This unique reference work provides students and the general public alike with coverage of more than 2, 300 North American religious groups in the U.S. and Canada -- from Adventists to Zen Buddhists. The culmination of more than forty years of research, the information is presented in 26 chapters, each of which focuses on a different religious family. Each chapter includes an overview of the familys history, followed by directory entries on specific groups within that family. The directory entries provide factual information including, when available, rubrics for membership figures, educational facilities, and periodicals. This ninth edition of Melton s Encyclopedia of American Religions is an enormous leap forward for a title already acclaimed for its unique coverage. This edition is now two volumes instead of one, reflecting the expanded coverage of Canadian religion. Volume 1 covers the U.S., and Volume 2 covers Canada; both volumes include the same chapters for easy comparison between U.S. and Canadian religious expression. The Canadian volume also includes the Defunct Appendix (for all the religious groups that no longer exist), an alphabetical listing of all religious groups, a geographic listing for an additional way to search the content, and a subject index.