Book excerpt: This definitive encyclopedia of religion and ethics is an indispensable resource for scholars and students of theology, philosophy, and anthropology. Edited by renowned scholar James Hastings, this work covers everything from ancient religious practices to modern ethical debates. A truly monumental achievement of scholarship and erudition. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.