Catholic Ecclessiastical Encyclopeadias
Paul Halsall
*Ecclesiastical Encyclopedias*
Here is an annotated list of the main eccliesiastical encyclopeadias
in English and French. These texts are major works of scholarship.
The French ones in particular are more like collections of academic
articles arranged alphabetically than the expanded dictionaries
we often call encyclopeadias in the English speaking world. It
is often worth looking up the same subject in all the
reference works, since different scholars address the same issue
from different points of view.
[Perhaps someone could add citations for the German, Italian,
and Spanish works that address the same issues.]
Bibliotheca Sanctorum, 12 vols., (Rome: Istituto Giovanni
XXIII della Pontificia Universit Lateranense, 1961-69)
Written in Italian, this is the largest reference work on
saints, with *almost* all known saints having a distinct
entry and bibliography. There are also some illustrations.
Dictionary of the Middle Ages, ed. Joseph Strayer, (New York:
Scribner, 1982- )
Not exactly a "Catholic" work, nevertheless many major
medievalists collaborated on this work, which includes
up to date bibliographies on many major topics of interest
to research in Church history.
Dictionnaire d'histoire et de geographie ecclesiastiques, ed. Alfred
Baudrillart et al, (Paris: Letouzey et Ane, 1912- )
This is not yet finished, but is an exhaustive work on
Christian buildings, art, relics and sites, as well as
many historical topics.
Dictionnaire de droit canonique, 7 Vols.. ed. R. Naz
(Paris:Letouzey et Ane, 1935-65)
Immense discussion on the history of all aspects of
canon law. But also see the DTC below.
Dictionnaire de spiritualite, ed. M. Viller et al, (Paris:
Beauchesne, 1937- )
Looks at issues of prayer, sanctity, as well as theology.
Dictionnai
theologie catholique, ed. A. Vacant et
al, (Paris: Letouzey et Ane, 1909-50)
The biggest and the best! Immensely erudite work on
all aspects of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
history, theology, ritual and tradition (sometimes
with a Roman Catholic confessional bias).
New Catholic Encyclopedia, ed. William McDonald et al.,
(New York McGraw-Hill, 1967)
The most extensive English language work of its kind
(although the older _Catholic Encyclopeadia_ can still
be consulted with much profit). Articles were written
by leading Catholic historians, theologians, moralists,
and scholars. There are a series of updated year books
which followed it.