Santa Barbara, Calif.   —   2011-06-22   —  

ABC-CLIO is proud to announce World Religions: Belief, Culture, and Controversy, the first database covering the religions of the world.  World Religions is available in two versions.  One is specifically for middle school and high school students and teachers, and the other for higher education. 

This landmark educational resource features over 50 religion overviews, covering such topics as agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism and many more.  Its interactive features allow users to compare religion statistics from across countries as well as have access to regularly updated content that looks at the role of religion in history and current events.

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) recognizes the study of religion as an integral part in meeting its Curriculum Standards, stating, "Since the purpose of the social studies is to provide students with a knowledge of the world that has been, the world that is, and the world of the future, studying about religions should be an essential part of the social studies curriculum."  The middle/high school version of World Religions is designed to supplement the teaching and studying of religions through the same powerful combination of reference and research components available in all ABC-CLIO databases: authoritative reference from leading scholars; a strong focus on resources to enhance student research and understanding to form a cohesive virtual textbook; and engaging essays from scholars that present multiple perspectives on enduring dilemmas to provide students with models of good critical thinking, well reasoned arguments, and the proper use of evidence to support such arguments.

The academic version of World Religions uses the same proven approach, but geared to academic scholarship:  abundant high-quality content from top scholars; a focus on resources that serve as lecture companions that align with commonly assigned topics; and peer-reviewed journal articles that present scholarly debate on enduring dilemmas to provide students exposure to diverse and often provocative viewpoints.   

"ABC-CLIO online solutions stand out because they uniquely combine three innovative components," commented Becky Snyder, President of ABC-CLIO. "We blend deep, authoritative content with meaningful context, and provide ample opportunities to stimulate critical thinking.  We are pleased to offer educators this new technology-centric methodology to help students master the knowledge of world religions.  We are proud to be the first to offer this essential educational resource to the world."

These exciting new databases are scheduled for release mid-August and are making their premiere at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans later this month. 

In addition to World Religions, ABC-CLIO offers a wide range of databases covering topics that include American History; American Government;  World History; Ancient and Medieval Eras; The Modern Era; Pop Culture Universe; The World at War; Issues, Understanding Controversy and Society; Daily Life Through History; The American Indian, African American, and Latino American Experience; World Geography. 

For more information on these award-winning databases, please visit www.abc-clio.com.