Religion: A Research Guide

Students of religion will find a starting point for their research by using the resources listed below. Research materials can include primary texts of religious writings and beliefs including holy books (Torah and the Talmud; Qur'an, Bible, Guru Granth Sahib), teachings, symbols, and contact information. Additionally, researchers can find information on comparing world religions and government tolerance of religions. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

Contemporary American Religion edited by Wade Clark Roof. 2 vols. New York: Macmillan Library Reference, 2000. ISBN: 0028649281.
Over 500 well-written entries by 250 contributors cover the major religions such as Catholicism and Judaism, along with cults and phenomena such as Heaven's Gate and Cyber Religion.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible edited by David Noel Freedman. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000. ISBN: 0802824005.
Covers 5,000 articles including definitions, personal names, and their derivation, places, and concepts from the Bible from 600 leading biblical scholars.

Encyclopedia of Christianity edited by Erwin Fahlbusch. 3 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999. ISBN: 0802824137. Vol. 1. A–D—vol. 3. J–O. (3 of 5 vols.)
This multivolume set is a translation of the third revised edition of the German work, Evangelisches Kirchenlexicon , with articles added and expanded for English-speaking readers. This encyclopedia describes Christianity through its 2,000-year history within a global context. Articles have been added and expanded for English-speaking readers. Volumes four and five of the series are forthcoming.

New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. Catholic University of America. 15 vols. Detroit: Washington, DC: Thomson/Gale; Catholic University of America, 2003. ISBN: 0787640042.
Covers persons and subjects related to Catholicism and the humanities. Covers religious aspects of contemporary issues such as abortion, divorce, cloning, and reproductive technology.

The New Encyclopedia of Judaism by Geoffrey Wigoder, Fred Skolnik, and Shmuel Himelstein. New York: New York University Press, 2002. ISBN: 0814793886.
Encyclopedia that presents every aspect of the Jewish religion and represents current thinking among scholars in the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements.

New Historical Atlas of Religion in America. (Rev. ed. of: Historical Atlas of Religion in America by Edwin Scott Gaustad. 1976.) by Edwin Scott Gaustad and Philip L. Barlow. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN: 019509168X.
Includes 260 colorful, detailed maps and 200 other graphics provide the histories, migration, developments, and growths of religious communities in the United States.

Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices by J. Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann. 4 vols. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002. ISBN: 1576072231.
Religious history and key religious communities in all of the more than 240 recognized nations and territories of the world.

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American Religion Data Archive
www.thearda.com
The ARDA collection includes data on churches and church membership, religious professionals, and religious groups (individuals, congregations, and denominations).

Guide to the Religions of the World
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/
Covers major religions of the world: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism; their history and current status.

International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State
www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/index.htm
Annual report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom. This annual report includes individual country chapters on the status of religious freedom worldwide.

Virtual Religion Index
http://religion.rutgers.edu/vri/
Provides links and descriptions to hundreds of religion Web sites.

Buddhism
Catholicism
Christianity
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
religions