AMERICA: LAND OF DENOMINATIONS
J. Gordon Melton has cataloged 2,630 U.S. and Canadian "faith groups" in the new edition "Encyclopedia of American Religion." It's got everything from the Bishop of Rome's American operation (the Roman Catholic Church) to the Kennedy Worshippers. Link here. (Thanks CT)

On a related note, tomorrow's Star-Tribune carries an article entitled "Denomination 'brand loyalty' a thing of the past". "Experts on religion characterize the trend as the 'deregulation of the religious economy.' Couple that with a renewed interest in spirituality -- baby boomers' yen to seek meaning in life -- and you'll find more people church-shopping than ever before." So, Amy Gage offers a few suggestions on church shopping. Some of them are wise.