Religion

	Biblical Studies		Homiletics and Worship		Missions
	Christian Denominations		Hymnology		Pastoral Counseling
	Church History		Judaism		Philosophy & Theology
	General Religion		Methodism

Library of Congress Subject Headings:

• Religions
• Individual religions (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc.)
• Monotheism
• Polytheism
• Religion
• Sects
• Cults

Electronic Resources in General Religion
Guides to Research
Indexes and Abstracts
Dictionaries
Encyclopedias
Biographical Sources
Directories and Statistics
Atlases
Bibliographies

The Religious Right: A Reference Handbook. Glenn H. Utter & John W. Storey.
Mugar Reference XBR 526 .U88 1995

A guide to doing research on the religious right, with brief articles and lists of additional resources.

Keyguide to Information Sources on World Religion. Jean Holm.
Mugar Reference XZ 7833 H66 1992 

This source omits Biblical studies and mainstream Christian theology and history. Selective listing of sources with helpful annotations on Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism,Taoism, and Zoroastrianism. 

Religious Information Sources: A Worldwide Guide. J. Gordon Melton & Michael A. Koszegi.
Mugar Reference XZ 7751 M45 1992

Geographical listing of sources, guides to archives, and other material. 

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Indexes and Abstracts

ATLA Religion Database.
This is an electronic index to periodical articles, essays, and book reviews on religious subjects. It combines these sources:
Religion Index One: 1949 -2001 .
Religion Index Two: 1960 -1975 . 
Index to Book Reviews in Religion: 1949 - . 
Research in Ministry: 1981 - .
Methodist Review Index: 1818 - 1985

Catholic Periodical and Literature Index. 1981- .

The Catholic Periodical and Literature Index Online is the product of a partnership between ATLA and the Catholic Library Association. The database covers all aspects of the Catholic faith and lifestyle, and includes over 370,000 index citations of articles and reviews published in Roman Catholic periodicals, Papal documents, church promulgations, and books about the Catholic faith that are authored by Catholics and/or produced by Catholic publishers.

Religion and Philosophy Collection. 1975 -.

The Religion & Philosophy Collection is a comprehensive database covering such topics as world religions, major denominations, biblical studies, religious history, epistemology, political philosophy, philosophy of language, moral philosophy and the history of philosophy. This database offers more than 300 full text journals, including more than 250 peer-reviewed titles.

Bulletin Signalétique 527: Histoire et Sciences des Religieuses. 1970 - 1994.
 Mugar Reference XZ 7751 F 70
Indexes and abstracts most major religion journals, both in English and other languages. All abstracts are in French.

Science of Religion: Abstracts and Index of Recent Articles. 1976-
Mugar Reference XZ 7753 S53M
This source provides English abstracts for articles, including those in other languages. It does not include Biblical studies.

 

Humanities Full Text 1995+ (abstracts 1984+)
This source indexes periodicals from a range of humanities subjects, including religion. The print version ( Mugar Reference XAI3 .H85M ) covers 1974-present. 

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Dictionaries

Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions. Keith Crim. (1981)
Mugar Reference XBL 31 A24

This guide provides information on the historical development, beliefs, and practices of currently practiced world religions. There are cross-references as well as charts, maps, and illustrations. Terms used are in both English and non-English languages. Entries are signed. There is a guide to major entries which will assist users seeking a broad overview of a tradition.

Continuum Dictionary of Religion Michael Pye.
Mugar Reference XBL 31 C67 1994

Brief definitions of religious terms, descriptions of God, and basic explanations of contemporary and historical religions and sects worldwide are provided. Cross-references to related terms are included. The volume concludes with a bibliography, providing suggestions for further reading.

 

Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. John Bowker, editor.
Mugar Reference XBL31 .O84 1997
This dictionary provides a general overview of Eastern and Western religious movements. There are cross-references and some entries are followed by suggestions for further reading. The volume concludes with an index of Chinese headwords, their Pinyin alternatives, and a topical index.

Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy. Geddes MacGregor.
Mugar Reference XBL 31 M23 1989
Covers all major religions and philosophies; emphasis is on religion. 

Guide to the Gods. Marjorie Leach.
Mugar Reference XBL 473 L43 1992
This guide provides a worldwide overview of deities, evaluated in terms of function and attribute. It covers all times and places and includes an extensive bibliography and detailed name index. References following each entry refer to the bibliography at the end of the volume.

An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mysticism and the Mystery Religions. John Ferguson.
Mugar Reference XBL 625 F44 1977
This source takes a broad view of mysticism, but leaves out magic and witchcraft. 

U.S. Religious Interest Groups: Institutional Profiles. Paul J. Weber.
Mugar Reference XBL 2525 W413 1994
Information on church groups or groups with religious values that work to influence public policy, such as Catholic Charities or Operation Rescue. 

Encyclopedias

The Encyclopedia of Religion. 16 vols. Mircea Eliade.
Theology Reference BL 31 E46 1987
This is the most complete and authoritative single encyclopedia on religion. Use the index volume to find all references to a topic.  Entries are signed and suggestions for further reading follow each entry.

Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. 13 vols. James Hastings. (1908-26)
Theology Reference BL 31 FO8
Containing articles on all world religions and great systems of ethics, this work provides comprehensive coverage. The material is dated as there have been no revisions since 1927. A list of cross-references is provided in volume 1 although cross-references are scattered throughout the set. Entries are signed and brief bibliographies follow some entries. The last volume is the index to the set.

Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology. Ninian Smart & Richard D. Hecht.
Theology Reference BL 70 S247 1982
A collection of sacred narratives from ancient and contemporary religions, including world wide religions and small sects. 

Eerdman's Handbook to the World's Religions. R. Pierce Beaver.
Theology Reference BL 80.2 E35 1982
This work contains articles on the history and beliefs of religions around the world, and the study of religion. Entries are signed. A rapid fact-finder and an index can be found at the end of the volume.
 

The Encyclopedia of World Faith: An Illustrated Survey of the World's Living Religions. Peter Bishop & Michael Darton.
Theology Reference BL 80.2 1988
This encyclopedia provides a historical approach to major world religions of the East and West. It concludes with a bibliography for further reading, a glossary to assist with unfamiliar terminology, and an index.

A Handbook of Living Religions. John R. Hinnells.
Theology Reference BL 80.2 H35 1984
Contains long articles on currently practiced religions.

Encyclopedia of the American Religious Experience. 3 vols. Charles H. Lippy & Peter W. Williams. 
Theology Reference BL 2525 E53 1988

This is a comprehensive study of all religious experience in North America although primary emphasis is given to developments in the United States. It is organized by topic or theme. Each essay is signed and is followed by a bibliography for further reading.

America's Alternative Religions. Timothy Miller.
Theology Reference BL 2525 A55 1995

Seven major categories of alternate religions are discussed: established Christian alternatives; contemporary Christian and Jewish movements; religions from Asia; religions from the Middle East; African-American freedom movements; ancient Wisdom and New Age movements; and others (e.g., Scientology and Satanism). An overview of each tradition is presented, followed by a bibliography for further reading. The volume concludes with two appendices, alternative religions not covered in full and a chronology of alternative religions in America, and an index. Entries are signed.

Handbook of denominations in the United States. 10th ed. Frank S. Mead.
Theology Reference BL 2525 M425 1995
Descriptions of denominations, subgroups, and branches. It emphasizes Christian traditions but includes brief listings for other faiths. 

The Encyclopedia of American Religions. 2 vols. J. Gordon Melton. (1978)
Theology Reference BL 2530 U6 M443

Describes 1200 American churches. 

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. 13 vols. Albert Hauck. (1908-1914)
Mugar Reference  XBR 95 FO8

This is primarily Christian in focus but includes articles on other religions and religious leaders. Entries are signed and longer entries have suggestions for further reading. The last volume contains the index to the set.  

Encyclopedia of African American Religions.
Mugar Reference  BR 563N4 E53 1993

This encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of African-American religious groups and leaders of the past and present as well as major issues in African-American religious life. Included is a chronology and directory of all religious groups/denominations which have entries in the encyclopedia. Cross-references are from biographical entries to church or religious tradition. A subject/organization/personal index concludes the volume.

Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation. 4 vols. Hans J. Hillerbrand, ed.
Mugar Reference XBR 3028 O93 1996

Articles cover not just Christian theology but also popular religion and society of the 16th century in Europe. 

Biographical Sources

Dictionary of American Religious Biography. 2nd ed. Henry W. Bowden.
Mugar Reference XBL 72 B68 1993

Historical persons in American religions. Revised and enlarged from 1st ed.  This source provides brief biographical sketches of religious persons from all chronological periods of American history and most denominations. Persons who were deceased as of 1992 are included. The appendixes list denominational affiliation and birthplace of the figures included in the work. A select bibliography of 85 books arranged by category and an index conclude the work.

Religious Leaders of America. J. Gordon Melton. (1991)
Mugar Reference XBL 72 R45

This work provides biographical profiles of American and Canadian religious figures from 1865-present. This source attempts to be more inclusive than other biographical sources by providing profiles of black, female, and Native American religious leaders as well as non-Christian leaders in the United States and Canada. It does exclude missionaries and those whose primary work occurred outside North America. It includes an appendix of each leader's religious affiliation and index.

Who's Who of World Religions. John R. Hinnels. 
Mugar Reference XBL 72 W54 1992

Short biographical sketches of people from formally established churches and new religious movements as well as historical figures from ancient religious traditions are provided. It includes maps, an index, and a bibliography  

Biographical Dictionary of American Cult and Sect Leaders. J. Gordon Melton.
Mugar Reference XBL 2525 M448 1986

Founders and leaders of minority religions and spiritual movements. 

Twentieth-Century Shapers of American Popular Religion.
Mugar Reference XBL 2525 T84 1989

Biographies of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish religious leaders. 

Directories and Statistics

Directory of Departments and Programs of Religious Studies in North America. Council on the Study of Religion. (1994)
Mugar Reference X BL 41 D57

This guide lists schools in the United States and Canada that have undergraduate or graduate departments or programs of religious studies. It also includes schools of theology. Most schools provide a program description, list of faculty, and additional information. 

A Directory of Religious and Parareligious Bodies and Organizations in the United States. James V. Geisendorfen.
Mugar Reference XBL 2525 G43 1989

This directory only provides addresses. 

Religious Bodies in the United States: A Directory. J. Gordon Melton. 
Mugar Reference XBL 2525 M452 1992

These very brief descriptions, grouped by religion, include contact information and a list of religious periodicals associated with the tradition just discussed. An alphabetical index can be found at the end of the directory . 

World Religions in Boston. 2nd. ed. Diana L. Eck. 
Mugar Reference XBL 2527 B67 W67 1995

Compiled by The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, this guide provides essays on religious traditions in the Boston area and a directory of individual congregations or centers within each community. There are a short bibliography and an index at the end of the guide. The third edition of this directory is available in electronic format at the following site: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/98wrb/indexa.htm .

The Directory of Religious Organizations in the United States.
Mugar Reference XBL 2530 U6 D57 1982

Secular and church affiliated organizations - not religious bodies. 

Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Kenneth B. Bedell.
Theology Reference BR 513 Y4
Brief descriptions and addresses of headquarters. Appendixes include statistics on church membership and information on Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious calendars. 

Churches and Church Membership in the United States, 1990: An Enumeration By Region, State, and County, Based on Data Reported for 133 Church Groupings.
Mugar Reference XBR 526 C48 1992

This volume contains statistics for 133 Judeo-Christian churches or groups, providing information on the number of churches and members for regions, states, and counties in the United States. It consists of tables with an accompanying fold-out map illustrating which group predominates in each area. Appendices at the end of the volume provide information on the information gathering process, the situation with dual memberships, and on the churches themselves . 

Atlases

Historical Atlas of the Religions of the World. Ismail R. Al-Faruqa. (1974)
Mugar Reference XBL 80.2 F28

Illustrated essays introduce the history of the religions of the world while maps furnish insight into the developments of traditions over time and in space. It is divided into three parts: religions of the past; ethnic religions of the present (those religions localized to region of origin); and universal religions of the present. It includes an appendix of chronologies and an index. Essays are signed and most essays include a short bibliography .

Historical Atlas of Religion in America. Edwin S. Gaustad. (1962)
Mugar Reference XG 1201 E4 F62b

This atlas contains maps, charts and graphs focusing on Christian denominations from 1650-1960. There is some information on Native and African Americans. Essays include source information on individual traditions within each time period discussed. Indices of authors, titles, places, religious bodies, names and subjects can be found at the end of the atlas.

Atlas of Religious Change in America, 1952-1990. Peter L. Halvorson.
Mugar Reference XG 1201 E4 H3 1994

Maps and analyses of county-level data for American religious denominations from 1952-1990, drawn from "The Church Membership Studies", are provided. The maps illustrate the percentage of church membership in each region as well as percentage of change in total membership over time.

Bibliographies

A Reader's Guide to the Great Religions. Charles J. Adams. (1977)
Mugar Reference XZ 7833 A35 1977

This bibliographic guide to book and journal literature focuses on the history and traditions of the world's principal religions. Rather than an annotated list of sources, it includes descriptive essays signed by contributors to the volume. It includes author and subject indexes.

Black Women and Religion: A Bibliography. Marilyn Richardson. (1980)
Mugar Reference XZ 1361 N39 R53

These annotated entries on the role of black women in religious traditions cover music, art, literature and A-V materials as well as academic articles and books. An appendix providing biographical references and an index are located at the end of the volume.

American Religion and Philosophy: A Guide to Information Sources. Ernest R. Sandeen. (1978)
Mugar Reference XZ 7757 U5 S25
Focuses on Judeo-Christian beliefs; some information on Native Americans.

Church and State in America: A Bibliographical Guide. John F. Wilson. 
Mugar Reference XZ 7776.72 C48 1986

Volume 1: The Colonial and Early National Periods is located at Mugar Memorial Library and provides an overview of resources dealing with the church-state issue in American culture from the colonial period to the Civil War. Essays are followed by a listing of books, articles, primary sources, and critical bibliographies. (Volume 2: The Civil War to the Present Day is available under the same call number in the Law Annex .)

 

The Sociology of Religion: An Organizational Bibliography. Anthony J. Blasi.
Mugar Reference XZ 78311 B54 1990

This source includes studies of better and lesser known religious traditions in the world as well as new religions and cults that have emerged in contemporary societies. It highlights the presence of religious traditions and denominations in national, regional, and local contexts. Some entries are annotated. Author and subject indexes are located at the end of the volume.

 

Religion and Society in North America: An Annotated Bibliography. Robert De Brunkow.
Mugar Reference XZ 7831 R44 1983

Lists periodical articles; compiled from America: History and Life.

New Religious Movements in the United States and Canada: A Critical Assessment and Annotated Bibliography. Diane Choquette. (1985)
Mugar Reference XZ 7834 U6 C46 1985

This is an annotated, classified bibliography of English language monographs, serial literature, dissertations, and unpublished papers documenting new religious and human potential movements in North America published from 1960 to 1983. It includes author/title and subject indexes.

Social Science and the Cults: An Annotated Bibliography. John A. Saliba. 
Mugar Reference XZ 7835 C86 S34

 (1990)
This bibliography provides comprehensive coverage of materials that address new religious movements as well as literature on alternative and other groups cited by scholars in the field. Annotations are descriptive rather than critical. Indexes to authors, religious movements, and subjects are found at the end of the volume.

Women in American Religious History: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to Sources. Dorothy C. Bass 1986
Mugar Reference XZ 7936 R45 B37
This comprehensive guide to the literature dealing with women in religion from colonial times to 1984 is divided into seven sections: general works, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, African-American Religions, Native American Religions, and Others. Entries are annotated. A general index is included at the end of the work.