Abstract
The monumental Encyclopedia of Religion (16 volumes), whose editor-in-chief was Mircea Eliade and which appeared in 1987, did not enjoy a
welcome as expected, criticisms soon coming from researchers in several
scientific fields. These criticisms related to the method used and the deep
imprint that Eliade had on the work. The opinions echoed earlier criticisms
of Eliade and his research method with reference to the field of History of
Religions. If in the middle of the last century Eliade was considered one of
the greatest historians of religions, with the passage of time his authority in
the field decreased. The same can be seen in the influence that the Eliadian
work had, including the Encyclopedia of Religion.