Book Comment: Handbook of Denominations in the United States

Do you know a Schwenkfelder?  Do you know the difference between the Unity School of Christianity and the Unity of the Brethren?  Frank S. Mead's classic 1951 reference book, Handbook of Denominations in the United States can help you with these questions and many others. The book is so useful that it has been released in multiple editions (there were eleven editions by 1985!)

Each religious body is described listing its history, contact address, membership statistics, distinctive doctrines and beliefs, prominent members, geographical distribution data, and a discussion of the body's government.  The listings are placed within major groupings: Baptist, Adventist, Bahai, Jewish, Muslim, Episcopal/Anglican, Mennonite, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Spiritualist, Reformed, Catholic, Fundamentalist,  Mormon, and others.

Opening the book to ten random pages finds articles on the following groups: Anglican Catholic Church,  Branch Davidians, Hungarian Reformed Church in America,  Conservative Baptist Association of America, The Pillar of Fire, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Open Bible Standard Churches, International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, Unification Church, and the National Baptist Convention of America.

I know that the idea of a reference book may sound dry and boring but this well-written book is fascinating.  It will be useful reading to anyone interested in the history of religion in the United States and should be available in the adult reference section in most larger libraries.