UDC class 2: theology and religion – new schedule

ABSTRACTThe contribution presents the new schedule of UDC Class 2: Theology and religion, which was revised in 2000.Class 2 has been modified, in terms both of substance and of form. All religions and faiths are now treated as a coherent system. Different religious groups in the main table are ranked equally. They are arranged historically and the most related religions follow each other. Another change is a single special auxiliary table, which is based on general principles of facet analysis. All of the detail of the auxiliary schedule is available for qualification in any class in the main table and they are very clearly denoted.The new meaning for the »cancelled« classes of the old Class 2 and the large number of different faiths and cultures generating a substantial vocabulary can present a potential difficulty for the library user and for the indexer. Therefore, this contribution is intended as a guide for the implementation and possible solutions to suit local conditions. The new schedule, which is fully faceted , demonstrates the great applicability of the class and the potential for generating the classmarks for complex concepts within any faith system because more than one concept from auxiliary class may be used in combination for any religion.