America's Religions: From Their Origins to the Twenty-first Century - Softcover

"America's Religions provides an outstanding account of the religious worlds Americans have created and continue to inhabit. This volume is a rich resource for historians who take the long view, for religionists who focus on specific traditions, and for Americanists who examine distinctive cultures. Each will find Williams's new edition packed with insight and highly adaptable to diverse course uses."--Stephen J. Stein, author of Alternative American Religions "For coverage and liveliness of style, America's Religions is encyclopedic in the best sense of the word."--Kathleen Flake, author of The Politics of American Religious Identity: The Seating of Senator Reed Smoot, Mormon Apostle "A towering achievement. Peter Williams has provided a magisterial study that does justice to the rich pastiche of religious life in America. The bibliography alone makes this an invaluable resource." --Randall Balmer, author of Religion in Twentieth-Century America

In this comprehensive survey, Williams offers concise descriptions of the background, beliefs, practices, and leaders of America's most influential and distinctive religious movements and denominations. Thoroughly revised and updated, this third edition of America's Religions incorporates the latest scholarship on religion and considers timely issues such as status of Muslims in the United States after September 11, 2001; the impact of religion on American politics, especially concerning the emergence of the Religious Right; and the intense battles fought within the Catholic Church and other denominations over the status of gay marriage and accusations of clergy members' sexual abuse. This edition also includes thirty-eight new illustrations of key persons in American religious history and notable places of worship.