Welcome: Starting Your Research
This research guide can help with plenty of interdisciplinary research. Whether you doing in-depth religious research, or just need background information to be more familiar to add context to your work, this guide will point you in the right direction.
No matter what type of research you are doing, it is incredibly important to start with encyclopedias and/or dictionaries so that you have extensive background information on your subject. This information will assure that you have a solid foundation for the rest of your research. Reading the entries from these sources can also spark ideas if you are having trouble coming up with a topic narrow enough for your paper.
Encyclopedias
The Religious Traditions of Asia by
This essential student textbook consists of seventeen sections, all written by leading scholars in their different fields. They cover all the religious traditions of Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Tibet, and East Asia. The major traditions that are described and discussed are (from the Southwest) Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam, and (from the East) Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. In addition, the tradition of Bon in Tibet, the shamanistic religions of Inner Asia, and general Chinese, Korean and Japanese religion are also given full coverage. The emphasis throughout is on clear description and analysis, rather than evaluation. Ten maps are provided to add to the usefulness of this book, which has its origin in the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade of the University of Chicago.
ISBN: 9780700717620Publication Date: 2002-09-20
The New Encyclopedia of Judaism by
Winner, The New York Public Library, Best of Reference Award, 2002 New York University Press is proud to announce the return of a valuable resource for both Jewish families and those interested in learning more about the Jewish faith. The New Encyclopedia of Judaism is a comprehensive one-volume encyclopedia that accessibly presents every aspect of the Jewish religion and represents current thinking among scholars in the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements. The original version of the encyclopedia was selected by the American Library Association as an Outstanding Reference Book. This revised and expanded edition updates the original thousand entries and adds nearly 250 new ones. Magnificently illustrated, it also contains a new introduction, a guide for usage, new illustrations, as well as a new annotated bibliography. Its compilation was overseen by the late Geoffrey Wigoder, best known as the Editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Judaica. The articles cover a vast spectrum of topics. There are biographical entries on biblical figures, rabbis, and others whose thoughts and actions have influenced the development of Judaism. Also included are dozens of insightful commentaries on specific prayers. Issues of particular contemporary interest are given special attention, as are women's roles, with a separate entry on the feminist movement and new biographical entries on figures ranging from Miriam and Deborah to Blu Greenberg and Suzannah Heschel. Particularly emphasized are the customs and folk traditions of Jewish outposts the world over. Authoritative and accessible, The New Encyclopedia of Judaism fulfills the promise of the first edition and serves as a standard one-volume Jewish reference work for the new millennium. It is an ideal reference for every Jewish household and synagogue library.
ISBN: 0814793886Publication Date: 2002-09-01
The Encyclopedia of Native American Religions by
"Encyclopedia of Native American Religions is a guide to the rich spiritual traditions and practices of Native Americans in the United States and Canada. Included are more than 1,200 entries, alphabetically arranged and fully cross-referenced. Long regarded as quaint curiosities or exotic pagan rites, the religious practices of Native Americans make up a rich, enduring legacy deserving of a place among the great spiritual traditions. Encyclopedia of Native American Religions is a comprehensive resource to these traditions and practices and accords them the respect, status, and attention they deserve." "In this edition, new or updated information has been included on such topics as: national and state legislation, such as the Native American Church Bill, which allows the religious use of peyote, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; religious rights in the military; sacred sites; sacred use of tobacco; and court cases involving the participation of non-Indians in Native American religious ceremonies, such as the Sun Dance."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 0816039496Publication Date: 1999-12-01
Encyclopedia of Religion and the Law in America by
This informative, easy-to-use reference work covers a wide range of legal issues that affect the roles of religion and law in American society. Extensive A-Z entries provide coverage of key court decisions, case studies, concepts, individuals, religious groups, organizations, and agencies shaping religion and law in today's society.
ISBN: 9781592372980Publication Date: 2009-03-01
Encyclopedia of African Religion by ISBN: 9781412964623Publication Date: 2008-12-01
Encyclopedia of Philosophers on Religion by
This title addresses and examines the religious affiliations and beliefs of prominent contemporary philosophers. The author profiles 150 such philosophers in separate entries, providing biographical information on his subjects, as well as on their religious upbringing, practice and beliefs.
ISBN: 9780786432868Publication Date: 2008-08-13
Encyclopedia of American Women and Religion by
This abundant, comprehensive encyclopedia is the first stop for information on women's contribution to American religion. * Over 300 A-Z entries, many with illustrations, from abortion and birth control to peace movements and witchcraft * Biographies of key figures such as Dorothea Dix, Margaret Fuller, Shirley MacLaine, and Sojourner Truth * Entry bibliographies and cross references * Detailed chronology
ISBN: 0874368871Publication Date: 1998-11-04
Britannica Encyclopedia of World Religions by
Religious faith takes many forms. Throughout the centuries and around the globe, the human response to the divine has given rise to a large number of important religions. This encyclopedia provides an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the religions of the world and to the concepts, people and events that shaped them.
ISBN: 1593392664Publication Date: 2006-05-01
World Christian Encyclopedia by
This major reference book describes systematically the present extent, status, and characteristics of the Christian religion throughout the world. It gives detailed information on all denominations, as well as dioceses, jurisdictions, missions, assemblies, and fellowships.
ISBN: 0195724356Publication Date: 1982-04-22
Dictionaries
The Oxford Dictionary of Islam by
Designed for general readers with little or no knowledge of Islam, this superb Oxford Dictionary provides more than 2,000 vividly written, up-to-date, and authoritative entries organized in an easy-to-use, A-to-Z format. The Dictionary focuses primarily on the 19th and 20th centuries, stressing topics of most interest to Westerners. What emerges is a highly informative look at the religious, political, and social spheres of the modern Islamic world. Naturally, readers will find many entries on topics ofintense current interest, such as terrorism and the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, the PLO and HAMAS. But the coverage goes well beyond recent headlines. There are biographical profiles, ranging from Naguib Mahfouz (the Nobel Prize winner from Egypt) to Malcolm X, including politicalleaders, influential thinkers, poets, scientists, and writers. Other entries cover major political movements, militant groups, and religious sects as well as terms from Islamic law, culture, and religion, key historical events, and important landmarks (such as Mecca and Medina). A series of entrieslooks at Islam in individual nations, such as Afghanistan, the West Bank and Gaza, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the United States, and there are discussions of Islamic views on such issues as abortion, birth control, the Internet, the Rushdie Affair, and the theory of evolution. Whether we are listening to the evening news, browsing through the op-ed pages, or reading a book on current events, references to Muslims and the Islamic world appear at every turn. The Oxford Dictionary of Islam offers a wealth of information for anyone curious about this burgeoning andincreasingly important world religion.
ISBN: 0195125584Publication Date: 2003-05-15
A Dictionary of Buddhism by
This new dictionary, written by Dr Damien Keown, covers both historical and contemporary issues in Buddhism, and includes all Buddhist schools and cultures. Over 2,000 broad-ranging entries cover beliefs, doctrines, major teachers and scholars, place names, and artefacts, in a clear andconcise style. The text is illustrated with line drawings of religious structures, iconographic forms and gestures, and ritual objects. Appendices include a chronology and a guide to canonical scriptures as well as a pronunciation guide for difficult names and terms.This dictionary should prove invaluable to anyone seeking information on Buddhism, from students of Theology and Social Sciences, to practising Buddhists.
ISBN: 0198605609Publication Date: 2003-07-10
The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion by
This comprehensive dictionary of the Jewish religion contains nearly 2,400 alphabetically arranged entries ranging from short definitions to lengthy essays on major topics. It is the most accessible and complete one-volume resource available for information on the concepts, beliefs, andpractices of historical and contemporary Jewish religious practice. The combined effort of Israeli, American, and European scholars, this dictionary reflects the great variety of Jewish religious expression, from the traditional approaches to such recent variations as Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism. It covers all aspects of Jewish practice,law, and theology as expressed in the Bible and the Talmud and by philosophers throughout history. The work also includes biographical sketches of important personalities associated with the development of the Jewish religion over the centuries, articles on the mystical tradition and folklore, andentries addressing the more recent religious issues posed by the existence of the State of Israel. Whether brief definitions, historical sketches, or explanatory essays, all entries in the dictionary are clearly and concisely written. All Hebrew words and phrases are defined for students and general readers. Numerous cross- references within the text are designed to lead users to entries onrelated subjects, and useful bibliographies are provided as aids to further reading and research. Offering comprehensive coverage in an easy-to-use format, The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion is the ideal introduction to the Jewish religion and an indispensable resource for students,scholars, and general readers.
ISBN: 0195086058Publication Date: 1997-03-13
The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion by
The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion offers a fully rounded (and highly authoritative) point of access to all aspects of ancient religious life and thought.Dr Simon Price and Dr Emily Kearns, area advisers for the third edition of The Oxford Classical Dictionary, have come together to select, revise, edit, and in some cases wholly recast, a large number of key entries from OCD to create this handy, accessible reference work on mythology and religion inthe Graeco-Roman world. Bringing to the attention of a wider audience the authority and scholarly rigour of OCD, The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion provides students, teachers, and general readers with an affordable comprehensive, and wide-ranging A-Z reference source.The Dictionary is unique in that in addition to Greek myths and Roman festivals it covers Greek and Roman religious places, monuments, religious personnel, divination, astrology, magic, and it also contains many entries on Judaism and Christianity in Greek and Roman times.A-Z entries include:AUTHORSGeneral: Aeschylus, Aesop, Cicero, Euripides, Homer, Ovid, Pindar, VirgilChristian: Ambrose, Cassian, Irenaeus, Jerome, Origen, TatianJewish: Ezechiel, Jason, PhilonMythographers: Apollodorus, Hesiod, PalaephatusPhilosophers: Anaxagoras, Aristotle, Epicurus, Plato, Socrates, XenophanesTEXTSGeneral: Acts of the Pagan Martyrs, epic, fable, libri pontificales, tragedyChristian: Epistle to DiognetusJewish: Dead Sea Scrolls, Mishnah, TalmudCHRISTIANITYGeneral: Acts of the Apostles, Clement of Rome, Gnosticism, martyrs, Priscillianists, VulgateGODS AND HEROESGeneral: angels, epiphany, river gods, wind-godsAnatolian: Men, SandasEgyptian: Apis, Isis, PtahEtruscan: Nortia, VoltumnaGreek: Aesepus, Alastor, Apollo, Chloe, Demeter, Eros, Hebe, Iacchus, Nemesis, Pan, Phanes, Themis, ZeusMesopotamian: IshtarPersian: Anahita, ZoroasterRoman: Anna Perenna, Bona Dea, Concordia, Diana, Flora, Hercules, Janus, Libertas, Neptunus, Ops, Pax, Rumina, Sol, Tellus, VictoriaSyrian: Jupiter DolichenusHEROESGreek: Oebalus, PhytalusIDEASReligious concepts: Aither, asceticism, atheism, chastity, eunomia, fasting, fate, invulnerability, monotheism, pneuma, sin, soulDeath: catacombs, cemeteries, Hades, imagines, ThanatosPhilosophy: Neoplatonism, Peripatetic school, StoicismIMAGERYIconography: attitudes to art, pottery, Greek sculpture, Roman sculptureJUDAISMapocalyptic literature, Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish-Greek literature, Maccabees, rabbis, synagogue, ZealotsLOCAL AND REGIONAL RELIGIONSIncludes: Anatolian, Arcadian, Argive, Attic, Boeotian, British, Celtic, Corinthian, Cretan, Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Italic, Macedonian, Magna Graecia, Mesopotamian, Messenian, Minoan and Mycenaean, Mycenae, Oriental, Persian, Phoenician, Phrygian, Rhodian, Roman, Scythian, Sicilian, Spartan,Theban, Thracian, TrojanMAGICamulets, curses, iynx, pharmacology, theurgyMYTHSGeneral: genealogy, golden age, nymphsEtruscan: TagesGreek: Acarnan, Aganippe, Baucis, Callisto, Calypso, Codrus, Daphnis, Echidna, Erysichthon, Ganymedes, Hector, Hermione, Iapetus, Laomedon, Marsyas, Molossus, Odysseus, Palladium, Paris, Penelope, Phoebe, Salmoneus, sphinx, Telephus, Tityus, XuthosRoman: Aeneas, Dido, Mezentius, Tarpeia, VerginiaORGANIZATIONReligious groups: amphictiony, collegium, orgeones, thiasosReligious officials: archontes, Divitiacus, heralds, temple officialsGreek religious officials: Diotima, exegetes, kanephoroi, PolyeidusRoman religious officials: aedituus, Flamines, haruspices, SaliiSocial organization: children, genos, patricians, phratriesPEOPLEHistorical: Apollonius of Tyana, Augustus, Decius, Herod the Great, Maccabees, Melito, Polycarp, Symmachus, ThrasyllusPLACESGeneral: Achelous, Alpheus, Argos, Claros, Cythera, Delphi, Dodona, Eryx, Helicon, Ithaca, Masada, Pelion, Styx, ThermumMythological: Arimaspeans, Eridanus, Symplegades, TartarusReligious: churches, forum, Greek houses, Isthmia, Mona, mundus, Olympia, Palici, Phidias, sanctuaries, stoa, templumAthens: Dipylon, ParthenonAttica: Brauron, Colonos, is, SuniumItaly: Alba Longa, Ardea, Lavinium, PyrgiRome: Ara Pacis, Atrium Vestae, Palatine, Pantheon, Tiber, VaticanRITUALSDivination: Albunea, Bacis, Claros, Dodona, eclipses, oracles, portents, Siwa, TrophoniusFESTIVALSGeneral: athletics, dancing, pantomime, wrestlingGreek: Apaturia, Carnea, Dorian festivals, Isthmian Games, Olympian Games, tragedyRoman: Equirria, Fornacalia, Ludi, Parentalia, Secular GamesReligious objects: cakes, fig, fire, honey, ivory, lead, olive, relics, waterRites: ritual, birthday, cookery, gestures, marriage ceremonies, menstruation, milk, oaths, prayer, transvestism, travel, wineGreek rites: aparche, first-fruits, maschalismos, Paean, sacrifice, titheRoman rituals: apex, consecratio, epulum, lustration, triumphTIMEapophrades, fasti, time-reckoningThere are many extra features in this volume: a substantive introduction on the study of the religious history of antiquity, which includes an annotated bibliography; key texts flagged at the end of individual entries; three maps; and five genealogical tables.
ISBN: 0192802887Publication Date: 2003-12-18
Historical Dictionary of Hinduism by
Presents the Hindu religious tradition's major events, individuals, texts, sects, and concepts in the context of its historical development through various periods.
ISBN: 0810833271Publication Date: 1997-07-23
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church by
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, since its first appearance in 1957, has established itself as the indispensable one-volume reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. This third edition, the first for over twenty years, builds on the unrivalled reputation of theprevious editions. Revised and updated, it reflects changes in academic opinion and Church organisation. There is increased coverage of the Eastern Churches, certain issues in moral theology, and developments stemming from the Second Vatican Council. Numerous new entries have been added and theextensive bibliographies have been brought up to date. Readers are provided with over 6,000 authoritative cross-referenced A-Z entries covering all aspects of the subject, including: * Theology - the development of doctrines in different Churches; heretical movements and spirituality and their exponents; history of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation; discoveries of Nag Hammadi and their significance for Gnosticism. * Patristic scholarship - Fathers of the Church on whose work later theology is founded are covered in detail, for example, Psuedo-Chrysostom is differentiated from his namesake and the problems of Macarius of Egypt and Macarius/Simeon are elucidated; the recently discovered Sermons of St Augustineare listed. * Churches and denominations - the beliefs and structures of both the mainstream and the lesser known denominations, such as Lutherans, Shakers, Amish, Muggletonians, and Wee Frees; lengthy articles on the history of Christianity throughout the world, in countries such as Ireland, Spain, Poland,Canada, New Zealand, Angola, Zaire, the Philippines. * The Church calendar and organisation - feast and saints' days; Sacraments; church services, offices, rites, and practices; canon law including Catholic revision; councils and synods; religious orders. * Biographical entries - these are wide-ranging and include saints, popes, patriarchs, and archbishops; mystics, heretics, and reformers; theologians and philosophers with a summary of their opinions; artists, poets, and musicians whose work has been influenced by Christianity. * New entries - Arator; Liberation Theology; Ludwig Wittgenstein; ordination of women; Christian attitudes to Jews; Christianity in Vietnam; The Quest of the Historical Jesus; the ethics of contraception, procreation, and abortion.
ISBN: 019211655XPublication Date: 1997-03-13
