Melton, J. Gordon. The encyclopedia of religious phenomena.

MELTON, J. Gordon. The encyclopedia of religious phenomena. Visible Ink Press. (43311 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075). 380p. illus. bibliogs, index, c2008. 1-57859-209-7. $24.95. JSA

This is not a flashy book. The illustrations are b/w, and the text is descriptive, not polemical. The work is not an effort to promote religious phenomena, nor to pass judgment. Where relevant, Melton reports on scientific investigations that have disproved a phenomenon, but more often he describes what people report they have experienced. Melton is a director of the Institute for the Study of American Religions and affiliated with the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is an ordained Methodist minister who has traveled the world, making a study of religious practices. In this encyclopedia are entries from numerous traditions, from the world's major religions to New Age phenomena. Here is a sample: in the entry on Easter Island, Melton describes (in about 1,000 words) a concise history of the island, Thor Heyerdahl's voyage on the Ken Tiki and how his publicity changed the fate of the island, and archaeologist Jo Anne Van Tilburg's conclusion that the famous Easter Island statues represent stylized images of various chiefs: "they appear to have served as contact points for communication with divine entities. The lack of definitive records, however, will mean that variant opinions on the statues will probably arise as new studies are made." Thereafter, four sources are listed in a bibliography. This sample represents the basic format for each of the entries. We read of monasteries, churches, temples, and holy sites throughout the world. We read of Native American beliefs about Mt. Shasta (California); we read of serpent handling, speaking in tongues; we read of feng shui, milk-drinking statues, statues that move; we read about holy people such as the Dalai Lama and St. Bernadette. As is the case of all encyclopedias, especially of the work of one person, readers may search in vain for a topic that interests them, or be surprised at an entry's inclusion. That's part of the appeal of this work. It's amazing how informative it is, without being disrespectful of any religious experience. Claire Rosser, KLIATT