Handbook of Denominations in the United States (Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 11th Ed)

Rating:
Summary: I am in wonder of the breadth of belief.
Review: "Handbook of Denominations" is a reference that I consult surprisingly frequently. The survey given at http://www.beliefnet.com is also helpful. Do any of us know who we are and what we believe? I am a member in good standing of a conservative denomination that claims exclusive hold on the truth. I begin to wonder. I discover comity of belief.

Rating:
Summary: I am in wonder of the breadth of belief.
Review: "Handbook of Denominations" is a reference that I consult surprisingly frequently. The survey given at http://www.beliefnet.com is also helpful. Do any of us know who we are and what we believe? I am a member in good standing of a conservative denomination that claims exclusive hold on the truth. I begin to wonder. I discover comity of belief.

Rating:
Summary: I am in wonder of the breadth of belief.
Review: "Handbook of Denominations" is a reference that I consult surprisingly frequently. The survey given at http://www.beliefnet.com is also helpful. Do any of us know who we are and what we believe? I am a member in good standing of a conservative denomination that claims exclusive hold on the truth. I begin to wonder. I discover comity of belief.

Rating:
Summary: Good book- TOO SHORT!! MY ONLY COMPLAINT!!
Review: For the lay person, this book provides an excellent resource. The authors actually write in ENGLISH :)---My only three gripes: #1 the articles are TOO SHORT!! Theoretically, this book should weigh around 25lbs. #2 - some familiarity with Christian doctrine (e.g.-Arminianism, Calvinism, etc...) is needed to understand some areas. #3 - the authors should make an 'unabridged' version with more detail. But overall, this book is great. I really rate is about 4.5, not just 4.

Rating:
Summary: gives history and current beliefs
Review: Gives history of each denomination, including groups within a denomination, in an interesting and readable format. Gives summary of basic beliefs. Avoids biased comparisons. Useful index. Would benefit from providing more details on the beliefs of each denomination.

Rating:
Summary: SO VERY HELPFUL!
Review: I have gone through 3 editions of this book (5th, 6th and 8th) and can't wait to get the new one. Extremely informative about the history of the "denominations within denominations" that people in our circle of friends and neighbors may belong to. I found it very helpful to read the reasons behind the various splits which have occurred in almost every denomination, yet all this information is concise and easy to find. I am always skeptical when a new editor comes on board, yet Samuel S. Hill's contributions are seamless, and the Handbook of Denominations retains its high quality.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource !
Review: I have owned previous editions of this work and have always found it most helpful. It is the only source I know of which contains information on the many Christian and some non-Christian sects found in the United States. Of course, there are some omissions and some articles are more informative than others, however, this is the best resource available. It is excellent for research and also for those trying to match their beliefs with a church out there! One omission which surprised me are the modern schisms from the Roman Catholic Church. Some of these are well-known and should have been included.

Rating:
Summary: Best Handbook Available
Review: I have owned several editions of this book over the last 30 years. I find that it is the best source of informaion available about denominations in the U.S. However, from time to time you will find a branch of a denomination referred to in an article but you will not find that group listed because they have failed to return the questionaire that the publisher sent to them.

Rating:
Summary: Great Reference
Review: I purchased the "Handbook of Denominations" because I am increasingly meeting new people from denominations that I know very little about. This book is not meant to give an in-depth study of the denominations, but is an excellent reference for gaining a general overview of the various denominations, their beliefs and structures. I gave it 5 stars, because I feel that the book has accomplished its goal of providing objective and sufficiently detailed overviews of the denominations it covers.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, comprehensive, exactly what I was looking for!
Review: I was craving a book that would objectively give me information about the denominations in our country. I wasn't looking for a novel on each denomination, just a solid background sketch, and this book does just that. It really has any denomination you could want info on, and is organized just beautifully. It gives membership statistics of each denomination, and hte historical info as well as theological positions of each denomination is outstanding. Praise God for this book. It will be on my shelf within reach for decades to come.