Miracles: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Supernatural Events from Antiquity to the Present

(Hardback)

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Description

Miracles give hope to the hopeless and exemplify the intersection of the divine and the mundane. They have shaped world history and continue to influence us through their presence in films, television, novels, and popular culture. This encyclopedia provides a unique resource on the philosophical, historical, religious, and cross-cultural conceptions of miracles that cut across denominational lines. Multidisciplinary in approach, this informative yet entertaining encyclopedia covers major aspects of miraculous phenomena through more than 150 alphabetically arranged entries that document how humanity's belief in religious miracles over multiple places, periods, and faiths have affected societyeven changed the course of history. Written for high school students and general readers, the coverage enables readers to learn about different civilizations and cultures, the controversies surrounding different beliefs, and the often uncomfortable engagement of religion with science. This single-volume book provides a one-stop ready-reference that addresses a broad variety of subject matter on miraculous phenomena and guides further investigations into the subject. Helpful illustrations and lucid explanations of the ancillary concepts associated with miraculous phenomena make learning about this topic more engaging. Readers will be able to link the doctrinal concepts, such as "grace" or "prayer," with the descriptions of miraculous events, especially those associated with saints or holy objects. The examination of the controversial aspects of different belief systems along with the book's balanced coverage of the interpretation of miracles will encourage students to weigh different explanations, thus fostering the development of their critical thinking skills.

Reviews

[A] key resource for understanding particular individuals, locales, and interpretations associated with miraculous occurrences. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels; general readers; professionals/practitioners. * Choice *
An illuminating survey course in world miracles. * Library Journal *
[I]t has been over a century since a reference work devoted to miracles has been published. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. * Booklist *
Miracles seems to be unique, in that it is an encyclopedia dedicated just to miracles. I would recommend Miracles: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Supernatural Events from Antiquity to the Present for the reference section of academic, school, and public libraries. * Reference Reviews *

Author Bio

Patrick J. Hayes, PhD, is the archivist for the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province and editor of the online journal, Redemptorist North American History Bulletin.