"Since Europeans first began colonizing the New World, in many cases making the trip for religious freedom, religion has been an integral part of American life--and with religion, there are always differences of opinion and controversy. How have religious controversies developed in the United States, and what effects have they had on American history and society? Surveying key aspects of the controversial issues, persons, and religious groups of today, Encyclopedia of Religious Controversies in the United States, Second Edition is a thorough update and expansion of the first edition of this book. This two-volume work contains many new entries that reflect current 21st-century religious controversies. Written by a variety of scholars with varying specializations, the content covers major people, ideas, terms, institutions, groups, books, and events. The A-Z format allows for easy location of materials, a chronology of developments and events enables readers to trace the development of contentious topics over time, and a section of primary document excerpts give readers further perspective on the issues."--Page [4] of covers.