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July's Subject of the Month
World Religions
Selector: Michael Bradford
The term "world religions" refers to a set of major religious traditions that have a global or international presence and influence. These religions are characterized by their large number of followers and their impact on world history, culture, and society. The major world religions typically include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism (also known as "The Big Five"), although other religions such as Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism may also be included in this category. World religions are distinguished from other religious traditions that may have a more localized or regional presence.
For More Resources
This guide provides but a brief glimpse into the rich variety of resources in the library's physical and online collections. We encourage you to explore and discover more about the world's major religions. You can begin here, with a catalog search by Library of Congress Subject Heading (LCSH).
- LC Subject: Christianity
- LC Subject: Islam
- LC Subject: Hinduism
- LC Subject: Buddhism
- LC Subject: Judaism
General Resources in World Religions
The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions by Call Number: Purdy: BL 31 .O84 1997ISBN: 0192139657Publication Date: 1997-05-08A wide-ranging A-Z reference guide to the history, beliefs, dogmas, practices, individuals, customs, and artefacts of the worlds religions past and present. As well as detailed information on individual religious traditions.
Religions of the World by Call Number: UGL Reference: BL 80.2 .B744 1997ISBN: 9780816037230Publication Date: 1997-10-01Discusses the religions of the world and their festivals, rituals, beliefs, ceremonial objects, and history.
Religious Traditions of the World by Call Number: UGL Reference: BL 80.2 .R448 1993ISBN: 9780060621155Publication Date: 1992-10-09Now in one volume: the ten volumes of the Religious Traditions of the World series. Written by leading experts, these individual studies explore the richness and variety of important religions from around the world.
The Atlas of Religion by ISBN: 9780520249172Publication Date: 2007-05-07This authoritative atlas is an essential resource for understanding the powerful role of religion around the globe. It maps the current nature, extent, and influence of each of the major religions and shows, country by country, how religions are spread through broadcasting, missionary work, schooling, and banking; how they relate to government, laws, and world hunger; and the role they play in wars. It traces the emergence of new religious movements, the survival of traditional beliefs, and the presence of atheism and agnosticism.
Encyclopedia of Religion (2nd ed.)ISBN: 9780028657332Publication Date: 2004-12-17Presents a cross-cultural approach that emphasizes religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture. The original 2,750 entries have been retained, many heavily updated, and approximately 600 entirely new articles have been added by an international team of scholars and contributors.
The World's Religions in Figures by ISBN: 9780470674543Publication Date: 2013-06-10This unique introduction to international religious demography outlines the challenges in interpreting data on religious adherence and presents a contemporary portrait of global religious belief. It offers the first comprehensive overview of the field of international religious demography - detailing what we know about religious adherents around the world, and how we know it. It examines religious freedom and diversity, including agnostics and atheists, on a global scale, highlighting trends over the past 100 years and projecting estimates for the year 2050.
- ATLA Religion Database This link opens in a new windowThe Atla Religion Database is an index of academic journal articles in the area of religion. It is updated monthly and published by the American Theological Library Association. The database indexes articles, essays, and book reviews related to a wide range of scholarly fields related to religion.
- Database of Religious HistoryThe DRH is a massive, standardized, searchable encyclopedia of the current best scholarly opinion on historical religious traditions ...It allows users to instantly gain an overview of the state of scholarly opinion and access powerful, built-in analytic and data visualization tools.
- Globe Ethics Library: Resources on Theology and EcumenismDocuments and special collections on ecumenical, intercultural and contextual theologies, theological education, world Christianity, and interreligious studies, regularly receiving updates from the Index Theologicus, International Bibliography of Theology and Religious Studies.
- Open Access Digital Theological Library
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The mission of Open Access Digital Theological Library (OADTL) is to curate high-quality content in religious studies and related disciplines from publisher websites, institutional repositories, scholarly societies, archives, and stable public domain collections.
- Encyclopedia of Religion and Society"The Encyclopedia of Religion and Society marks a unique venture in that it attempts to bring together in a single-volume compendium a state-of-the-art summary of the insights gained by the principal social sciences of religion: anthropology, psychology, and sociology. To do so is to take, admittedly, a "one-sided" approach to the religion-and-society nexus. One could perhaps consider an alternative posture, more ethical in nature-namely, one that considers what religions think about society. This would really be an encyclopedia of religious social ethics, and it is not within the scope of this project."
- The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group,
but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. - Harvard Divinity School, Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR)Opened in 1960, the CSWR at Harvard Divinity School seeks to promote the study of the world’s religions in their classical and historical forms.
- Learn Religions"...a strong foundation of knowledge in world religions is essential to understanding one another and our world. You’ll find that our library of study guides, prayers, devotionals, and reference documents offer credible and balanced coverage of the world’s most prominent faiths, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Taoism."
- Overview of World ReligionsMaintained by the Division of Religion and Philosophy, University of Cumbria, the OWR provides brief articles on world religion organized by tradition and geographical region.
- Parliament of World ReligionsThe Parliament of the World’s Religions cultivates harmony among the world’s spiritual traditions and fosters their engagement with guiding institutions in order to achieve a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.
- Pew Research Center - Religion & Public LIfeProvides a portal into public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research related to religion.
- Pluralism ProjectAn ongoing research effort from Harvard University, the Pluralism Project studies and interprets religious diversity and interfaith relations in the United States. The site includes an introduction to the religions of the world through the lens of America, a survey of the interfaith encounter in America, news, the case initiative-applying the case method to study dilemmas and disputes in multireligious America, and more.
Christianity
The BibleCall Number: Purdy Vault: 220.32 B47G 1607Publication Date: 16071607 edition of the Geneva Bible. In the eighty-four years since being first published in 1560, the "Geneva Bible" was published in 140 separate editions. For three generations, this Bible held sway in the homes of English people. The Geneva Bible was the Bible of William Shakespeare, Oliver Cromwell, and carried across the Atlantic on the Mayflower by the Pilgrims to Plymouth. The Geneva Bible is often referred to as the "Breeches Bible" because of the use of "breeches" in Genesis 3:7.
The Bible: a Very Short Introduction by Call Number: UGL Storage: BS 445 .R53 2000ISBN: 0192853430Publication Date: 2000-06-15This Very Short Introduction looks at the importance accorded to the Bible by different communities and cultures and attempts to explain why it has generated such a rich variety of uses and interpretations. It explores how the Bible was written, the development of the canon, the role of Biblical criticism, the appropriation of the Bible in high and popular culture, and its use for political ends.
Biblia sacrosancta Veteris, et Novi TestamentiCall Number: Purdy Closed: BS 75 1555Publication Date: 1555Published in France in 1555, this Bible represents the first time the Latin Bible had the text divided into numbered verses.
The Gospel of the Working Class by Call Number: Purdy: HD 6338.2 .U5 S62 2011ISBN: 9780252078408Publication Date: 2011-06-28In this exceptional dual biography and cultural history, of two southern activist preachers, one black and one white, who used their ministry to organize the working class in the 1930s and 1940s across lines of gender, race, and geography.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation by Call Number: Purdy Oversize: BR 302.8 .O93 1996ISBN: 0195064933Publication Date: 1996-02-29In 1517, Martin Luther's legendary Ninety-five Theses set in motion a chain of events that fundamentally altered European history. The resulting Reformation of the sixteenth century proved to be one of the most important and far-reaching phenomena of an era marked by dramatic religious and social upheaval. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation is the first major reference to cover the immense subject of the Reformation in its entirety.
What the Gospels Meant by Call Number: Purdy: BS 2555.52 .W55 2008ISBN: 9780670018710Publication Date: 2008-02-14"Wills brilliantly examines the goals, methods, and styles of the evangelists and how these shaped the gospels' messages. The earliest book, Mark, emphasizes Jesus the sufferer; in Matthew, Jesus the teacher; in Luke, Jesus the reconciler; and in John, Jesus the mystic. Hailed as "one of the most intellectually interesting and doctrinally heterodox Christians writing today."
Cambridge history of Christianity (9-volume set) by Publication Date: 2006Provides the first complete chronological account of the development of Christianity in all its aspects – theological, social, political, regional, global – from the time of Christ to the present day. This ambitious project in nine volumes connects the institutional history of the churches with the study of systematic and applied (pastoral) theology, and covers popular piety and non-formal expressions of Christian faith as well as the more formal.
Christianity: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 0192803220Publication Date: 2005-09-01At a time when Christianity is flourishing in the Southern hemisphere but declining in much of the West, this Very Short Introduction offers an important new overview of the world's largest religion. Exploring the cultural and institutional dimensions of Christianity, and tracing its course over two millennia, this book provides a fresh, lively, and candid portrait of its past and present. Addressing topics that other studies neglect, including the competition for power between different forms of Christianity, the churches' uses of power, and their struggles with modernity, Linda Woodhead concludes by showing the ways in which those who previously had the least power in Christianity--women and non-Europeans--have become increasingly central to its unfolding story.
Mamusse wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum GodPublication Date: 1685The Eliot Indian Bible (Massachusett: Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God; also known as the Algonquian Bible) was the first translation of the Christian Bible into an indigenous American language, as well as the first Bible published in British North America. It was prepared by English Puritan missionary John Eliot by translating the Geneva Bible into the Massachusett language. Printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the work first appeared in 1661 with only the New Testament. An edition including all 66 books of both the Old and New Testaments was printed in 1663. Revised edition in 1685.
The New Testament As Literature: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 9780195300208Publication Date: 2008-10-24The words, phrases, and stories of the New Testament permeate the English language. Indeed, this relatively small group of twenty-seven works, written during the height of the Roman Empire, not only helped create and sustain a vast world religion, but also have been integral to the larger cultural dynamics of the West, above and beyond particular religious expressions. Looking at the New Testament through the lens of literary study, Kyle Keefer offers an engrossing exploration of this revered religious text as a work of literature, but also keeps in focus its theological ramifications.
The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture by ISBN: 0585218595Publication Date: 1996-01-01From the soaring vaults of the Gothic cathedral, to Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, to Marc Chagall's majestic tapestries for the Knesset in Jerusalem, biblical stories and Christian themes form an integral part of our artistic heritage. But a lack of knowledge of the Bible, Christian doctrine, and church history frequently prevents us from understanding--and appreciating--much of the greatest art ever created. Exquisitely designed and lavishly illustrated--with over 200 pictures, including 16 color plates--The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture offers a goldmine of information on the Judeo Christian tradition as it applies to Western art.
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints by ISBN: 0585110344Publication Date: 1997-01-01From the famous to the obscure, this new edition provides concise, readable accounts of the lives of over 1,300 saints. In addition to the biographical sketches, information on the cults and artistic associations of particular saints is also given full coverage. The inclusion of more saints from Europe confirms the dictionary's reputation as the standard one-volume work available in English.
Christianity today by Publication Date: Began in 1956.Founded by Billy Graham, Christianity Today is more than a magazine. As a nonprofit global media ministry,it engages over 4.5 million Christian leaders every month, encouraging and equipping them to advocate for the church and shape the evangelical conversation.
Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations by - This link opens in a new window
Publication Date: Began in 2005Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations is the journal of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations and is published by the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College.
- BibleGatewayBible Gateway is a searchable online Bible tool hosting more than 200 versions of the Bible in over 70 languages that you can freely read, research, and reference anywhere.
- Internet Sacred Text Archive: ChristianityThe Internet Sacred Text Archive (ISTA) is dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain religious texts.
- Saint John's BibleIn an age of e-books and screens, it may seem antiquated to create a handwritten, illuminated Bible. The Benedictine monks at Saint John's Abbey and University, however, determined to produce such a Bible for the twenty-first century, a Bible that would use traditional methods and materials while engaging contemporary questions and concerns. In an age that largely overlooks the physical form of books, The Saint John's Bible foregrounds the importance of a book's tactile and visual qualities. This collection considers how The Saint John's Bible fits within the history of the Bible as a book, and how its haptic qualities may be particularly important in a digital age.
What is evangelical Christianity? by Publication Date: 2013Part of the Series: Oh my God! - While many mainline Christian churches are in decline, Evangelical Christianity remains a powerful force in the 21st century. With 2.1 billion followers worldwide, this particular branch of faith must be doing something right. In this program, host Tevya enters the world of Evangelicals, meeting a local pastor whose weekly service is broadcast to five different locations and features a full rock band. He learns that it is all about giving back.
PBS Frontline: From Jesus to Christ, the Early Christians, Part 1 (1998) - examines how Judaism and the Roman empire shaped Jesus’ life and traces the beginnings of the “Jesus Movement” in those early years before it was called Christianity.
PBS Frontline: From Jesus to Christ, the Early Christians, Part 2 (1998) - follows the story of the first attempts to write the life of Jesus in the Gospels, and chronicles how the Christian movement would face new challenges both internal and external.
Islam
The Cambridge Companion to Classical Islamic Theology by Call Number: LAW and UGL Storage: BP 166.1 .C36 2008ISBN: 9780521780582Publication Date: 2008-05-22This series of critical reflections on the evolution and major themes of pre-modern Muslim theology begins with the revelation of the Koran, and extends to the beginnings of modernity in the eighteenth century. The significance of Islamic theology reflects the immense importance of Islam in the history of monotheism, to which it has brought a unique approach and style, and a range of solutions which are of abiding interest.
Encyclopaedia of Islam by Call Number: Purdy: DS 37 .E523ISBN: 9789004161214Publication Date: 2007-01-12ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE: The set of the Encyclopaedia of Islam New Edition, also called EI-2, comprises Volumes I through XI, the supplement volume XII, and the Index Volume (Index of Subjects, Glossary and Index of Terms, Index of Proper Names).
Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān by Call Number: Storage Blue: BP 133 .E53 2001ISBN: 9004114653Publication Date: 2002-09-12The Qur'an is the primary religious text for one-fifth of the world's population and has been an object of reverence and of intense study for centuries. Drawing upon a rich scholarly heritage, Brill's Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an contains alphabetically arranged articles about the contents of the Qur'an. It is an encyclopedic dictionary of qur'anic terms, concepts, personalities, place names, cultural history, and exegesis extended with essays on the most important themes and subjects within qur'anic studies. With over 750 entries, the EQ is the first comprehensive, multivolume reference work on the Qur'an to appear in Western languages.
Old Islam in Detroit by Call Number: Purdy: BP 67 .U62 M54 2014ISBN: 9780199372003Publication Date: 2014-08-28Across North America, Islam is portrayed as a religion of immigrants, converts, and cultural outsiders. Yet Muslims have been part of American society for much longer than most people realize. This book documents the history of Islam in Detroit, a city that is home to several of the nation's oldest, most diverse Muslim communities.
- Encyclopaedia of Islam by ISBN: 9789004161214Publication Date: 2007-01-12ALSO AVAILABLE IN PRINT: The set of the Encyclopaedia of Islam New Edition, also called EI-2, comprises Volumes I through XI, the supplement volume XII, and the Index Volume (Index of Subjects, Glossary and Index of Terms, Index of Proper Names).
Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements by ISBN: 9789004425255Publication Date: 2021-06-24The Handbook of Islamic Sects and Movements offers a multinational study of Islam, its variants, influences, and neighbouring movements, from a multidisciplinary range of scholars.
Islamic History: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 9780199545728Publication Date: 2010-02-01This Very Short Introduction introduces the story of Islamic history; the controversies surrounding its study; and the significance that it holds - for Muslims and for non-Muslims alike.
Islam in America by ISBN: 0231500394Publication Date: 2010-06-01Most Americans are only vaguely aware of the Muslim community in the United States and know little about the religion itself, despite Islam's increasing importance in international affairs and the rapid growth in the number of Americans who call themselves Muslims. Now a foremost authority in the field has crafted a richly textured portrait of the Muslim community in the United States today. Jane I. Smith introduces the basic tenets of the Muslim faith, surveys the history of Islam in this country, and profiles the lifestyles, religious practices, and worldviews of American Muslims.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World by ISBN: 9780195305135Publication Date: 2009-04-03This reference offers a comprehensive encyclopedia dedicated to the institutions, religion, politics, and culture in Muslim societies throughout the world. Placing particular emphasis on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World contains over 750 articles in four volumes on Muslims in the Arab heartland as well as South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
American Journal of Islam and Society- This link opens in a new window
Publication Date: Began in 1984The American Journal of Islam and Society (AJIS) is an open-access, biannual, double-blind peer-reviewed, and interdisciplinary journal with global reach, published by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), and distributed worldwide.
In 2020, the journal was renamed from the previous American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences to reflect the evolution of the scholarly landscape and a global community of readers interested in a wider range of topics pertaining to Islam’s role in society. The new name embodies an expanded scope for the Journal and reflects that the social sciences and humanities are interrelated and that Islamic engagement with one requires an examination of the other. The Journal, therefore, welcomes all scholarship pertaining to the myriad ways in which Islam and varied human societies interact.
Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies by - This link opens in a new window
Publication Date: Began in 1997The Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies (JAIS) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access, academic journal. It is also the world's most widely read journal in the field of Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies.
The main aim of the journal is to promote the study of history, language, literature and culture through the publication of research articles.
The Moslem World by Call Number: Storage (various call numbers)Publication Date: 1911-1947The Moslem World, founded in 1911, is dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of scholarly research on Islam and Muslim societies and on historical and current aspects of Muslim-Christian relations.
In 1948, became the Muslim World.
The Muslim world by Publication Date: Began in 1948.The Muslim World, founded in 1911, is dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of scholarly research on Islam and Muslim societies and on historical and current aspects of Muslim-Christian relations.
Title changed from: The Moslem World.
- Al Tasfir.comAl Tasfir.com is a free, non-profit website providing access to the largest and greatest online collection of Qur’anic Commentary (tafsir or tafseer), translation, recitation and essential resources in the world.
- Internet Sacred Text Archive: IslamThe Internet Sacred Text Archive (ISTA) is dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain religious texts.
- Koran in EnglishThe Holy Qur'an, translated by M.H. Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., in 1983. Like all the versions of this text derived from the Online Book Initiative, it may not be free from transcription errors.
- The Quranic Arabic CorpusThe Quranic Arabic Corpus is an annotated linguistic resource which shows the Arabic grammar, syntax and morphology for each word in the Holy Quran.
- SHARIAsourceSHARIAsource is a project of the Program in Islamic Law at Harvard Law School, that aims to provide comprehensive content and context on Islamic law in a way that is accessible and useful.
- Food in the Muslim world byPublication Date: 2008Food in predominantly Muslim countries have both similarities and differences. The DVD shows the food that is cooked in Iran, India and Indonesia. The importance of Islam to its adherents is also shown.
Hamtramck, USA by Publication Date: 2020A documentary film exploring life and democracy in America's first Muslim majority city.
What is Islam? by Publication Date: 2013Part of the series: Oh my God! - Islam has 1.6 billion followers around the world - so perhaps its where host Tevya will find the answers he's looking for. He starts out with a visit to the Taric Islamic Centre where he learns why it is important to cleanse himself before prayer, what Halal is, an introduction to the history of Muhammad and the devotion it takes to be a Muslim.
Hinduism
Classical Indian Philosophy by Call Number: UGL Storage Blue: B 131 .M54 M64 2000ISBN: 0847689328Publication Date: 2000-01-12In this comprehensive textbook, renowned philosopher J. N. Mohanty examines the range of Indian philosophy from the Sutra period through the 17th century Navya Nyaya. The book includes discussions of Indian ethics and social philosophy, as well as of Indian law and aesthetics. Classical Indian Philosophy is essential reading for students of Indian philosophy at every level.
Defining Hinduism by Call Number: Purdy: BL 1202 .D45 2005ISBN: 9780415974493Publication Date: 2006-01-24Defining Hinduism brings together essays by some of the most influential and interesting scholars working on the religions of South Asia today. The volume also offers a comprehensive general introduction to the subject as well as individual introductions to each of the three parts of the book. This reader will be a valuable tool for the study of the world's third largest religion.
Hinduism by Call Number: UGL Storage: BL 1202 .K564 1998ISBN: 0192853414Publication Date: 1998-07-23Hinduism is practiced by about eighty percent of India's population, and by about 30 million people outside India. But how is Hinduism defined, and what basis does the religion have? In this Very Short Introduction, Kim Knott provides clear insight into the beliefs and authority of Hindus and Hinduism, and considers the ways in which it has been affected by colonialism and modernity.
Hinduism and Other Eastern Religions by Call Number: Purdy Juvenile: 294 B263hISBN: 9780753458815Publication Date: 2005-08-18Explores the major religions of the Eastern world, including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. From Hindu gods and goddesses to life in a Buddhist monastery, it reveals the origins of each religion, the key elements of its belief systems, and the appeal of Eastern religions to the West.
The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism by ISBN: 0631215352Publication Date: 2003-02-07An ideal resource for courses on Hinduism or world religions, this accessible volume spans the entire field of Hindu studies. It provides a forum for the best scholars in the world to make their views and research available to a wider audience. Comprehensively covers the textual traditions of Hinduism Features four coherent sections covering theoretical issues, textual traditions, science and philosophy, and Hindu society and politics Reflects the trend away from essentialist understandings of Hinduism towards tradition and regional-specific studies Includes material on Hindu folk religions and stresses the importance of region in analyzing Hinduism Ideal for use on university courses.
Everyday Hinduism by ISBN: 9781118528204Publication Date: 2015-02-19This innovative introductory textbook explores the central practices and beliefs of Hinduism through contemporary, everyday practice. Introduces and contextualizes the rituals, festivals and everyday lived experiences of Hinduism in text and images Includes data from the author's own extensive ethnographic fieldwork in central India (Chhattisgarh), the Deccan Plateau (Hyderabad), and South India (Tirupati) Features coverage of Hindu diasporas, including a study of the Hindu community in Atlanta, Georgia Each chapter includes case study examples of specific topics related to the practice of Hinduism framed by introductory and contextual material
The Hindu World by ISBN: 0415215277Publication Date: 2004-07-08With twenty-four dedicated chapters written by the world's leading Hinduism scholars, it elucidates the history, philosophy and practice of one of the world's great religious traditions. The reference for all students of Hinduism, it is ideal for both for introductory-level study and for use as a definitive reference source.
Historical Dictionary of Hinduism by ISBN: 0585356866Publication Date: 1997-01-01Presents the Hindu religious tradition's major events, individuals, texts, sects, and concepts in the context of its historical development through various periods.
- Hinduism today byPublication Date: Began in 1979.Hinduism Today® Magazine is a nonprofit educational activity of Himalayan Academy with the following purposes: 1. To foster Hindu solidarity as a unity in diversity among all sects and lineages; 2. To inform and inspire Hindus worldwide and people interested in Hinduism; 3. To dispel myths, illusions and misinformation about Hinduism; 4. To protect, preserve and promote the sacred Vedas and the Hindu religion; 5. To nurture and monitor the ongoing spiritual Hindu renaissance; 6. To publish a resource for Hindu leaders and educators who promote Sanatana Dharma.
Journal of Dharma Studies by Publication Date: Began in 2018The mission of the Journal of Dharma Studies: Asian and Transcultural Religion, Philosophy, & Ethics is to employ theoretical and empirical methodologies for the intersubjective understanding of, and real-world applications of the conceptual resources, textual sources, and experiential practices—including ritual, social, ethical, liturgical, contemplative, or communitarian—to foster critical-constructive reflections on Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions (what is now referred to as Dharma Studies).
- Internet Sacred Text Archive: HinduismThe Internet Sacred Text Archive (ISTA) is dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain religious texts.
- India: The Pilgrims of the Ganges byPublication Date: 2014'India: Pilgrims of the Ganges' is a journey through the North of India along the basin of the sacred river for Hindus, the Ganges. From the valleys located on the side of the Himalayas, cradle of Buddhism,, to the saint city of Benares, this documentary offers a fascinating journey through National Parks turned into sanctuaries for wildlife, and cities where Islam and Hinduism live together since centuries ago. We will witness the most crowded religious pilgrimage in the planet and get close to the mystic and enigmatic world of the Sadhus, the sacred men of India. Finally we will reach Benares, the sacred city, where Hindus purify their living souls and find eternal rest after death.
- Music and society: Island of temples byPublication Date: 2003Filmed entirely in Bali - the famed Hindu island in the archipelago of Indonesia - this historical video shows the day-to-day life of the islanders, their folk songs, gamelan orchestras and dance dramas. The temple is the focal point of each village where the villagers gather for religious ceremonies as well as for music and dance. The film features stunning, rarely captured footage of two religious dance/dramas named Barong, and Ketchak, the legendary "monkey chant".
What is Hinduism? by Publication Date: 2013Part of the Series: Oh my God! - Host Tevya begins his spiritual quest by investigating Hinduism, a faith with some 900 million followers worldwide. He attends the Durga Puja festival, an annual celebration for the Hindu goddess Durga with his teen guide Kritika. Tevya explores Little India searching for a present for the goddess and learns a little Kathak dancing with Kritika along the way!
Buddhism
Buddhist Ethics by Call Number: UGL Storage: BJ 1289 .B223 1997ISBN: 0861711246Publication Date: 1997-05-01In this work, Venerable Saddhatissa starts with an examination of Western notions of ethics, beginning with the early Greek philosophers and moving on to show us how the study of morality is crucial to a clear understanding of the Buddhist tradition. Drawing on a vast array of Buddhist scriptures, Venerable Saddhatissa explains the development and position of Buddhist precepts from a traditional perspective, while simultaneously offering clear and practical advice on how best to live the moral life of a lay Buddhist practitioner.
Buddhist Goddesses of India by Call Number: Purdy: BQ 4630 .S43 2006ISBN: 9780691127583Publication Date: 2006-11-05Buddhist Goddesses of India chronicles the histories, legends, and artistic portrayals of nineteen goddesses and several related human figures and texts. Beautifully illustrated and drawing on a sweeping range of material, from devotional poetry and meditation manuals to rituals and artistic images, Shaw reveals the character, powers, and practice traditions of the female divinities in this definitive and essential guide.
Buddhist Meditation by Call Number: Purdy: BL 1453 .C6ISBN: 9780415460910Publication Date: 2008-09-19As an intensely practical religion, Buddhism has concentrated on devising a great number of meditations. In recent years psychologists have shown great interest in the therapeutic value of these meditations, but accurate information about them has been hard to come by. The most outstanding original documents have now been made accessible by Edward Conze, who translated them from Pali, Sanskrit and Tibetan. The volume, originally published in 1956, also deals with the meaning of Buddhist meditation, and the relation of its methods and presuppositions to modern psychology.
Buddhist Ethics: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 9780192804570Publication Date: 2005-09-08The latter half of the 20th century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. Numerous introductory books have appeared in recent years to cater for this growing interest, but almost none devotes attention to the specifically ethical dimension of the tradition. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning.
The Princeton Dictionary of BuddhismISBN: 9781400848058Publication Date: 2013-11-24The most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in English. It is also the first to cover terms from all of the canonical Buddhist languages and traditions: Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Unlike reference works that focus on a single Buddhist language or school, this work bridges the major Buddhist traditions to provide encyclopedic coverage of the most important terms, concepts, texts, authors, deities, schools, monasteries, and geographical sites from across the history of Buddhism.
The Wiley Blackwell Companion to East and Inner Asian BuddhismISBN: 9781118610336Publication Date: 2014-05-05These newly-commissioned essays provide fresh scholarly perspectives on a wide range of concepts, texts, and practices. Offers a comprehensive and balanced survey of Buddhism within East and Central Asia, from the time of the Buddha through to the present day Provides fresh perspectives on a wide range of concepts, texts, traditions, doctrines, practices, and institutions - on topics spanning gender roles, tantric rituals, and the spread of Zen into Europe Brings together cutting-edge research by an interdisciplinary and international contributor team, including historians, literature scholars, and historians, as well as those from religious studies.
Buddhist studies review by
Publication Date: Began in 1983.Relevant fields for the journal are: the different cultural areas where Buddhism exists or has existed (in South, Southeast, Central and East Asia); historical and contemporary aspects (including developments in 'Western' Buddhism); theoretical, practical and methodological issues; textual, linguistic, archaeological and art-historical studies; and different disciplinary approaches to the subject (e.g. Archaeology, Art History, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Comparative Religion, Law, Oriental Studies, Philosophy, Philology, Psychology, Religious Studies, Theology).
Journal of global Buddhism- This link opens in a new window
Publication Date: Began in 2000.The Journal of Global Buddhism has been established to promote the study of the globalization of Buddhism, both historical and contemporary, and its transnational and transcontinental interrelatedness.
Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies by Publication Date: Began in 1978The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies is the organ of the International Association of Buddhist Studies.
Pacific World by - This link opens in a new window
Publication Date: Began in 1982An annual, open-access, and anonymous peer-reviewed journal in English devoted to the dissemination of historical, textual, critical and interpretive studies on Buddhism generally, and Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism particularly, to both academic and lay readerships.
- Ancient Buddhist TextsSite contains original texts and studies, texts and translations, texts in English only, Indian prosody, reference materials, maps of ancient Buddhist India, and audio readings of selected texts.
- Buddhist Digital Resource CenterDedicated to preserving and sharing Buddhist texts through the union of technology and scholarship. Their site says they are the world’s largest digital repository of Buddhist texts. They devote themselves to seeking out, preserving, documenting and disseminating Buddhist literature.
- Internet Sacred Text Archive: BuddhismThe Internet Sacred Text Archive (ISTA) is dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain religious texts.
Dalai Lama: Soul of Tibet by ISBN: 9780767078771Publication Date: 1997He is the fourteenth man recognized by his people as Buddha's reincarnation and honored with the title he is known by worldwide--the Dalai Lama. Interviews with Chinese scholars and Tibetan activists, including the Dalai Lama himself detail the long.
What is Buddhism? by Publication Date: 2013Part of the series: Oh my God! - With more than 300 million followers worldwide, Buddhists follow a path towards enlightenment in what is as much a religion, as it is a way of life. A Buddhist Monk attempts to quieten host Tevya's mind, but first - a celebration. It's Buddha's birthday and Tevya is in for a food-fight while meeting "The Hungry Ghosts". -
TED Talk: Bob Thurman: We can be Buddhas: In our hyperlinked world, we can know anything, anytime. And this means mass enlightenment, says Buddhist scholar Bob Thurman, is our first step toward Buddha nature.
Judaism
The Cambridge Companion to Modern Jewish PhilosophyCall Number: UGL Storage: B 755 .C36 2007ISBN: 0521012554Publication Date: 2007-06-11Modern Jewish philosophy emerged in the seventeenth century, with the impact of the new science and modern philosophy on thinkers who were reflecting upon the nature of Judaism and Jewish life.
Concise Companion to the Jewish Religion by Call Number: Purdy: BM 50 .J25 1999ISBN: 0192800884Publication Date: 1999-09-09This guide to Judaism contains information on every aspect of Jewish belief and practice, both ancient and modern. From Maimonides to Methuselah, Kabbalah to Kibbutz. All Hebrew terms are fully explained in non-technical language.
The Jewish World by Call Number: Purdy Juvenile: 296 C378jISBN: 0382067207Publication Date: 1983-01-01Examines the history of the Jewish religion, the significance of its synagogue, festivals, home life, food laws, and symbols, and its use of prayer and the Torah.
Torah, Neviʼim u-KhetuvimCall Number: Purdy Closed: 221.44 A2 A7Publication Date: 1814The first Hebrew Bible printed in America.
The Dead Sea Scrolls: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 9780192806598Publication Date: 2006-01-19Timothy Lim here presents the facts and leading theories behind the cultural and historical background of the scrolls, and examines their significance for our understanding of the Old Testament and the origins of Christianity and Judaism. He also tells the story of the scrolls since their discovery, explains the science behind their deciphering and dating, and does not omit the cast of characters, scandals, and controversies that have hastened the scrolls' rise to the status of cultural icon.
Encyclopedia Judaica by ISBN: 9780028659282Publication Date: 2006-12-12The landmark Encyclopaedia Judaica, lauded as the standard work on Judaism since first appearing in the early 1970s, has been extensively revised and expanded for this long-awaited new edition.
Judaism by ISBN: 0585168024Publication Date: 1996-01-01This succinct book is an ntroduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. In addition to surveying the nature and development of Judaism, this Very Short Introduction outlines the basics of practical Judaism -- its festivals, prayers, customs, and various sects. Modernconcerns and debates of the Jewish people are also addressed, such as the impact of the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, the status of women, and medical and commercial ethics.
The Old Testament: a Very Short Introduction by ISBN: 9780195305050Publication Date: 2008-03-28Biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text. Coogan explains the differences between the Bible of Jewish tradition (the "Hebrew Bible") and the Old Testament of Christianity, and also examines the different contents of the Bibles used by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Protestants.
On Jewish Folklore by ISBN: 9780814344217Publication Date: 2017-12-30Essays collected in this volume, some of which are presented for the first time in English translation, provide a rich harvest of Jewish customs and traditional beliefs, gathered from all over the world and from ancient to modern times.
- JSIJ - Jewish Studies, an Internet Journal by
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Publication Date: Began in 2002JSIJ is a peer-reviewed electronic journal dealing with all fields of Jewish studies, which is distributed free of charge via the Internet. - Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations by
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Publication Date: Began in 2005Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations is the journal of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations and is published by the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College. The Journal publishes peer-reviewed scholarship on the history, theology, and contemporary realities of Jewish-Christian relations and reviews new materials in the field. The Journal also provides a vehicle for exchange of information, cooperation, and mutual enrichment in the field of Christian-Jewish studies and relations. 
Women in Judaism: a multidisciplinary journal by Publication Date: Began in 1997.WIJ is devoted to gender-related issues in Judaism. Our goal is to promote a reconceptualization of the study of Judaism through the development of alternative research paradigms and critical analysis of gender inequalities within Jewish religion.
- Digital Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project allows users to examine and explore these most ancient manuscripts from Second Temple times at a level of detail never before possible. Developed in partnership with Google, the new website gives users access to searchable, fast-loading, high-resolution images of the scrolls, as well as short explanatory videos and background information on the texts and their history.
- Holy Land MapsJewish National and University Library: from the Eran Laor Cartographic Collection
- Internet Sacred Text Archive: IslamThe Internet Sacred Text Archive (ISTA) is dedicated to the preservation of electronic public domain religious texts.
- Sefaria: A Living Library of Jewish TextsSefaria offers free access to texts, translations, and commentaries so that everyone can participate in the ongoing process of studying, interpreting, and creating Torah.
Days of Awe by Publication Date: 1995Throughout New York City, Orthodox Jews practice ancient customs that are little known to outsiders. Though often closed to strangers, the filmmaker was able to follow one ultra orthodox community in Brooklyn during their most sacred season.
The longing: the forgotten Jews of South America by Publication Date: 2007A small group of South Americans are eager to affirm their Jewish faith. Their ancestors -- Spanish Jews --were forced to convert during the Inquisition. Even after centuries of living in the New World as Catholics and intermarrying, their families still managed to secretly pass down some Jewish traditions from generation to generation.
What is Judaism? by Publication Date: 2013Part of the series: Oh my God! - Continuing his quest for belief, host Tevya gets a fresh look at the history and traditions of the Hasidic Jews (a little different to the Judaism he was used to). Rabbi Kaplan and some new friends offer insight into the most important passage in a Jewish boys life, the Bar Mitzvah, celebrate Purim and have dinner with the Rabbis family. Can Rabbi Kaplan reveal the answer to one of the burning questions - why cant Jews eat bacon?
PBS Frontline - The Last Survivors (2020) - They were children during the Holocaust. Today, they're among the last living survivors. Here, they share their stories, including what they want future generations to remember — and what’s at stake if we forget.