This is a reference for understanding world religious societies in their contemporary global diversity. Comprising 60 essays, the volume focuses on communities rather than beliefs, symbols, or rites. The contributors are leading scholars of world religions, many of whom are also members of the communities they study.

Contributors ; 1. Thinking Globally about Religion ; Part I: Indic Cultural Region ; 2. Thinking Globally about Hinduism ; 3. Traditional Brahmanical Society ; 4. Popular Hindu Movements ; 5. The Sikh Community ; 6. The Jain Community ; 7. Hindu Communities Abroad ; Part II: Buddhist/Confucian Cultural Region ; 8. Thinking Globally about Buddhism ; 9. Theravada Buddhist Societies ; 10. Tibetan Buddhist Society ; 11. Vietnamese Religious Society ; 12. Traditional Chinese Religious Society ; 13. Popular Religion in Mainland China ; 14. Traditional Japanese Religious Society ; 15. Japanese New Religious Movements ; 16. Korean Religious Society ; 17. Buddhist Communities Abroad ; Part III: Jewish Cultural Region ; 18. Thinking Globally about Judaism ; 19. Jewish Communities in Israel ; 20. Jewish Communities in North Africa and the Middle East ; 21. Jewish Communities in Europe ; 22. Jewish Communities in the Americas ; 23. Jewish Communities in Asia ; Part IV: Christian Cultural Region ; 24. Thinking Globally about Christianity ; 25. Western European Catholic Societies ; 26. Eastern European Catholic Societies ; 27. European Protestant Societies ; 28. Orthodox Christian Societies ; 29. Religious Communities in Russia ; 30. The Coptic Community ; 31. Latin American Catholic Societies ; 32. North American Religious Communities ; 33. Evangelical Christian Community in North and South America ; Part V: Islamic Cultural Region ; 39. Thinking Globally about Islam ; 40. Arab Islamic Societies ; 41. North African Islamic Societies ; 42. Sub-Saharan African Islam ; 43. European Islam ; 44. Shi'a Islamic Societies ; 45. Islamic Communities in Central Asia ; 46. Islamic Communities in South Asia ; 47. Islamic Societies in Southeast Asia ; 48. Chinese Islamic Communities ; 49. American Islamic Communities ; 50. Religious Movements with Islamic Origins ; Part VI: African Cultural Region ; 51. Thinking Globally about African Religion ; 52. Traditional African Religious Societies ; 53. Afro-Caribbean Religious Societies ; Part VII: Local Religious Societies ; 54. Thinking Globally about Local Religious Societies ; 55. Native American Religious Societies ; 56. Australian Aboriginal Societies ; 57. Pacific Islands Religious Communities ; Part VIII: Understanding Global Religion ; 58. Religion in Global Perspective ; 59. Anti-Global Religion? ; 60. The Global Future of Religion ; Index

Juergensmeyer and his fellow essayists have produced a volume who purpose is to examine religious communities within a framework of global diversity. Contributors treat these areas with essays that concisely analyze the religions historically and socially: provide information about the organization, size, leaders, and political concerns of the various communities; show how religions provide cultural identity for adherents; and discuss attitudes towards modernity. This sourcebook will quickly become a standard reference work for students and general readers alike. * Choice *