World Religions
General Databases & Guides
You can find much of the information required for your midterm through our databases. Recommended databases for this project are:
Start here for background information:
- Infobase World Religions - Encyclopedic information on many religions. Use this username and password to access this database.
- Encyclopedia Brittanica Online - Encyclopedia entries on a variety of topics. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to log in.
- Grolier Online Encyclopedia - Grolier Online is a collection of the full versions of many popular encyclopedia. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to log in.
- BBC Index of Religions
- ReligiousTolerance.org - a website that provides an overview of many different religions/religious practices.
- United Religions Initiative - Very brief Q&A style encyclopedic entries on a variety of religions.
Further research:
- The Pluralism Project from Harvard University - Includes information on many religions. Click on the icon for the religion you are interested in, then click on "essays."
- University of Calgary Religious Study Resource Guide - A comprehensive collection of websites recommended by the University of Calgary and Yale University. Religions are listed in alphabetical order. Once you find the religion you are researching, you should select "portals" to see a list of credible websites recommended by the University of Calgary library. Note: for Christian denominations, such as Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehova's Witness and Unitarian Universalist, click on the "Christianity" side bar menu to see the list of denominations, then go from there.
- Open Theology: An open-access, college level, peer-reviewed journal on theological topics. No password required.
- JSTOR - JSTOR is a huge college-level database of social science and literary criticism. You can register for an individual account and read up to 6 free articles each month. If you are researching an indigenous religion (such as Afro-Caribbean, Australian Aboriginals or Native Americans/Indigenous Peoples), this is a good source. If you run out of free articles, you can access through the San Francisco Public Library.
- Academic One File (Gale) - A huge database of encyclopedia entries and articles, including information on theology. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to log in.
- Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) - A huge database of encyclopedia entries and articles, including information on theology. You will need your San Francisco Public Library card to log in.
- San Francisco Public Library has a large collection of e-books on a variety of religions. Use your San Francisco Public Library card for access.
- Our library has a number of books on world religions, located between call #s 262-299. Ask Ms. Kneeland if you need help finding these.
Religion Specific Resources & Tips
These tips and resources are provided for religions that can be more difficult to research.
Afro-Caribbean Religions
There are many traditional Afro-Caribbean religions, including Yoruba, Santeria, Vodou, Obeah, Jamaican Revivalism, Pukumina, Candomblé, and Rastafarianism. Some of these religions have multiple spellings; make sure to try all spelling variations when doing your research. "Yoruba" is also an ethnic or tribal designation, so if you are searching specifically for the Yoruba religion, you must search for BOTH the keyword Yoruba and religion: yoruba+religion
Pluralism Project - Afro-Caribbean religions is a good place to start.
BBC Religions includes entries on some of these religions
You may also want to begin by getting background information from Wikipedia. Though you can't use Wikipedia as a source in your project, Wikipedia can direct you to other websites and articles that would be a valid source, and you can get many helpful research keywords from Wikipedia.
Check call #299 in the library.
Australian Aboriginals
Keywords: Dreamtime; Tjukurrpa; Kanyini
Aboriginal Culture: Religion - website created by David Welch, a medical practitioner working with aboriginal cultures since the 1970's.
You may also want to begin by getting background information from Wikipedia. Though you can't use Wikipedia as a source in your project, Wikipedia can direct you to other websites and articles that would be a valid source, and you can get many helpful research keywords from Wikipedia.
Check call #994 in the library and call #299
Confucianism
Check call #299 in the library
Christian Science
Official Christian Science website
Note: Christian Science Monitor is a well-regarded publication that includes reporting on topics that are not specific to just Christian Science. If you are researching Christian Science as a religion, you will need to use more database and Google filters to ensure that all of your top hits are not unrelated topics appearing in the Christian Science Monitor.
Jehovah's Witness
Official website of Jehovah's Witness
Mormonism
- Alternate search term: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
- https://www.comeuntochrist.org/ - Mormon mission website
- https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org - Official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Native American & Indigenous Religions
You will have the best luck focusing on the religion of a specific tribe, as tribal religions were/are generally distinct, even if there is an overlap in beliefs. Examples of tribes you may want to research are Ohlone (local), Hopi, Lakota or Apache. Oftentimes indigenous religious beliefs will also be categorized as "mythology" online and in databases, so you may need to use "mythology" as one of your keywords.
Native Traditions from Harvard University is a good place to start.
You may also want to begin by getting background information from Wikipedia. Though you can't use Wikipedia as a source in your project, Wikipedia can direct you to other websites and articles that would be a valid source, and you can get many helpful research keywords from Wikipedia.
Check call #299, 299.7 & 398.2 BER in the library
Paganism & Neo-Paganism
Additional keywords: Wicca, New Age
You may also want to begin by getting background information from Wikipedia. Though you can't use Wikipedia as a source in your project, Wikipedia can direct you to other websites and articles that would be a valid source, and you can get many helpful research keywords from Wikipedia.
Neo-Paganism overview - from Religious Tolerance
Patheos.com - This is not an academic source, but contains many blogs entries/articles written by and/or for Pagans, so you may find answers to some very specific questions here.
Wicca Living - Robust website dedicated to Wiccan beliefs and practices.
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