in context to easily locate the full texts. There is a partial reading list of 30 titles included at the end of the book, although it is not clear why only these particular titles are included. While not directed at a scholarly audience but intended rather as a source of informative and edifying reading for the layman, this work could have been more carefully constructed. It is also questionable whether it will contribute to inter-religious dialog. [ro/jc]

Lexikon neureligiöser Gruppen, Szenen und Weltanschauungen: Orientierungen im religiösen Pluralismus [Lexicon of Neo-Religious Groups, Scenes, and Ideologies]. Ed. Harald Baer and Hans Gasper. Freiburg im Breisgau [et al.]: Herder, 2005. xii p., 1,474 cols. 25 cm. ISBN 3-451-28256-9: EUR 39.90 [05-1-068]

This title is a completely new and revised version of the seventh edition of Lexikon der Sekten, Sondergruppen und Weltanschauungen (2001), one third of the articles being revised and two thirds of them new contributions. Groups that have dissolved or become essentially insignificant have been deleted. The lexicon presents an objective description of individual groups without polemics but does not minimize the presence of religious conflicts and their causes. It recognizes and respects cultural and religious plurality and should take its place with Horst Reller, Handbuch religiöse Gemeinschaften und Weltanschauungen (2000), and Oswald Eggenberger, Kirchen, Sekten, Religionen (2003—see RREA 10:62). It belongs in every library. [wh/mjc]

Kleines Lexikon der "Sekten", Psychogruppen und Strukturvertriebe [Concise Lexicon of Religious "Sects," Psychological Self-Help Groups, and Multi-Level Marketing Arrangements]. Comp. Nicolette Bohn. Leipzig: Militzke, 2005. 221 p. 19 cm. (Reihe S, 622). ISBN 3-86189-622-2: EUR 12.90 [05-1-069]

This mini-encyclopedia of marginal religious, psychological, and marketing organizations does not claim to be comprehensive. It consists of 385 alphabetical articles mirrored in an alphabetical index that lacks any further systematic arrangement. As a rule, the information given in the articles is too short for detailed study or instruction. At the same time, it must be said that significant research must have been necessary to even stake out the contemporary status of the smaller groups, such as neopaganism and primarily non-religious organizations in the realms of self-help and multi-level marketing. Given the existence of more comprehensive compendia on the topic by Reller (RREA 10:60), Gasper ( RREA 10:61) and Eggenberger (RREA 10:62), though, the only advantage of Bohn’s lexicon is its currency. Trivialities and truisms patronize the reader: we read in the article on "Searching" that "…those who join so-called "sects" and self-help groups are often looking for deeper meaning in life." Factual gaps and even mistakes occur. The Theosophical Society is listed; why not the Anthroposophic Society? Are "deep trance messages" found in Fiat Lux and in no other organization? Typos and inconsistencies point to sloppy editing. Both "Mun" and "Moon" refer to the same reverend of the Unification Church, as "Hubbard" and "Hubbert" refer to the founder of Scientology. References lead to one-way streets and blind alleys. "Shaman" points to "Shamanism" but not vice-versa, which would have made sense, given that the definition of "Shamanism" is found under the heading of "Shaman." Similar difficulties arise with "Rite" and "Ritual," but the word "ritualistic" is defined in an article called "Behavioral Control." Reference is made to an article, "Concept of the Enemy," which does not exist. To translate a German idiom referring to the fact that "haste makes waste:" the volume has "been sown together with a hot noodle." Given the more reliable reference works named above, this little lexicon is dispensable. [wh/rdh]

Lexikon früher evangelischer Theologinnen: biographische Skizzen [Dictionary of Early Evangelical Women Theologians: Biographical Sketches]. Ed. Hannelore Erhart. Neukirchen-Viuyn: Neukirchener Verlagshaus, 2005. 497 p. ill. 22 cm. ISBN 3-7975-0081-5: EUR 19.90 [05-1-070]

This dictionary of women Evangelical theologians born up to the year 1920 includes a total of 464 biographies, plus 29 biographical fragments located in an appendix. The one-page signed articles including, as available, a black-and-white photo provide a schematically formatted vita and separately noted biographical highlights. Bibliographic references are lacking, but archival church records and official publications are evaluated when extant. An index of archives is included. [sh/rlk]

Dtv-Atlas Bibel [Dtv Bible Atlas]. Annemarie Ohler; illustrations by Tom Menzel. München: Deutscher Taschenbuch-Verlag, 2004. 263 p. ill. 24 cm. (dtv, 3326; dtv-Atlas). ISBN 3-423-03326-6: EUR 19 [05-1-077]

This new atlas in the dtv-Atlas series, though written by a prominent Old Testament scholar, is intended to make entry into reading the Bible easier, as well as to give an overview of the current state of biblical research. It offers a combination of chronological charts, maps, illustrations, and detailed texts that inform the reader on the contents of the Bible, its textual transmission, characters, geography, and history. Half of the publication is graphics, with the illustrations on the left-hand page and text on the right, which makes it possible for the reader to visualize the thought content of the accompanying text. The author structures the information so as to present the Bible, despite its manifold sections, as one unified literary-religious work with a common structure and motifs in its various parts. There is a relatively comprehensive bibliography covering the spectrum of exegetical literature, source texts, atlases, commentaries, and individual studies. It also includes a number of important Internet resources. The atlas can hold its own with other introductory literature and is suitable primarily for senior high-school students and undergraduates in basic religious studies classes. It may also be useful for clergy in pastoral positions. The readability is an advantage and does not detract from the value of the substantial content. The low cost and attractiveness of the volume are a plus. [mbe/mjc]

Klöster: Kulturerbe Europas [Monasteries: Europe’s Cultural Heritage]. Bernhard Schütz; photographs by Henri Gaud. München: Hirmer, 2004. 491 p. ill. maps. 33 cm. ISBN 3-7774-2195-2: EUR 132 [05-1-079]

As one has come to expect from the Hirmer publishing company, this opulent volume is mainly a collection of high-quality color photographs— in this case, of European monastic architecture both exterior and interior. The author, who has published several smaller books on monastic architecture in southern Germany, raises it above the level of coffee-table book with his introduction, which fills a quarter of the volume. In it, he takes the reader through monastic history from the early Christian anchorites to the present day and also discusses the individual orders and, of course, their architecture. The main body of the book is divided into five geographical sections— Iberian Peninsula, France, Great Britain, Central Europe, Italy—each one beginning with a map showing the monasteries in the region. (A helpful added feature would have been to place the beginning page number of the article concerning it right next to each monastery on the map.) Individual articles range from one to six pages in length; the texts here are clearly secondary to the photographs. There are no bibliographical references in the articles at all. The appendix contains a short glossary, a brief list of general monographs on the topic, the picture credits, plus indexes of place names, personal names, and topical terms. Unlike some of the publisher’s much more scholarly handbooks, such as Skulptur des Mittelalters in Italien, this book seems to be directed at the interested layperson rather than the scholar, so that academic libraries will probably purchase it only for the excellent pictures. [sh/hh]

Mönchtum in Ost und West: historischer Atlas. [Monasticism in East and West: Historical Atlas]. Ed. Juan María Laboa, with a foreword by Karl Suso Frank; trans. from the Italian by Franziska Dörr. Regensburg: Schnell und Steiner, 2003. 272 p. ill. 32 cm. ISBN 3-7954-1497-0: EUR 49.90 [05-1-080]

[Ed. note: This work appears to have been published first in Italian under the title Atlante storico del monachesimo orientale e occidentale. WorldCat lists French and Spanish editions as well as the German—La grande aventure du monachisme entre orient et occident (Paris, 2002) and Atlas histórico de los monasterios: el monacato oriental y occidental (Madrid, 2004)—but no Italian edition.]

In this work the editor and 11 contributors present a chronological history of monasticism in six chapters with two additional chapters that cover eastern and western monasticism in the last millennium separately. Aside from the brief first chapter on the "universality of monastic life," only Christian monasticism is covered. A more accurate subtitle for the work would be "an illustrated historical atlas" as it is more akin to a pictorial work, with numerous color illustrations and some accompanying maps, rather than a historical atlas in the strict sense. The section on Cluny in Chapter 6 (p. 128-135), for example, is composed of a single page of text, accompanied by eight illustrations and two maps. The illustrations include three sketches of the reconstructed monastery, two miniatures from manuscripts, three photographs of monasteries, and two frescos from the basilica of Sant’Angelo in Formis. The two maps show (1) the locations of Cluny congregations in the 10th and 11th centuries (Sant’Angelo, however, is not shown), and (2) the current Benedictine congregations and their numbers in Europe. The latter map is nothing more that a map of Europe with present-day borders containing the number of the congregations for each country. The map legend lists their names. This is information that could have been given better in a simple table. There are no bibliographical references or even a list of the main publications suitable for further reading. This is by no means the "standard work" the publisher purports it to be. Church and public libraries may acquire it, but scholarly institutions have no need of it. [sh/jc]

Württembergisches Klosterbuch: Klöster, Stifte und Ordensgemeinschaften von den Anfängen bis in die Gegenwart [The Book of Monasteries in Wurttemberg: Monasteries, Religious Establishments, and Communities of Religious Orders from Their Beginnings to the Present]. Ed. Wolfgang Zimmermann and Nicole Priesching for the Geschichtsverein der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart. Ostfildern: Thorbecke, 2003. xii, 664 p. ill. 28 cm. ISBN 3-7995-0220-3: EUR 48 [05-1-089]

Among the numerous publications on monasteries in Baden Wurttemberg, this book takes a special place. It consists of three parts: (1) monastic life from its beginnings to the present; (2) monasteries and establishments before the secularization, that is, a "monastery lexicon" listing about 400 religious establishments; and (3) contemporary communities of religious orders. Notable is the fact that it includes not just the famous sites, but also the small women’s religious communities, nunneries, and orders of knights. The appendix contains a bibliography and an index of place and personal names. [sh/mjc]

Klöster in Bayern um 1800: eine Bestandsaufnahme [Monasteries in Bavaria Around 1800: An Inventory]. Comp. Rainer Braun. München: Bayerischer Landesverein für Heimatpflege, 2005. 104 p. 21 cm + supplement (Forum Heimatforschung: Sonderheft, 2). ISBN 3-931754-36-7: EUR 10, plus postage [05-1-090]

This "inventory" came about when its compiler became curator of a 2003 exhibition in the Bavarian State Central Archives (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv) entitled "Bavaria Without Monasteries," in commemoration of the secularizations of 1803. Visual components of the exhibition included wall maps of the monastery landscape of 1800 contrasted with that of 1900. The monasteries for the latter date were easy to trace, while verifying those of 1800 involved tedious research within secondary literature: the territorial powers in the area of present-day Bavaria had failed to provide overviews of extant monasteries at the beginning of the 19th century. The retrospective census indicates there were 382 cloisters in 235 locations at that time—as shown in a map supplement. The main portion of the volume indicates the religious orders, branches of orders, and order-like communities with their monasteries, foundations, and buildings (p. 15-68), alphabetized from Augustinian canons to Cistercian nuns (Zisterzienserinnen). The information for each group includes the German and official Latin name with acronym; annotations on the history of the order within Bavaria as well as habits worn; lists of monasteries alphabetically by location; information about the fate of select monasteries during and after the period of secularization; demolition or rededication of the buildings; reactivation by the order itself or by another order, which was made possible by King Ludwig I after 1830. The literature entries cited in 200 footnotes (p. 68-80) are seen by the compiler as "the first building blocks for a bibliography of [Bavarian] monastery secularization" which he intends to pursue. This inventory stands as a good companion piece to the preceding entry of "Württemberg’s Book of Monasteries" (Württembergisches Klosterbuch, see RREA 11:79). [sh/rdh]

Atlas der Religionen: Glaubensrichtungen, Praktiken und Territorien [Atlas of Religions: Religious Persuasions, Practices, and Territories]. Brigitte Dumortier; transl. from the French by Alexander Drechsel. Leipzig: Militzke, 2004. 63 p. ill. maps. 30 cm. (Original title: Atlas des religions.) ISBN 3-86189-713-X: EUR 18 [05-2-325]

Beiheft zum Atlas der Religionen: mit Kommentar- und Arbeitsblättern als Kopiervorlage [Supplement to the Atlas of Religions: With Commentary and Worksheet Templates]. Roland Biewald. Leipzig: Militke, 2004. 79 p. ill. ISBN 3-86189-324-X: EUR 14.80

With approximately 80 maps and diagrams, this German translation of the original 2002 French edition provides an overview into the world’s religions and spiritual beliefs. The foreword to the French edition states that the work is intended for a broad audience (ages 7 to 77); the foreword to the German edition narrows the audience to secondary-school classes and students. Included in the supplement are student worksheets and instruction suggestions.

The articles in the atlas fall somewhat short of providing necessary supplementary information to the maps and data. Despite this weakness, the work still provides a vivid and clear perspective on many aspects of religion. In some instances, the maps also indicate aspects of the topic that would be difficult to represent in a written entry. For example, the distribution of Buddhist schools in France and Belgium and of Christian schools in the US are illustrated. Religious minorities and religious and political conflicts, as well as other more complex issues are also covered in the maps. The list of suggested readings includes German titles appropriate for its audience. Some minor translation problems are noted. [ro/bwv]

Religionen und Kulturen der Erde: ein Handbuch [World Religions and Cultures: A Handbook]. Ed. Anton Grabner-Haider and Karl Prenner. Wien: Böhlau, 2004. 324 p. 24 cm. (UTB, 8274: Religion). Licensed ed. of the Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt. ISBN 3-8252-8274-0 (UTB), ISBN 3-205-77197-4 (Böhlau): EUR 29.90 [05-2-326]

Although many introductory texts on religions have been published in the past few years, this handbook, intended for students, offers both a general and discipline-specific introduction to the main religious-cultural movements of the world. In contrast to the Handbuch Religionswissenschaft (see RREA 11:71), which in a new framework combines systematic theology and religious history, the focus of this handbook is limited to general historical descriptions, making it perhaps more useful. Comparable to the Einführung in die Religionswissenschaft (see IFB 04-1-092), which attempts to define religion through culture, this handbook provides more complete answers. The authors approach religions as systems of symbolic interpretation that emerge from individual cultures, urging us to recognize the "entanglement between ways of life and their symbolic expression in various myths and ceremonies."

The first of two main sections, European Cultures, includes cultures and religions from Old Europe (e.g. Celts, Teutons, and Slavs), Ancient Greece, and Rome, as well as those from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Iran. Major religions include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which are also included in the other main section: Asia, Africa, Ancient America. This also covers Hinduism, Buddhism, China, and Japan. The articles on North Asia, Central Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Old America are particularly noteworthy, as these areas are often only superficially covered in many religion texts. Understandable for an introductory text, footnotes are not included, but suggested readings are listed at the end of each article. A more extensive bibliography, a name index, and a number of chronology tables are included in the appendix. [ro/bwv]

Religionen der Welt [The World’s Religions]. Ed. John Bowker, trans. Karl-Heinz Golzio. Darmstadt: Primus-Verlag, 2003. 336 p. ill., maps. 26 cm. (Original title: The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions). ISBN 3-89678-244-4: EUR 39.90 [05-2-327]

In contrast to the John Bowker’s earlier dictionary Oxford-Lexikon der Weltreligion (see IFB 00-1/4-142), the German translation of his handbook The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions provides thorough introductions to world’s religions, which are of interest to a general audience. However, the handbook would have benefited from footnotes. Each religion’s historical evolution is outlined, as well its interconnection with general historical events. Instead of elaborating on the goals and overall content of the book in the introduction, Bowker postulates the theory that religion has played a significant role in every known society.

The handbook is organized into chapters on religions and religious groups (e.g. Buddhism, Indian religions, and the Hindu tradition). The chapters on Judaism and Christianity are quite comprehensive, in contrast to the brief section on Mediterranean religions. Nordic religions, instead of being given only two pages in the essay on Christian missionaries, should have been covered in a separate chapter. The appendix includes a chronology of most the most important dates and events, as well as a thorough bibliography that includes a number of reference books published in German. Overall, Religionen der Welt succeeds in providing a well-rounded, historical overview of religious traditions. [ro/bwv]

Deutsche biographische Enzyklopädie der Theologie und der Kirche (DBETh) [German Biographical Encyclopedia of Theology and Church]. Ed. Bernd Moeller with Bruno Jahn. 2 vols. München: Saur, 2005. 1,785 p. ISBN 3-59811666-7: EUR 328 [05-2-328]

The Enzyklopädie der Theologie und der Kirche (DBETh) brings the number of volumes to seven in the set of encyclopedias of professional biography that are offshoots of the Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie (DBE). Encyclopedias of philosophers, medical professionals, natural scientists, music, businesspeople, and the press have already appeared. The design has progressively improved from simply taking from DBE the original articles on people famous in their professions, to introducing new short articles for persons who were not included in DBE and enriching the original articles with reference citations. The articles thus "wander" among DBE, the second edition of DBE, and DBETh with small variations. Although the subject matter is theology and church, one also finds articles on philosophers who focused on religion or theology, as well as artists, musicians, painters, and architects in whose work religious themes are prominent. In all, there are approximately 8,000 articles on Christians of various denominations and communities who have become significant beyond their local region and time, as well as on prominent Jewish theologians and religious officeholders. There are indexes of names and places, but one of occupations and functions is unfortunately lacking. [sh/mjc]

Biblisch-historisches Handwörterbuch (BHH): Landeskunde, Geschichte, Religion, Kultur, Literatur [Biblical-Historical Pocket Dictionary (BHH): Geography, History, Religion, Culture, Literature]. Ed. Bo Reicke and Leonhard Rost. Berlin: Directmedia, 2004. 1 CD-ROM in case. 19 cm. (Digitale Bibliothek, 96). Based on the 4-vol. print ed. of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1962-1979. ISBN 3-89853-496-0: EUR 75 [05-2-329]

Biblisch-historisches Handwörterbuch (BHH): CD-ROM und Palästinakarten [Biblical-Historical Pocket Dictionary (BHH): CD-ROM and Maps of Palestine]. Ed. Bo Reicke and Leonhard Rost. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004. 1 CD-ROM in case. 27 cm. 2 maps. ISBN 3-525-50176-5: EUR 72 [05-2-330]

The electronic version of this dictionary is based on the four-volume printed work from the same publisher that appeared between 1962 and 1979. It is a comprehensive reference work on biblical history, culture and literature, geography, and religion, patterned after Hermann Guthe’s Kurzes Bibelwörterbuch (Tübingen, 1903) and conceived as a practical aid to the historical understanding of the Bible and its environment. It provided a historical-archaeological map (2 leaves) of Palestine that received great praise for its excellent informational value and the quality of its representation. For this reason the map is included with the Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht CD-ROM. Both electronic editions reproduce the complete text of the print edition with an added concordance and an index to the print text and map. System requirements are MS Windows 95 or higher or MacOS 10.2 or higher. To use all operations and functions of the database, version 4 or higher of the software of the Digitale Bibliothek is needed. The software is user-friendly and offers multiple navigational and search possibilities. The CD-ROM version is a great leap past the print edition and is a substantial building block of a ditigal library. [mbe/mjc]

Die Evangelische Landeskirche in Baden im Dritten Reich: Quellen zu ihrer Geschichte [The Protestant State Church in Baden in the Third Reich: Sources on Its History]. Ed. Gerhard Schwinge. Karlsruhe: PV-Medien-Verlag. 25 cm. Vols. 1-5 published by the Verlag Evangelischer Presseverband für Baden, 1991-2004. (Veröffentlichungen des Vereins für Kirchengeschichte in der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden, …).

The first volume of this work was published in 1997 and received a rather negative review in Informationsmittel für Bibliotheken (see RREA 5:99). As far as the layout of the work is concerned, no changes have been made for this second volume. For an introduction and a guide to the use of the work, the reader is referred to Part 1. Part 2 contains entries for 303 Greek and Latin Fathers whose names occur in the second half of the alphabet. Among those authors included are a goodly number for whose works (in apparent contradiction to the work’s title) no translations yet exist. The scope of these volumes reaches, for the Greek East, up to John of Damascus (died 750), and for the Latin West up to Isidore of Seville (died 636). Each entry lists the author’s known works, with the editions considered to be definitive listed first. The works list is followed by a list of translations into German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Catalan.

The alphabetical listing of authors’ names is confusing, as there is little consistency regarding which element of the name was chosen as the entry element, and cross-references from variant forms of name are unfortunately lacking. Orosius, for example, is listed under P, as Paulus Orosius, whereas Julianus Pomerius is listed not under J but rather also under P. Pseudo-Dionysus the Areopagite is listed under P, but Pseudo-Solomon is listed under S.

In some entries, more space than was perhaps necessary is devoted to description of individual works. In some cases, this does offer the advantage of indicating which texts have been translated and which have not. The information in the entries is for the most part reliable and up-to-date. More recent translations, such as those in the series Fontes Christiani, are included up through publication year 2004. In some cases, it may be useful to consult additionally the Lexikon der antiken christlichen Literatur (LACL), which includes some authors whom Keller omitted. (The reverse is also true, that Keller includes some authors who are missing from the LACL). It is to be hoped that, in future, works such as this will be published in easily updatable electronic form, rather than in print. [ch/crc]

Next Section
Previous Section
Table of Contents

Comments, suggestions, or questions
Last update: March 2009 [BG]
© 2009 Casalini libri - VAT no. IT03106600483