U.S. Religious Interest Groups

This unique encyclopedia describes how a wide range of religious groups from an even wider spectrum of religious denominations has acted vigorously to influence public policy since the beginning of the republic. This advocacy by religious interests continues in the 1990s even more dramatically and professionally than in previous decades. This one-volume reference provides a historical sketch of religious activism through the years and then profiles 118 major organizations, describing their origins and development, organization and funding, program strategies, political activities, and publications. The encyclopedia is filled with practical directory-type information also. Appendices classify the groups by religious traditions, size, membership type of group, and policy interests. A full index makes the volume easily accessible to serve broad interdisciplinary audiences of students, teachers, experts, organization activists, and lay readers.

?This volume is an important contribution to Greenwood's "American Public Policy Formation" series. This is a very useful volume for those who may want to join a religious interest group or for those seeking a brief but helpful sketch of a group. Recommended for all public and academic libraries.?-Choice, "This volume is an important contribution to Greenwood's "American Public Policy Formation" series. This is a very useful volume for those who may want to join a religious interest group or for those seeking a brief but helpful sketch of a group. Recommended for all public and academic libraries."-Choice

PAUL J. WEBER, University Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Louisville, is Director of the McConnell Center for Political Leadership. An authority on religion and government, his previous books published by Greenwood are Private Churches and Public Money (1988), Unfound Fears (1989), and Equal Separation: Understanding the First Amendment (1990).W. LANDIS JONES is Professor of Political Science at the University of Louisville.