A cross-cultural encyclopedia of the most significant holy people in history, examining why people in a wide range of religious traditions throughout the world have been regarded as divinely inspired.
• Approximately 1,200 entries including biographical sketches of holy men and women, plus 20 overview articles and 64 comparative essays
• 270 contributors include scholars from 20 countries―all leading authorities on the individuals and religions they write about
• Hundreds of historical photographs, illustrations, and paintings depicting holy men and women
• End-of entry bibliographic citations to guide readers to further sources on each topic
• Exhaustive subject index
• Rich cross-referencing structure that aids navigation among related entries