Religion

ATLA.

Evanston: American Theological Library Association, 1949–. The most thorough database for articles, books, selections in books, and reviews for the field of religion, including theology, biblical studies, church history, comparative religions, archaeology and antiquities, and pastoral work.

Christian Classics Ethereal Library

http://www.ccel.org. A digital archive of key Christian historical texts and other material, such as the Early Church Fathers series; works of Boethius, Erasmus, and Luther; and modern works by G. K. Chesterton and Dorothy L. Sayers. Material can be searched or browsed by author, title, subject, or type of text.

The Five Gospel Parallels

http://www.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis. A tool for comparing the text of the New Testament Gospels as well as several apocryphal texts, including the Gospel of Thomas, side-by-side. An interesting feature of this program is that users can locate the passages in different texts that deal with the same parables and events. The site is maintained by John W. Marshall of the Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto.

Internet Sacred Texts Archive

http://sacred-texts.com. A varied collection of texts on religion, mythology, folklore, and esoteric topics such as alchemy and UFOs, which can be browsed by religion, subject, or world region.

Judaism and Jewish Resources

http://shamash.org/trb/judaism.html. A directory of selected Internet resources related to almost any aspect of Judaism and its history. The site includes annotated links on a variety of academic and social topics, with links to museums, libraries, organizations, and the government and news media of modern Israel. Maintained by Andrew Tannenbaum.

Religious Worlds

http://www.religiousworlds.com/index.html. Offers selective, annotated links to Web material on religious traditions, contemporary issues, religious experience, religious studies programs, and reference sources. Maintained by Gene R. Thursby of the University of Florida.

Religion Newswriters: Religion Online Library

http://www.religionwriters.com/tools-resources/links-library-issues-and-current-topics. Offers a collection of sites useful to journalists covering religion as well as to anyone interested in how religion is reflected in contemporary culture and current affairs.

Internet Guide to Religion

http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/resources/guide_headings.aspx. A selective annotated directory of Web sites arranged by subject and type of material. Sites of particular note are highlighted, and the directory covers topics such as the history of Christianity, world religions, social issues, theology, and archaeology. Maintained by Charles K. Bellinger at Wabash College.

Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

http://pewforum.org. A project that provides information about issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs based on news tracking and independent research. Sections cover religion and law, politics, social welfare, public schools, bioethics, international affairs, and timely topics such as evolution, stem cell research, same-sex marriage, and the death penalty. This site is funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Anchor Bible Dictionary.

Ed. David Noel Freedman et al. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992. A definitive encyclopedia covering names, places, and events of the Bible as well as cultural history, social institutions, archaeological sites, and other topics of interest to biblical scholars.

Contemporary American Religion.

Ed. Wade Clark Roof. 2 vols. New York: Macmillan Reference, 2000. Five hundred articles that address the religious pluralism of the United States and provide contemporary analyses of practices, traditions, and trends.

Encyclopedia of Buddhism.

Ed. Robert E. Buswell. 2 vols. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Covers basic concepts and practices of Buddhism around the world, including art, architecture, rites, and festivals.

Encyclopedia of Hinduism.

Ed. Denise Cush, Catherine Robinson, and Michael York. New York: Routledge, 2008. Offers over 900 articles of varying depth on terms and concepts related to Hinduism as a religious tradition as well as its social and cultural aspects.

Encyclopaedia Judaica.

2nd ed. 22 vols. Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2007. An excellent source of information on Jewish culture and religion, offering in-depth scholarly articles and ample illustrations.

Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World

Ed. Richard C. Martin. 2 vols. New York: Macmillan Reference, 2004. Identifies and discusses important events, concepts, historical movements, and key figures in the Islamic world.

Encyclopedia of Protestantism.

Ed. Hans H. Hillerbrand. 4 vols. New York: Routledge, 2004. Offers articles on traditions and faith groups; creeds and professions; historical events, movements, and figures; and cultural and social issues as they relate to Protestantism.

Encyclopedia of Religion.

Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. 16 vols. New York: Macmillan, 2005. Covers religions from around the world, including information about their ideas, histories, and cultures. The articles are written by experts in their fields and include excellent bibliographies.

Mythologies.

Ed. Yves Bonnefoy. 2 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991. An encyclopedia surveying mythologies of the world, with articles on cosmology, cults, and myth traditions arranged in geographical sections. The articles are long and scholarly, and they are accompanied by illustrations and thorough bibliographies.

New Catholic Encyclopedia.

Ed. Bernard L. Marthaler. 2nd ed. 15 vols. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. An authoritative source for Catholic theology, canon law, liturgical matters, and the church’s position on social issues such as euthanasia and biomedical research. This encyclopedia also has articles on the history of the church, biographical sketches, and institutions.

Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.

Ed. F. L. Cross. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. A compact compendium that contains vast amounts of information, with short, descriptive entries that run from Aaron to Zwingli. The entries provide concise starting points for understanding and identifying people, concepts, events, places, and biblical references that are important in Christian church history.

Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World.

Ed. John L. Esposito. 4 vols. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Covers countries of the Islamic world and topics related to Islamic religion, history, and culture. The articles are long and scholarly as well as up-to-date.