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Religion / Belief Index [I-Z]

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• Industrial Areas Foundation - A United States national community organizing network established in 1940 by Saul Alinsky, Roman Catholic Bishop Bernard James Sheil and businessman and founder of the Chicago Sun-Times, Marshall Field III. The IAF partners with religious congregations and civic organizations at the local level to help them build organizations of organizations, referred to as broad-based organizations by the Industrial Areas Foundation, with the purpose of strengthening citizen leadership, developing trust across a community's dividing lines and taking action on issues identified by local community leaders. Also see Wikipedia.
• Intelligent Design on Trial - PBS NOVA documentary on teaching of evolution in Dover, Pennsylvania, and parents filing a lawsuit against the town's school board in federal court.
• Interfaith Alliance, The - Non-partisan, faith-based organization with supporters from over 50 faith traditions, including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants and Jews, dedicated to promoting the positive role of religion as a healing and constructive force in politics and in public life.
• Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) - Calls upon our religious values in order to educate, organize, and mobilize the religious community in the U.S. on issues and campaigns that will improve wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers, especially low-wage workers.
• Interfax - Information on religion in Russia, China and Eurasia.
• International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) - Humanist, ethical culture, rationalist, secularist and freethought groups: the IHEU is an international NGO with Special Consultative Status with the UN (New York, Geneva, Vienna), General Consultative Status at UNICEF (New York) and the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), and maintains operational relations with UNESCO (Paris).
• International Religious Freedom - Reports on international religious freedom submitted to Congress by the U.S. Department of State.
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) - ISKCON, founded in 1966 in New York by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is a contemporary representative of the ancient religion of Krishna consciousness - a cultural and religious movement that offers humanity facilities to acquire, study and practice Vedic knowledge.
• Internet Sacred Text Archive - Archive of electronic texts about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. Texts are presented in English translation and, in some cases, in the original language. Also see Sacred-Texts Site Catalog and Search Engine. Texts are included from the following areas:
  • African
  • Age of Reason
  • Alchemy
  • Americana
  • Ancient Near East
  • Asia
  • Atlantis
  • Australia
  • Basque
  • Baha'i
  • Bible
  • Book of Shadows
  • Buddhism
  • Celtic
  • Christianity
  • Classics
  • Confucianism
  • DNA
  • Earth Mysteries
  • Egyptian
  • England
  • Esoteric/Occult
  • Evil
  • Fortean
  • Freemasonry
  • Gothic
  • Gnosticism
  • Grimoires
  • Hinduism
  • I Ching
  • Islam
  • Icelandic
  • Jainism
  • Journals
  • Judaism
  • Legends/Sagas
  • LGBT
  • Miscellaneous
  • Mormonism
  • Native American
  • Necronomicon
  • New Thought
  • Neopaganism/Wicca
  • Nostradamus
  • Oahspe
  • Pacific
  • Paleolithic
  • Philosophy
  • Piri Re'is Map
  • Prophecy
  • Roma
  • Sacred Books of the East
  • Sacred Sexuality
  • Shakespeare
  • Shamanism
  • Shinto
  • Sikhism
  • Sub Rosa
  • Sky Lore
  • Tantra
  • Taoism
  • Tarot
  • Thelema
  • Theosophy
  • Time
  • Tolkien
  • UFOs
  • Utopia
  • Women
  • Zoroastrianism
• Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel - An umbrella organization of over 70 Jewish, Muslim and Christian institutions actively working towards interreligious and intercultural understanding in Israel and the region.
• Introduction to Islam - Who are the Muslims? What are their beliefs? Where do they live?
• Islam and Islamic Studies Resources - Islam studies; Islam and Arabic and religion.
• Islam United? - A comparison of Shi'ite and Sunni belief and practice.
• Islamic Research Foundation International (IRFI) - Seeking to revive the Islamic Renaissance through intellectual advancement of the Muslim Ummah by awarding research grants, scholarships and establishing centers of higher learning, which integrate Islamic and modern education.
• Islamic Studies, Islam, Arabic, and Religion - This academic website of Dr. Alan Godlas, professor of religion at the University of Georgia, provides a scholarly overview of Islam and related subjects.
• IslamiCity - Information site about Islam and Muslims.
• Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) - The public and legal advocacy arm of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism. The Center's mission is to advance religious freedom and pluralism, tolerance, social justice and civil liberties in Israel, based on the belief that these values are intrinsic to and stem from a liberal understanding of Judaism.
• Jainism: Jain Principles, Tradition and Practices - Directory of resources - introductions, directories, lists, songs and prayers, vegetarianism and Ahimsa, Jain texts, pilgrimage, images.
• Jehovah's Witnesses - Believe in God, Jesus, and a future paradise on earth. Seek quality medical care within Bible guidelines.
• Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) - The work of the JCPA, especially in matters relating to democratic pluralism and social justice, reflects the profound Jewish commitment to tikkun olam, the repair of the world. It expresses the conviction of the organized Jewish community that it must be active in the effort to build a just society.
• Jewish Encyclopedia - This website contains the complete contents of the 12-volume Jewish Encyclopedia, which was originally published between 1901-1906. Contains over 15,000 articles and illustrations.
• Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara - Works with hundreds of local, national and international agencies to transform lives and deliver hope, dignity and comfort to millions of people at home, in Israel and around the world: Philanthropy, Education, Culture, Recreation, Social Services.
• Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF) - Started in the 20th century, Reconstructionism is the youngest of the four branches of organized American Judaism. A Reconstructionist Jew has strong commitments both to tradition and to the search for contemporary meaning. Reconstructionists encourage all Jews to enhance their own lives by reclaiming our shared heritage and becoming active participants in the building of the Jewish future.
• Jewish Theological Seminary of America - Intellectual and religious center of Conservative Judaism.
• Jewish Virtual Library: Religion - Comprehensive online Jewish encyclopedia includes complete text of the Tanakh, information on Jewish holidays and material on relations between Jews and Christians and Muslims, and more.
• John Dear - An internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence. A long time activist, popular lecturer, and movement organizer, John is the author of 30 books and hundreds of articles, including Living Peace, Jesus the Rebel, and The Nonviolent Life. He was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
• Johannine Literature Web - Resources for the academic study of the Fourth Gospel and the Letters of John.
• Journal of Buddhist Ethics - Academic journal dedicated to Buddhist ethics.
• Journal of Philosophy and Scripture - An e-journal dedicated to reading scripture in light of philosophy and to examining philosophy in light of scripture. Created and edited by graduate students in philosophy at Villanova University.
• Judaica Libraries and Archives on the Web - A one-stop reference to the web pages of research-level Judaica collections in libraries and archives.
• Judaism 101 - An online encyclopedia of Judaism, covering Jewish beliefs, people, places, things, language, scripture, holidays, practices and customs.
• Judaism and Jewish Resources - Links and descriptions to websites devoted to the Jewish world.
• Karl Rahner - Karl Rahner (1904-1984) was a German Jesuit who made a profound contribution to Catholic theology in the twentieth century. His role as a theological expert at the Second Vatican Council, his 1651 publications (4744 counting reprints and translations), his involvement in international theological debate, his impact on students who attended his classes, and his positive reception by many Protestant thinkers, all contributed to his influence on theology today.
• Killing the Buddha - A religion magazine for people made anxious by churches, people embarrassed to be caught in the "spirituality" section of a bookstore, people both hostile and drawn to talk of God.
• King James Reference Bible - Each of the 1,189 chapters in the Bible is a separate hyperlinked and searchable web page.
• Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) - The association of the leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States. The conference has more than 1500 members, who represent more than 80 percent of the 57,000 women religious in the United States. Founded in 1956, the conference assists its members to collaboratively carry out their service of leadership to further the mission of the Gospel in today's world.
• Lent - The forty days' fast preceding Easter. Catholic Encyclopedia article.
• Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library - A free online digitized virtual library of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Hundreds of manuscripts made up of thousands of fragments - discovered from 1947 and until the early 1960's in the Judean Desert along the western shore of the Dead Sea - are now available to the public online. The high resolution images are extremely detailed and can be accessed through various search options on the site.
• Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life (CSPRL) - Established at Trinity College in 1996 to advance knowledge and understanding of the varied roles that religious movements, institutions, and ideas play in the contemporary world; to explore challenges posed by religious pluralism and tensions between religious and secular values; and to examine the influence of religion on politics, civic culture, family life, gender roles, and other issues in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Non-sectarian and non-partisan, the Center sponsors public lectures, organizes conferences and workshops, contributes to the liberal arts curriculum, and supports the publication and dissemination of materials for both academic and general audiences. Its initiatives are designed to foster discussion of religion in public life both within the campus community and among various external publics.
• Lindisfarne Gospels (British Library) - The Lindisfarne Gospels is the most important surviving treasure from early Northumbria (Northern England). Written between 715 and 720 in honor of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, who died in 687, it is a masterpiece of book production and a historic and artistic document of the first rank. The manuscript was executed in the Monastery of Lindisfarne, on Holy Island, off the coast of modern-day Northumberland.
• Lokahi - Multi-faith research on religious and community issues. Work with local communities to provide educational and other projects, hold public events such as lectures, seminars, and discussion groups and partner with academic and cultural institutions in research and public events.
• Martin Marty Center: The University of Chicago Dvinity School - The Marty Center sponsors a variety of research projects and conferences both independently and in concert with other institutions. Projects range from lecture series or conferences a few days in length to major interdisciplinary endeavors running for several years.
• Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion - Images and text illuminating Hindu worship.
• Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments (James Madision, 1785) - For background, see The Church and State Debate at Library of Congress.
• Mennonite Church USA - Mennonites are a branch of the Christian church, with roots in the radical wing of the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Part of the group known as Anabaptists (because they rebaptized adult believers), the Mennonites took their name from Menno Simons, a Dutch priest who converted to the Anabaptist faith and helped lead it to prominence in Holland by the mid-16th century. Modern day Mennonites number almost 1 million worldwide, with churches in North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia.
• MetaReligion - Major religions and beliefs systems: christianism, buddhism, occultism, gnosticism, theosophy, magick, esotericism, the paranormal, mysticism, wicca, paganism, philosophy and science.
• Micah - A prophet who prophesied from approximately 737-690 BC in Judah and is the author of the Book of Micah. Also see full text of Book of Micah.
• Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) - The concept and practice of religion in the United States military date back to the earliest days of this nation. The United States Constitution outlines the basic concept of the freedom of religion in the military as understood by Americans in the Bill of Rights. MRFF's role is to ensure that our government does indeed adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of the Constitution.
• Mormon Discussions: The Celestial Forum - Scholarly forum.
• Mormon Stories Podcast - Dedicated to exploring, celebrating, and challenging Mormon culture.
• Mountain Record - Zen practioner's journal.
• Mundus Gateway - A web-based guide to more than four hundred collections of overseas missionary materials held in the United Kingdom. These materials, comprising the archives of British missionary societies, collections of personal papers, printed matter, photographs, other visual materials and artefacts, are held in a large number of libraries, record offices and other institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Mundus Gateway makes it easier for researchers to locate these collections and obtain sufficient information about their contents to enable effective planning of research visits.
• MyJewishLearning - Gateway to Jewish exploration. Produced by Hebrew College.
• Muslimmatters.org -Provides educational material, social commentary, and religious inspiration related to Islam and Muslims through its group blogging platform.
• Myths of Crete and Pre-Hellenic Europe (1917) - By Donald A. Mackenzie. Informative, well researched and very readable, Myths of Crete is a unique book about a very opaque period of history.
• Nation of Islam (NOI) - Official site. The NOI is a religious and social/political organization founded in Detroit, Michigan, by Wallace Fard Muhammad in July 1930 with the self-proclaimed goal of resurrecting the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the black man and woman of America. NOI also promotes the belief that Allah will bring about a universal government of peace. Also see Final Call and Wikipedia article.
• National Black Catholic Congress - Comprised of member organizations, representing African American Roman Catholics and working in collaboration with National Roman Catholic organizations. Commited to establishing an agenda for the evangelization of African Americans; and to improving the spiritual, mental, and physical conditions of African Americans.
• National Catholic Reporter - Reports, comments and reflects on the church and society, working out of a Roman Catholic tradition and an ecumenical spirit.
• National Catholic Rural Life Conference - Serves the mission of the Catholic Church by communicating a Catholic perspective and urging public action on rural life and environmental issues
• National City Christian Church (NCCC) - This beautiful, historic church, with its multicultural congregation, challenging ministries, magnificent organ, and renowned choir is located in the heart of Washington, D.C., at Thomas Circle, just blocks from the White House in northwest Washington.
• National Committee For Amish Religious Freedom - Dedicated to the defense and preservervation of the religious freedom of the Old Order Amish religion in the U.S.
• National Council of Catholic Bishops (NCCB)/U.S. Catholic Conference (USCC) - The programs of NCCB/USCC range over the spectrum of Catholic concerns - from prayers and worship to the state of the economy, from revitalizing parishes to averting nuclear war, from promoting vocations to protecting life at all stages.
• National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA - A the leading organization in the movement for Christian unity. Its 36 Protestant and Orthodox member communions (denominations) include more than 50 million adherents in nearly 140,000 congregations nationwide. Through the NCC, members join with partners in more than 80 countries, including the U.S., in ministries of disaster relief, development and refugee assistance; unity, justice, education, and public witness.
• Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice - Founded by Catholic Sisters in the progressive spirit of Vatican II. Inspired by our founders and the leadership of the women who followed, we faithfully embody Gospel justice as we ignite hope in the world. We are rooted in Catholic Social Justice and are open to all who share our passion.
• New Testament Gateway, The - A web directory of Internet resources related to the New Testament.
• New York Society for Ethical Culture - A humanist religious community inspired by the ideal that the supreme aim of human life is working to create a more humane society.
• Noble Sanctuary - At the heart of Jerusalem is the Noble Sanctuary, Al-Haram al-Sharif, enclosing over 35 acres of fountains, gardens, buildings and domes. At its southernmost end is Al-Aqsa Mosque and at its centre the celebrated Dome of the Rock. The entire area is regarded as a mosque and comprises nearly one sixth of the walled city of Jerusalem.
• North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) - An ecumenical, Christian association of individuals and organizations involved in maritime ministry throughout North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1932 as the National Group of Seamen's Agencies, it was renamed NAMMA in 1991. Its mission is to provide a framework to support and assist port chaplains and others in their ministry to the spiritual, moral, human rights, and physical concerns of mariners and all others in the maritime community.
• Official Catholic Directory - Authoritative guide to the Catholic Church in the United States since 1817, providing contact information for all 208 (arch) dioceses in the United States and the hundreds of (arch) dioceses around the world.
• On Being - Conversations about belief, meaning, ethics and ideas. American Public Radio program hosted by journalist and theologian Krista Tippett.
• One Catholic Voice for Action - The Directors of One Catholic Voice have diverse educational and professional backgrounds, but they all share one thing in common - a love for their Church and a deep concern that the Church has lost much of its apostolic mission.
• Opus Dei - Information Office of Opus Dei on the Internet. Also see Wikipedia entry on Opus Dei.
• Orthodox Church in America (OCA) - An autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. The OCA consists of more than 700 parishes, missions, communities, monasteries and institutions in the United States and Canada. Also see Wikipedia.
• Orthodox Union - The central address for over 1,000 synagogues; a not-for-profit educational, outreach and social service organization which serves the burgeoning North American Orthodox Jewish community.
• Other Side, The - Advances a healing Christian vision that's biblical and compassionate, appreciative of the creative arts, and committed to the intimate intertwining of personal spirituality and social transformation.
• Pagan Perspective - A pagan library and the musings of pagan philospher, Ben Hoshour.
• Passion of Christ - Catholic Encyclopedia article: "The sufferings of Our Lord, which culminated in His death upon the cross, seem to have been conceived of as one inseparable whole from a very early period. Even in the Acts of the Apostles (i, 3) St. Luke speaks of those to whom Christshewed himself alive after his passion (meta to mathein autou). In the Vulgate this has been rendered post passionem suam, and not only the Reims Testament but the Anglican Authorized and Revised versions, as well as the medieval English translation attributed to Wyclif, have retained the word passion in English. In modern times a vast literature, and also a hymnology, has grown up relating directly to the Passion of Christ. Also see The Passion of Christ in the Four Gospels.
• Passover - A Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar, which is in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and is celebrated for seven or eight days. It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays.
• Patheos - Brings together faith communities, academics, and the broader public into a single environment. View religious history and facts through unique interactive tools that allow visitors to compare, contrast, and explore religions and belief systems in new and innovative ways. Find accurate, balanced information on the world's religions in our extensive library.
• Patrol - Writing about religion, culture, and politics.
• Pax Christi International - A Catholic organization, but welicoming all religious groups, as well as those not affiliated with a religious group, that is working for peace.
• Pax Christi USA - Commits itself to peace education and, with the help of its bishop members, promotes the gospel imperative of peacemaking as a priority in the Catholic Church in the United States. Pax Christi USA rejects war, preparations for war, and every form of violence and domination. It advocates primacy of conscience, economic and social justice, and respect for creation.
• Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life - Seeks to promote a deeper understanding of how religion shapes the ideas and institutions of American society.
• Places of Peace and Power - The sacred pilgramage of Martin Gray. Gray is an anthropologist and photographer specializing in the study of sacred sites and pilgrimage traditions around the world. Traveling as a pilgrim, Gray spent twenty years, visiting and photographing over 1000 sacred sites in eighty countries.
• Progressive Christianity Network (PCN Britain) - Works to promote and support open and contemporary Christian understanding. We provide a network of local groups across the country, publish a radical quarterly newsletter, and organise regular conferences and events. Members come from all denominations.
• Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation (PECF) - The PECF was chartered by Congress over 100 years ago to promote the causes of religion, education, and charity. The Foundation is made up of five institutions: the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly referred to as the Washington National Cathedral, founded in 1893; the National Cathedral School for Girls, founded in 1900; St. Albans School for Boys, founded in 1909; and Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, founded in 1933. Sixteen hundred students between pre-kindergarten and twelfth grades attend schools on the Close. The Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral was created in September 2004 by the consolidation of the College of Preachers and the Cathedral's Program and Ministry Department. The Cathedral College is a residential continuing education center in Washington, D.C., serving those who are engaged in ministries of proclamation.
• Public Religion Research Institute - A nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organization dedicated to work at the intersection of religion, values, and public life.
• Qur'an - Makes Qur'an [aka Koran] text available in many languages with features that allow users to browse verses, search and listen to recitations of the Qur'an in an easy-to-use interface.
• Reconstructionist Judaism - Contains hundreds of resources based on the values, beliefs and history of Reconstructionist Judaism. You'll find divrei Torah and teachings, tikkun olam projects, lesson plans, congregational best practices and holiday resources.
• Recovering from Religion (RR) - Provides support, encouragement, and resources for people letting go of their faith.
• Radical Faith - Michael Maasdorp explores fundamentals of faith in a changed world.
• Radical Theology and the Death of God - By Thomas Altizer and William Hamilton.
• Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar,[3] and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.
• Reform Judaism - Resources for study of Reform Judaism, the oldest and largest Jewish movement in North America.
• Religion and Belief - Religion and beliefs, origins and history, debates and controversy on Channel 4.
• Religion and Ethics (BBC) - Information about the UK's religions, daily news, audio on demand and the best of the BBC's religious programming.
• Religion and Ethics Newsweekly - The online companion to the PBS series Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, hosted by Bob Abernethy. The Web site features individual show transcripts, an audio archive of past programs, full transcripts of interviews with notable guests, related articles dealing with significant issues in religion and ethics news, a list of related resources and an online pressroom featuring downloadable versions of the program press kit and quarterly newsletter as well as detailed summaries of individual stories.
• Religion & Politics - Online news journal project of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics at Washington University in St. Louis.
• Religion and the Founding of the American Republic - An exhibit at the Library of Congress. The efforts of the Founders of the American nation to define the role of religious faith in public life and the degree to which it could be supported by public officials that was not inconsistent with the revolutionary imperatives of the equality and freedom of all citizens is the central question which this exhibition explores.
• Religion Dispatches - Daily magazine dedicated to the analysis and understanding of religious forces in the world today, highlighting a diversity of progressive voices and aimed at broadening and advancing the public conversation.
• Religion in the News (RIN) - An archive of RIN articles and other Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life (CSPRL) publications.
• Religion News Service (RNS) - News about religion, ethics, spirituality and moral issues.
• Religion Newswriters Association - Strengthens and encourages religion reporting as a means of improving public understanding of religion by by providing journalists in the secular media access to useful resources, examples of best practices and opportunities for increased communication with one another.
• Religion Online - More than 6000 articles and chapters. Topics include Old and New Testament, Theology, Ethics, History and Sociology of Religions, Comparative Religion, Religious Communication, Pastoral Care, Counselling, Homiletics, Worship, Missions and Religious Education.
• Religion Subject Index - Academic mega-subject index to religion and spirituality.
• Religion Unplugged - Online news magazine on the topic of religion.
• Religion Watch - A newsletter monitoring trends in contemporary religion.
• Religions of the Middle East - Wikipedia backgrounder: The three major religions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha'i Faith are all Abrahamic religions, and each originated within the Middle East.[1] Islam in its many forms is by far the most heavily represented religion in the region though many branches and sects diversify and segment it. In addition to the widely acknowledged religions, smaller minority religions such as Bahá'í, Druze, Yazidi, Mandean, Gnosticism, Yarsanism, Shabakism and Zoroastrianism are also prevalent throughout the Middle East.
• Religious Liberty Archive - Information about state and federal laws pertaining to religious freedom in the United States.
• Religious Society of Friends (or Quakers) in Britain - Quaker links, resources and thought.
• Religious Tolerance - Describes dozens of faith groups as accurately as possible from a neutral stance, from Asatru to Christianity to Zoroastrianism. Also discusses religion in the media and controversial topics.
• Religious Worlds - An information source for religion, religions, religious studies. This site offers information about religious traditions that developed in the Middle East or West Asia as well as others from South and East Asia.
• Restoring Trust: Resources for a Pastoral Response to Sexual Abuse - Church documents on the abuse scandal from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
• Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - The mission of the Foundation is to support scientific education, critical thinking and evidence-based understanding of the natural world in the quest to overcome religious fundamentalism, superstition, intolerance and suffering.
• Riverside Church - The Riverside Church (New York) pledges itself to education, reflection, and action for peace and justice, the realization of the vision of the heavenly banquet where all are loved and blessed. Its members are united in the worship of God known in Jesus, the Christ, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
• Roman Catholic Church - The largest of the Christian churches that profess the Catholic faith. It is also the largest single religious denomination in the world. Wikipedia encyclopedia article.
• Roman Catholic Lectionary - Comprehensive tables of the scripture readings from several Latin and English editions of the Roman Catholic Lectionary for Mass.
• Rome Reports - A private and independent international TV news agency based in Rome, Italy, specializing in covering the Pope and the Vatican. Offers the latest news from Rome as well as a half-hour weekly newsprogram.
• Roots of Western Mysticism Resources - Collects resources for a philosophical study of mysticism.
• Rosenkrantz Family Library Audio Collection - Contains Biblical and liturgical passages that may be downloaded and played on sound-enabled computers and digital players. Maintained by Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel in New Haven, CT USA.
• Rothko Chapel - As an institution, The Rothko Chapel functions as chapel, a museum and a forum. It is a place where religion, art and architecture intermingle. The Rothko Chapel is free, open to the public, and accessible to the physically challenged every day of the year. It has become a pilgrimage stop for thousands of visitors who are drawn by its importance both as an artistic masterpiece and as an ecumenical gathering place for people of all religious beliefs. Students, art lovers, and scholars from all over the world visit the Chapel for research and inspiration. Modern art books and catalogues worldwide feature the Chapel.
• Russian Orthodox Church - The official web server of the Moscow Patriachate.
• Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion - Law journal dedicated to the interaction of church and state on a global scale.
• Sabeel - An ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians.
• Sacred Sites - Explore sacred sites, ancient wonders, and religious places around the world. The Sacred Destinations Travel Guide is an ecumenical guide to more than 1,100 sacred sites, holy places, religious buildings, religious artifacts, and pilgrimage destinations in 55 countries around the world. Also see Photo Galleries Index and Maps indexes.
• Saint Peter's Church - A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in New York City.
• Saints Lives - Ancient, Byzantine, and medieval hagiographic original texts - in translation and otherwise - along with basic data on the cult of saints.
• Science & Spirit - Explores how science and religion can work together to address the vital issues of our time.
• Secretariat of State - The Secretariat of State is the dicastery of the Roman Curia which works most closely with the Supreme Pontiff in the exercise of his universal mission (Pastor Bonus, Art. 39).
• Secular Student Alliance (SSA) - Working to organize, unite, educate, and serve students and student communities that promote scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human-based ethics. Envisions a future in which nontheistic students are respected voices in public discourse and partners in the secular movement's charge against irrationality and dogma.
• Secular Web, The - Serves online nonbelievers hungry for philosophical inquiry.
• Shaker Historic Trail - The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places and Northeast Regional Office, in conjunction with the Shaker communities and museums of the east coat and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), invites you to discover the Shaker Historic Trail. The Shakers, more properly known as the United Society of Believers, are one of the most compelling religious and social movements in American life. Beginning in the 1780s, the Shakers established 19 official communities from Maine to Kentucky. This latest National Register of Historic Places travel itinerary highlights 15 Shaker sites, including nine which are open to the public.
• Shamash: The Jewish Network - Gathering point of Jewish information and discussion on the Internet.
• Shambala Sun - Buddhist inspired magazine celebrating the arts, relationships, politics, livelihood, popular culture, and all the challenges of modern life.
• Share International - The main purpose of this web site is to present information about the emergence of Maitreya, the World Teacher, and his message of hope for the future.
• Shema - The initial word of the verse, or chapter, recited as the confession of the Jewish faith. "Hear, [O] Israel") are the first two words of a section of the Torah (Hebrew Bible) that is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. The first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one," found in Deuteronomy 6:4. Also see:
  • Jewish Encyclopedia: Shema
  • Meaning of Shema Yisrael
  • Shema Yisrael in Hebrew and English
  • Transliteration of the Shema Yisrael
• Shi'ite Encyclopedia - Covers the most important lines of thought of the Shia, is the contribution of a few brothers. Most of the articles provided in this encyclopedia are original contributions, while the rest are excerpts from the Shi'i/Sunni books.
• Sojourners - A Christian ministry whose mission is to proclaim and practice the biblical call to integrate spiritual renewal and social justice. Also see Jim Wallis' blog, God's Politics.
• South African Council of Churches (SACC) - A body for Christian witness. Its mandate is to teach, prophesy, rebuke and correct the wrongs that seek to define society.
• St. Francis of Assisi Church, San Francisco - Located in the heart of San Francisco's North Beach. No longer a parish, the church has become the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi and as such bears witness to Christ within the city named for the poor troubador of God.
• St. John's Church - Historic protestant Episcopal church located across from the White House.
• St. Mark's Lutheran Church - A congregation celebrating 160 years of active ministry in San Francisco.
• Summa Theologica - Written 1265-1274, the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274). Although unfinished, it was intended as an instructional guide for theology students, including seminarians and the literate laity. It was a compendium of all of the main theological teachings of the Catholic Church. It presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West. The Summa's topics follow a cycle: the existence of God; Creation, Man; Man's purpose; Christ; the Sacraments; and back to God. Full text in English translation by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province here.
• Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) - A volunteer self-help organization of survivors of clergy sexual abuse and their supporters.
• Swedenborgian Church, The - The Swedenborgian church bases its teachings on the Bible as illuminated by the works of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), a Swedish scientist and theologian. Swedenborg envisioned a new Christianity coming into being, revitalized by the Spirit of the Lord.
• Synoptic Gospels Primer - Parrallel texts in Matthew, Mark & Luke. Presented by Mahlon H. Smith, Rutgers University.
• Tablet, The - Founded in 1840. Loyal to the Catholic Church but not under its control. According to Tablet's editor, John Wilkins, "Our concern is with the world as much as with the Church: with everything that is human. We shall seek to inform and interpret as well as to comment. We shall seek to entertain. Above all, we shall hope that in the future, as in the past, readers may find in our pages that message without which the world perishes."
• Theology Library (USA) - A collection of over 100 pages with over 5,000 links "in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council."
• Theology Today - A quarterly ecumenical journal of Christian theology. Publishes articles on a wide range of classical and contemporary issues in Christian theology by many of the finest theologians working today. Theology Today is published by Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ.
• Trinity Church - A vibrant New York Episcopal parish, where 18 weekly worship services form the heart of its Christian identity. Trinity is a grant-making organization, streaming funds throughout the city and the world, as well as a resource for Lower Manhattan's commuters and tourists, who find inspirational music within its walls.
• Trinity United Church of Christ - Chicago church with deep roots in the balck religious experience and tradition. Also see TRNITYCHGO's Channel, which houses many sermons given by Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. over the years.
• Tricycle - Buddhist wisdom for the West. The Buddhist Review online.
• Trumpet, The - Reporting and analysis of recent global geopolitical, economic, social and religious events and trends. Published 10 times a year by the Philadelphia Church of God.
• U.S. Catholics - Religious general-interest magazine in the United States published by the Claretians. The Claretian Missionaries are a Roman Catholic religious community of priests and brothers dedicated to the mission of living and spreading the Gospel of Jesus.
• UK Islamic Mission - The Mission seeks to observe and establish Islam in its entirety and purity, based on the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad.
• Unbound Bible, The - A collection of searchable Bibles consisting of: 10 English versions, Greek and Hebrew versions, 4 ancient versions, and 42 versions in other languages.
• Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York - An independent, nondenominational graduate school of theology. The Union's ecumenical commitment continues through programs of exchange with churches and seminaries around the world, with significant attention to the thought of recent liberation theologian. In all of its work Union strives to serve the church and the world by encouraging, as its founders stated, not only learning and piety, but also an aptitude for enlightened experience.
• Unitarian Universalist Association - With historical roots in the Jewish and Christian traditions, Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that keeps an open mind to the religious questions people struggle with in all times and places. Unitarians believe that personal experience, conscience and reason should be the final authorities in religion - that in the end religious authority lies not in a book or person or institution, but in ourselves.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (UUCB) - A welcoming and vibrant congregation, joyously supporting spiritual development guided by individual faith, reason, and conscience.
• United Church of Christ - A community of faith that seeks to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.
• United Methodist Church (UMC) - The mission of the UMC is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the good news of God's grace and thus seeking the fulfillment of God's reign and realm in the world. The UMC affirms that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the Lord of all.
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) - An assembly of the hierarchy of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands who jointly exercise certain pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States. Also see USCCB News Releases and USCCBlog.
• Vatican
  • Catholic News Agency - Provides free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, giving particular emphasis to the words of the Holy Father and happenings of the Holy See.
  • Holy See (Vatican) - Official website of the Holy See. Vatican official website.
  • L'Osservatore Romano - The Holy See news services, Rome, Italy, the Vatican's official newspaper.
  • Pope Francis - Blog. Also see Wikipedia and Twitter.
  • Rome Reports - TV news agency based in Rome, Italy, specializing in covering the Pope and the Vatican.
  • Second Vatican Council for Catholic Students - These notes are intended as an aid to study by Catholic students of the Second Vatican Council.
  • SEDOS: Documentation and Research Centre (Italy) - SEDOS (the name stands for Service of Documentation and Study) began during the Second Vatican Council when seven missionary societies began to meet informally in Rome to exchange information and views on Mission in the Church. Excellent source of articles on interreligious dialogue, ecumenism, and the role of women in the church.
  • Vati Leaks - Dedicated to publishing unknown and suppressed information that has been hidden from the people by the Vatican hierarchs in an attempt to conceal the truth about its past.
  • Vatican (The Holy See) - Official site. Also see News.va for Vatican news.
  • Vatican Apostolic Library - Located in Vatican City, and formally established in 1475, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the world's most significant collections of historical texts. At present the Vatican Library preserves over 180,000 manuscripts (including 80,000 archival units), 1,600,000 printed books, over 8,600 incunabula, over 300,000 coins and medals, 150,000 prints, drawings and engravings and over 150,000 photographs.
  • Vatican City State - Offers a wide array of information on Vatican City's history, structure and artistic patrimony.
  • Vatican Insider - A project run by the daily newspaper La Stampa, designed to provide a complete information service on the Vatican, the activities of the Pope and the Holy See, the Catholic Church's presence on the international scene and on religious issues.
  • Vaticanum Secundum (USA) - Celebrates the Second Vatican Council and its promise for the future of the Catholic Church.
• Washington National Cathedral - The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, known as the Washington National Cathedral, is an Episcopal cathedral in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It is a listed monument on the National Register of Historic Places and the designated "National House of Prayer" of the United States. The cathedral is the official seat of both the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (Episcopal Church USA) and the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. It is the mother church of the Episcopal Church in the District of Columbia and Maryland counties of Charles, St. Mary's, Prince George's and Montgomery. The Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation officially oversees the Washington National Cathedral and its sister institutions: National Cathedral School, St. Albans School, Beauvoir School, and Cathedral College. Also see Wikipedia entry.
• Wasilla Bible Church - Wasila, AK. Believes in the Bible as the only inspired inerrant Word of God authoritative for faith and practice.
• Watchtower - Official web site of Jehovah's Witnesses.
• Wesley Center for Applied Theology - Sponsored by the Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho.
• Westminster Abbey - Westminster Abbey, a work of architectural genius, a locus of daily worship, deploying the resources of high musical expertise, a burial place of kings, statesmen, warriors, scientists, musicians and poets is the result of a process of development across the centuries, which represents the response of a monastery and later a post-Reformation church to the stimulus and challenge of its environment.
• What Does the Bible Say About Communism & Socialism? - The Book of Acts has two explicit passages depicting the very communistic nature of the early Christian community:

• Whispers in the Loggia - The blog of Rocco Palmo, one of global Catholicism's most prominent chroniclers.
• Women of the Wall - A group of Jewish women from around the world who strive to achieve the right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray and read from the Torah collectively and out loud at the Western Wall (Kotel)  in Jerusalem, Israel. The Western Wall is Judaism's most sacred holy site and the principal symbol of Jewish people-hood and sovereignty, and Women of the Wall works to make it a holy site where women can pray freely.
• Women Priests - The case for ordaining women in the Catholic Church.
• Woodstock Theological Center - An independent nonprofit institute at Georgetown University that engages in theological and ethical reflection on topics of social, economic, business, scientific, cultural, religious, and political importance. The Center does research, conducts conferences and seminars, and publishes books and articles. Drawing on the Roman Catholic tradition, the Woodstock Center is ecumenically open, multi-disciplinary, and collaborative with, among others, the business community, government, religious groups, universities, other research centers, and the media.
• World Council of Churches (WCC) - A fellowship of churches, now 337 in more than 120 countries in all continents, from virtually all christian traditions.
• World Council For Muslim Interfaith Relations (WCMIR) - Endeavors to create a moral force for global peace, tolerance, and understanding at intra and inter-faith levels. Focuses on issues such as protection of human dignity, promotion of inter-faith and inter-cultural understanding, social and economic justice, eradication of poverty, hunger, violence and oppression as well as exploitation of the earth and environmental resources. The Council is particularly committed to reminding the Muslims of their Islamic responsibility to serve humanity at large.
• World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) - The international umbrella organization of the reform, liberal, progressive and reconstructionist movements, serving 1,200 congregations with 1.8 million members in more than 45 countries. Embraces pluralism, modernity, equality and social justice as core values and believes that such values are consistent with a committed Jewish life. Also see Wikipedia backgrounder.
• World Vision - An international partnership of Christians whose mission is to follow the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God.
• WWW Virtual Library of Buddhist Studies - Internet mega-guide to Buddhist resources.
• WWW Virtual Library Taoism Information Page - Comprehensive indexing of Taoism resources.
• YouVersion - Download this Bible app for free on any mobile device. When you use the mobile app, your notes, bookmarks, highlights, plans, and more will be automatically synced across all of your devices. Take your choice from hundreds of Bible versions and languages. Compare two versions side by side.
• Young Muslims Canada - An Islamic organization working for and through the Muslim youth in Canada.
• Zen Centers of the World - Includes 67 countries.
• Zipple - Jewish resource to explore Judaism, Israel, and the Holocaust.
• Zoroastrian Archives - Complete text of the extant Avesta, the most ancient scriptures of Zoroastrianism, as well as many Pahlavi scriptures.

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