"Dopp (classical philosophy, U. of Gottingen) and Geerlings (church history, patrology, archaeology, U. of Bochum) have compiled a thoroughly annotated, comprehensive encyclopedia with substantial entries by mostly German scholars in the field. Undoubtedly to save space, only the first initial of the subject's name is given in the entries, and, in true German fashion, abbreviations are heavily employed, such as dogm. (dogma, dogmatic), Lat., acc. to, theol., etc. Nonetheless, this is a very sound, very traditional tome; the translation is good and the bibliography that accompanies each entry is exhaustive."

this volume, containing contributions by more than 100 scholars, surveys the first six centuries of the Christian faith. Incorporating the most recent research findings, some 900 signed entries, from brief paragraphs to 4,000-word essays explore aspects of the subject from theological, historical, and literary viewpoints. The citations, bibliographies, and index are expertly assembled.

"a two-volume reference work providing concise and precise information on all topics concerning the first eight centuries of Christianity. Valuable to historians, archaeologists, philosophers, and philologists as well as theologians, this work extends the knowledge of how Christianity evolved to become the most important influence in the history of Western civilization. Tracing the growth of the church from its tiny beginnings in an upper room to its dominance of Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa in the eighth century, scholars from many disciplines produced articles ranging from a few sentences to ten thousand words on all the major and most of the minor people, works, ideas, and issues of the formative period of Christianity. The first major encyclopedia to cover the life, thought, and growth of Christianity, this work offers full treatment of doctrines, creeds, and heresies, of iconography and art history, of archaeology and geography, and of monasticism and asceticism."

Extensive, but still incomplete, multi-volume encyclopedia focusing on the ancient world in relation to early Christianity through the 6th Century A.D.

"Six years in the making, this state-of-the-art dictionary offers the most up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of biblical subjects and scholarship. An essential reference for every serious reader of the Bible. B & W illustrations and line-art throughout."

This comprehensive two-volume reference work explores the history of research and reflection on the meaning of the Old and New Testaments.

Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. Third Edition Revised. (Oxford, 2005). Includes extensive coverage of early Christianity

provides an authoritative one-volume reference to the people, places, events, books, institutions, religious belief, and secular influence of the Bible. Written by more than 250 scholars from some 20 nations and embracing a wide variety of perspectives, the Companion offers over seven hundred entries, ranging from brief identifications--who is Dives? where is Pisgah?--to extensive interpretive essays on topics such as the influence of the Bible on music or law.

Updated edition of this lauded work on Judaism features more than 21,000 entries on Jewish life, culture, history, and religion, written by Israeli, American and European subject specialists.' (from database homepage)

This Companion's starting point is the realization that Jesus of Nazareth cannot be studied purely as a subject of ancient history, or as "a man like any other man". History, literature, theology and the dynamic of a living, worldwide religious reality appropriately impinge on the study of Jesus. This book therefore incorporates the most up-to-date historical work on Jesus with the "larger issues" of critical method--the story of Christian faith and study, as well as Jesus in a global church and in the encounter with Judaism and Islam.