Nielsen's Links to Psychology and Religion Sites

Of the thousands of psychology and religion sites on the internet, these are my favorites. I have not attempted to be exhaustive, but I have tried to give you an introduction to most of the major branches of religion. Most of these sites have many additional links, so whatever your interests are, I think that these links will get you started! I also have included a list of email discussion groups that you might find interesting. Browse your way through the list, or use the index to jump to the category that interests you. A listing on this page is not an endorsement of the quality of information or of the editorial content found at the given link.

Psychology Links Psychology of Religion Home Page General Psychology Psychology and Religion Organization Pages Personal Perspectives (Some of these are quite large and encompassing, and others are more focused.) Science and Religion Mysticism General Religion Resources Overviews of World Religions Religion in Society Religion Departments with Useful Pages Spirituality (Broadly Defined) Philosophy Specialized Religion Links Atheism; Baha'i; Buddhism; General Christianity, with specific links to Christian denominations such as Anglican Brethren/Mennonites Jehovah's Witnesses Mormon Roman Catholic United Methodist New Christian Movements Deism; Hinduism; Islam; Jain; Judaism; New Religious Movements; New Age; Paganism/Wiccan; Scientology; Sikhism; Taoism; Unitarian-Universalist; Difficult to Categorize Sites; Evaluating Internet Information; Email Discussion Lists. Good Things on the Net People Science Art Censorship Computer and Internet Resources

Psychology Links General Psychology Links Essay-on-Psychology offers basic advise for writing essays. If you are a good writer, you already do the steps outlined on this site. Still, it doesn't hurt to be reminded. If your interests involve religion's relationship with mental (or physical) health, be sure to see what the Medline database has to offer. This is a wonderful free service! The PsycGrad project will be of interest to people in graduate school. Psychweb is an award-winning site for psychology resources. Psyc Site is another good psychology site. You might also wish to visit this collection of psychology aimed at high school students for an overview of psychology. If you have a psychology site on the web, consider joining the WebPsych Partnership, which strives to improve the availability and quality of psychology resources on the internet. It also has an index to the best psychology sites on the web. Self-Help Psychology Magazine is an interesting compilation of psychology resources. Perspectives is an online magazine that deals with psychology. The August 1996 issue had three articles that you might find interesting or useful: Barb Chandler's Can Religion Change Your Sexuality?, The Perception of Reality in Insane and `Supersane' States by Peter Chadwick, and Kevin McCarthy's Treading or Threading Through the Moral Maze? Stop by for some interesting "popular press" perspectives on psychology and religion/spirituality. Mel White's Justice Net addresses questions about religion and sexual orientation. This is a very interesting page illustrating some of the complexities of the issue. The PsychologyMatters web page offers interesting online essays regarding psychology. Several of them deal with psychology of religion. You may find additional information from Armind Guenther's list of psychology journals, although when I last looked there, the main journals in psychology of religion were not part of that list. Developed by the American Psychological Association (APA), KidPsych is an "online adventure" for children and their parents, including educationally entertaining games for children ages one through nine. You might find something of value at a new ejournal called Theory and Review in Psychology. They don't specialize in psychology of religion, but they do include some articles related to religion. Psychwatch is a useful resource for keeping informed about psychology in the news. The American Psychological Association (APA) developed a PsychCrawler - a local area search engine - to provide rapid access to high quality psychological information. The search engine currently indexes five organizational sites that have "substantial authoritative content in the area of psychology". Enjoy! Andrew Johnson's list of psychology links also contains information for psychology in South Africa. PsychNet-UK may be a useful search/portal site for psychologists & students, particularly those in the UK. [back to top] Psychology and Religion Organization Pages Note: These are only a few organizations. My main collection of organizations involved in psychology and religion is found on my resources page! The Religious Research Association is dedicated to applying social science research to religion in an effort to benefit the religious group or its members. When I last tried this address, the site was down; it may be active now. For excellent material from a Christian perspective, visit Religion-Online. Their sections on sociology of religion, and on religion and society, contain articles from some of the top scholars in the field. Be sure to see the page developed by the National Chaplain Center of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. You will be especially interested in their expanding section on research, which describes links between religion and physical & mental health. A brief introduction to pastoral counseling is available, or you may wish to examine the official site of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. An introduction to The International Association of Pastoral Counseling can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/IAPC/. The Centre for Psychology of Religion, at Belgium's Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, is an active research center investigating psychological aspects of religion. Here is the home of the Guild of Pastoral Psychology Learn about the Council on Spiritual Practices. The Journal of Psychology and Theology maintains a web page describing their work, which emphasizes a biblical perspective of psychology and religion. The Christian Association for Psychological Studies homepage describes their organization, and provides information about their journal. The University of Wales, Bangor, Centre for Ministry Education describes their program, staff, and research pursuits in the area of psychology and religion. Dr. Leslie Francis, one of their faculty, is an astonishingly productive scholar, and many of his studies are abstracted at this site. The Academy of Religion and Psychical Research is devoted to spirituality and psychic research. The Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life is an especially good source for information and commentary regarding religion in the news. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research has excellent resources for scholars interested in religion and society. [back to top] Personal Perspectives (Some of these are quite large and encompassing, and others are more focused. With a few exceptions for the pages that I think have something especially interesting or unusual to offer, these pages are arranged mostly in alphabetical order, by the creator's last name.) Sebastian Murken operates a very active lab studying the psychology of religion. His psychology of religion webpage offers an insight into the work he and his colleagues are doing. For a European perspective, be sure to look at Przemyslaw Jablonski's Psychology and Religion Page. I think you'll find something useful there! Visit Gene Thursby's religion pages, some of the best on the 'net! From Iran comes the Divine Psychology pages developed by Dr. S. A. Hosseini. His theory integrates psychology and religion from a Muslim perspective. Christine Norstrand offers these thought-provoking, and beautifully designed psychology of religion pages. Michael Rogge is a psychologist who studies new religious movements. His perspective is quite useful and well-informed. Dave Myers has some interesting things to say about religion. You may know him from his excellent Introduction to Psychology and Social Psychology texts. Be sure to check out his ideas! An introduction to the Adlerian perspective may be gained by reading Philosophical and Spiritual Implications of Adlerian Psychology. Or you may want to visit the Alfred Adler Institute of San Francisco (or this mirrow), which offers a good, in-depth examination of Adler's approach. Learn more about Otto Rank, a psychotherapist who had much to say about religion, from James Lieberman, and expert who has studied and translated Rank's work. The Apostolic Faith Ministry is one example of how Christians apply the Bible to such areas as domestic violence. For an analogy of the physical and spiritual worlds, see Philip Benjamin's page. This address wasn't active the last time I tried to visit. It may be available now. Ken Hart is one of several scholars studying forgiveness, with help from the Templeton Foundation. You can read a summary of his project here. Visit Kenneth Brown's homepage and his research page, which describes his doctoral research. Kenneth welcomes comments and discussion about his work--pay him a visit! Matthew Clapp has established an award-winning site devoted to Carl Jung. Clapp also has developed Jung Magazine for people who take a Jungian view. You also can learn about schools that offer graduate studies in psychology and religion from a Jungian perspective at his site. Other useful Jung sites are found at http://www.cgjung.com/cgjung/linkx.html and the Jung Circle. Diane Goble describes her near death experience and tries to answer questions that people have on the subject. Michael Ducey's The Consciousness Project is an extension of Ken Wilber's work. Marc Fonda's Home Page includes his thoughts on Freud, James, and others relevant to psychology of religion. This address was not available the last time I tried to visit. It may be active now. Read a graduate student's thoughts about psychology and religion at Jay Gattis's Thinktank for the Integration of Psychology and Christianity. Howard Gontovnick's Experiential Psychotherapy page offers a search service for people trying to obtain books or articles in psychology or religion. This address wasn't available the last time I checked. It may be active now. My friend Howard Gontovnick also hosts a radio program dealing with religion and spirituality. If you live in the Montreal area, be sure to listen to Mind Excursions. Dean Hammond, a religious studies Ph.D. candidate, is interested in Jung, Ricoeur, and other topics associated with psychology and religion. He's started the Graduate Journal of Religious and Theological Studies for people to exchange ideas. You also might find his main page interesting. John Haule describes his views. Bill Huitt, an educational psychologist, has developed several pages that you should visit. He outlines similarities and differences in various ways of gaining knowledge, describes a model for understanding spirituality in education, and offers his own views of spirituality. Notes on the classic text by William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience. C. G. Jung, Analytical Psychology, and Culture is maintained by Donald Williams, a Jungian analyst, and describes the Jungian perspective on psychology and religion. Michael Kearl's thoughts on Collective Behavior and the Social Psychologies of Social Institutions ncludes some thoughts about religious institutions. If you like to study people, you'll find Dan Mazur's "new forum" page interesting. It portrays some of the struggles of a family divided over religion. This address wasn't available the last time I tried to visit; perhaps it is active now. Scott McDonald's page on Zen, Buddhism and psychology offers many excellent resources for psychologists interested in religion. Shane Peterson's home page offers some links to religion resources, Catholicism, and related subjects. Chris Phillips is a psychologist who analyzes dreams, and has developed a theory that includes spirituality. Michael Rogge's perspective on psychological factors influencing religious movements and groups offers interesting examples of how psychology may be applied to help us understand religious behaviors and beliefs. Earl Schaefer is doing some interesting research in the area of psychology and religion. Click on his page to participate! Victor and Bruno Silva invite you to their Portuguese study of psychology and religion. You also may want to visit their site on psychology in Portuguese. A recurring topic in some circles is how to integrate psychology and religion. Here is one student's perspective. Visit David Paul Smith's homepage and read about his psychology of religion research. Read an interview with Huston Smith. Bill Snell is doing research on psychology and the 10 commandments and invites you to learn more about his work. Pawel Socha teaches and does psychology of religion at the Instytut Religioznawstwa UJ in Krakow, Poland. An interesting interview of Michael Washburn by Paul Bernstein is found in Life's Three Stages: Infancy, Ego, and Transcendence. Washburn is a philosopher who combines religion and psychology in an interesting way. Robert Young's page includes several papers on subjects related to psychology and religion. Topics include Freud, transcendent values, and others. New Religious Movements - Social Identity Theory. A superb examination of social psychology and religion by an undergraduate student, Andrew J. Yu. This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit; perhaps it is active now. An essay called "The Third Jesus" and other interesting ideas may be found here. View the responses to the 1998 "Great American Think-Off Debates: Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?" here. I found the thoughts of Clark Berge, an Episcopal minister who suggests that honesty is not always the best policy, to be especially interesting. Dr. M. Allen Cooperstein has written an enlightening article titled "The myths of healing: A summary of research into transpersonal healing experience". Read the article, and others from the journal Personality and Consciousness, here. Swami B.V. Tripurari's new book examines the sacred aspect of physical love. Find excerpts from the book, as well as audio files and art here. Read an account of one family's struggle against cancer without medical intervention. "Our church did not believe in doctors. Was our church a 'cult'? I'm not sure." View here. [back to top] Science and Religion Links Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy is a fascinating place dealing with physical and biological aspects of spirituality. You won't be disappionted! Dr. Jihad!'s Page 'O Heavy Issues includes some essays devoted psychology and religion. Follow the link to his "academic topics" page. The Science & Spirit home page, which is part of the Templeton Foundation's work, is a peer-reviewed journal with much to offer people who are interested in science and spirituality. View a free e-journal that occasionally contains essays on the psychology of religion at Janus Head: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature, Continental Philosophy, Phenomenological Psychology, and the Arts American Academy of Religion Syllabi Project compiles syllabi and other pedagogical resources for the academic study of religion. Currently, over 60 resources are listed in the searchable subject index. For an interesting blend of psychoanalysis, physics, and religion, visit Vic Mansfield's home page. A scholarly resource is Yale University's Project on Religious Institutions and Society, which includes a series of research papers on-line. The General Social Survey is one of the premier surveys conducted in the U.S. This site allows you to examine some of their vast database, which includes several questions about religion. [back to top] Mysticism and Psychology Links Some thoughts about mysticism are available at the "merovence" page. Mysticism is also the topic of the day at Michael Foster's webpage. Do you think that religions are more similar than dissimilar? Examine the General Theory of Religion, and Mysticism in World Religions pages. The latter page was inactive the last time I tried to visit. It may be active now. The anthropology of mysticism webpage is now available for perusal. [back to top] General Religion Links Overviews of World Religions The BUBL Information Service Web Server contains a great deal of information about major world religions. Tremendous graphics add to the information found at Mike Croghan's Religion Page. He also offers a version that accommodates frames. If you want to get the information more quickly by bypassing the graphics, use the slow link. The Religious Research Centre attempts to show common themes among the various world religions (or click their alternate site. Several good links to religious resources, as well as examples of using web resources to teach courses in religious studies, may be found at John Gresham's Finding God in Cyberspace document. When I get the chance, I always try to watch the PBS show, Religion and Ethics This Week. Click here to reach their web page. Mike Madin's excellent collection of religion resources on the internet is found at his Comparative Religion site. A Guide to the Best Religious Studies Resources on the Internet will point you in the right direction in your search for religion on the web. Includes Western, Eastern, and alternative religions. Worthwhile information about several religions and denominations is available from wiretap's religion gopher. The last time I tried to visit this site, it was not available; perhaps it is active now. One of my favorite sites is Arden Eby's Religious Studies Center. An extensive set of sacred texts, including some that are hard to find, can be found at the Religious and Sacred Texts page. Russ Pollanen has compiled an interesting set of links to religion resources, although the site was down the last time I tried to visit it. It may be available now. Two sites offer free web space to Christian churches in the USA, and give an index of those sites. You may find them at Houses of Worship or at ChurchUSA.com. If you are interested in religion and you like to laugh, see what is available at Blind Chihuahua, the Virtual Church. It will leave you laughing, either with religion, or at religion. [back to top] Religion in Society An excellent source of religion news on the web is found each saturday at the Salt Lake Tribune. Being in Utah, it carries the main stories about Mormonism, but it also includes interesting news and features about other denominations and religions. Check there on Saturday for interesting stories about the world of religion. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance gives information about many different religions, religion in the media, and controversial topics. Probably the best site of its kind, and well-worth your visit. The US Library of Congress exhibit on Religion and the Founding of the American Republic is simply fascinating. National Public Radio has done several interesting things to offer about death. This is well worth a visit! The United Nations, through UNESCO, has interesting material regarding religious rights and the role of religion in society. Read about sociological aspects of death and dying, courtesy of Michael Kearl at Trinity University. Access quantitative data sets for the study of American religion at American Religion Data Archive. The ARDA concentrates on data sets not stored in a public archive and makes them available for free use. One of the most stimulating resources for discussion of religion on the world-wide-web is The Association for Religion and Intellectual Life's journal, Cross Currents. The Terra Ferma: The Forum for Equitable Representation of Religion in Media and Academia invites you to help correct factual mistakes and expose biases about religion in the media and in academia. Visit The International Association for Near-Death Studies Information about religion and public schools in the U.S. is found at the Religion and Public Education Resource Center, located at California State University in Chico. The Religion Report is an Australian radio broadcast of religious events and news stories. Their transcripts are quite interesting. The Bridge Across Consciousness - Hypermedia Mirror has many interesting links, as well as archives of SSREL-L and other email list discussions. The last time I tried to visit this site, it was unavailable. It may be active now. A National & International Religion Report is available, but the site's organization makes it difficult to use. Read the judgment in McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education, a famous U.S. court case involving the teaching of evolution and creationism in public schools. Some interesting views on religion and homosexuality are found at this Lambda theology site. You'll also find this essay interesting. [back to top] Religion Departments with Useful Information You may take postgraduate MA training in mysticism and religious experience at the University of Kent. The University of Queensland Religion Department offers a useful homepage, including a list of religion departments around the world. The Virtual Religion Index, created and maintained by the Department of Religion at the University of Rutgers, provides an extensive compilation of annotated links for the academic study of religion. See what some courses in religious studies are like by visiting the World Lecture Hall. You also can find information about Dr. Gerald Smith's religion courses here. The Wabash Center Guide to Internet Resources for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion is a well organized guide with copious resources for students and educators. The official site of the American Academy of Religion. Jeffrey Hadden of the University of Virginia maintains Sociology and Religion pages including information about religious movements, religious freedom, and religious broadcasting. The University of Manitoba's David Creamer has an informative page, including a section devoted specifically to the psychology of religion. [back to top] Spirituality (Broadly Defined) For several different views of spirituality, laid out side-by-side, I highly recommend the SpiritSite. It is especially noteworthy for its extensive text and audio library. BeliefNet is one of the best sites I've seen regarding spirituality and religion. A terrific resource, with something for almost everyone. AS is an online magazine devoted to spirituality. Whether or not you agree with what you read, I think you'll find it interesting. The Inner Voice is a magazine devoted to spirituality from a wide variety of perspectives. Stop by, I think you'll find something of interest there. An overview of spirituality can be found at the Spiritual Teachings page. This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit; perhaps it is active now. The Spiritech UK site examines the intersection of spirituality and technology. The American Religion Data Archive has recently added a new survey study to its archive entitled Spirituality and the Elderly: Survey of Staff and Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities, 1998, conducted by Bonnie L. Walker for the National Institute on Aging. The Symposium is a spiritual publication. Learn more about the transpersonal psychological idea that spiritual experiences sometimes may be mistaken for psychoses. Psychiana was an approach to spirituality popularized in the 1930s and 1940s. The Unity School is a version of Gnostic Christianity that its adherents describe as consistent with Eastern philosophical traditions including Zoroasterism as well as Christianity. Visit TradiModern, an online spirituality magazine published in Kathmandu, Nepal. [back to top] Philosophy and Religion The Wall is dedicated to issues of faith and doubt. Two good philosophy sites are The Hopkins Philosophy Pages, and Philosophy around the Web. Many good Religion and Philosophy links are found here. You also will find psychology and parapsychology links. This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit it. Perhaps it is available now. Visit Philosophy Since the Enlightenment, offering an accessible overview of the last 350 years of Western philosophy. Designed for "adult students learning about philosophy for the first time". David Suiter's Religion and Philosophy Resources is a useful list of sites on the web. [back to top] Specialized Religion and Denomination Links ATHEISM One of the more interesting sites for people who are questioning their religious beliefs is http://www.losingmyreligion.com/. It focuses on evangelical Christianity. An extensive resource for atheists and agnostics is the Internet Infidels. Joel's Atheism Page will give you connections to atheism resources on the 'net, and one person's view of atheism. Another perspective on atheism is available at Arthur Jackson's site. He also offers an alternative to traditional religion, found at his Science of Religion page. Try the Skeptic's Dictionary to see a witty skeptic's view on beliefs. [back to top] The BAHA'I Faith The Baha'i Academics Resource Library contains a wide range of material on Baha'i, including sacred writings, scholarly writings, and secondary sources on the religion. Read a preliminary analysis of the Baha'i Concept of Mental Health Basic information and an introduction to the Baha'i religion can be found here. Several theses on various aspects of the Baha'i faith are available at the Baha'i Academics Resource Library. [back to top] BUDDHISM The Buddhist Studies Virtual Library offers a wide range of Buddhist resources. Learn about The Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, at this beautiful site. Tibetan Buddhist monks demonstrated a mandala sand painting at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts. Read the Houston Chronicle's story of this event. Its depiction of their religion and culture is fascinating, and the pictures illustrating the story are quite good. BuddhaNet offers an online Buddhist magazine. Buddhists in Tibet have been suppressed and persecuted viciously; learn more about their struggle at the Free Tibet home page. The Journal of Buddhist Ethics is available here. The Journal of Buddhist Ethics offers a tremendous number of links in their On-line Buddhism Resources . For scholarly discussion of Buddhism, visit the archives of the Online Conference on Buddhism and Human Rights. An Introduction to Buddhism is another good article on Buddhism. The University of Virginia library has established an excellent page regarding the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The Tibet Information Network is an excellent resource for news about Tibet. Scott McDonald's page on Zen, Buddhism and psychology offers many excellent resources for psychologists interested in religion. Check out The Daily Zen. Shane Peterson's home page offers some links to religion resources, Catholicism, and related subjects. [back to top] CHRISTIANITY General Christianity Information about Lilly Endowment projects concerning Christianity in America may be found at the Resourcing Christianity site. Links to official (and semi-official) pages from A to W (Anglican to World Council of Churches) are available here. The Society of Biblical Literature publishes The Review of Biblical Literature online. The RBL is a review of monographic literature in the field of biblical and related studies as well as reference works, commentaries, dictionaries, and biblical translations. A good, selective set of links to Christian things is found at the Christian Religion Resource Page This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit it. It may be active now. Get information about the Society of Biblical Literature. For the ultimate Bible search tool, visit the All-in-One Biblical Resources Search. This site has an extensive array of Bibles available: online Bibles (KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV, Hebrew, Greek), concordances, word searches, commentaries, topical Bible, Bible dictionaries, devotionals, number searches, and even a link to over 1300 hymns to enjoy while you brouse. Biola University maintains a searchable database called The Unbound Bible. This site is comprised of 24 versions of the bible, including a feature that allows users to compare texts of different versions. The WWW Bible Gateway allows you to compare different versions of the Bible in several languages. Another fine Bible search search site is available at the University of Chicago. This link was under heavy construction the last time I visited it. It may be available now. The Jesus2000 page provides a good tour of the holy land. [back to top] Anglican/Episcopal One of the best religion resources I've seen is Anglicans Online! [back to top] Brethren/Mennonite This Brethren/Mennonite site includes general information about the Brethren and Mennonite traditions; it also provides an example of how some Christian denominations view homosexuality. [back to top] Roman Catholic Be sure to visit Christus Rex et redemptor Mundi, one of the finest Christian sites available. It includes extensive resources for Catholics and pictures of Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, and many of points of interest. Examine the interesting documents at the Holy See's statement on the holocaust. Catholic Resources on the Net can be located here at this unofficial Catholic site. The Holy See is the official Vatican web site. A well-organized source for Catholic news and beliefs is found at the Catholic Information Center on Internet. Information about the significance of Mary to Catholicism is available at The Mary Page. A group of Benedictine monks have developed a charming and useful site. Visit their Christ in the Desert pages. Antonio Riboldi offers a new excommunication of Nebraska Catholics who belong to groups that the bishop deems incompatible with Catholic teachings. View the artwork of The Scrovegni Chapel constructed in 14th century Italy. The White-Robed Monks of St. Benedict offer an interesting website that focuses on what it means to be Catholic, rather than on the extremes of fundamentalism or liberalism. You can read a report of Pope John Paul II's views on evolution. A second version of the story is available from the New York Times News Service. [back to top] Conservative or Evangelical Christianity End Time Ministries is a non-denominational, non-profit mission outreach. [back to top] Jehovah's Witnesses Joel Elliott has several links to sites (both "pro" and "con") related to the Jehovah's Witnesses. [back to top] Mormon (My special interest is Mormonism, hence the many links) A librarian at Marshall University has established a wide-ranging page devoted to many aspects of Mormonism. He calls it The Bookman's Mormoniana Page. The Restoration site has a collection of links to official and unofficial LDS (Mormon) material, as well as current and "extinct" off-shoots of the church. This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit. It may be available now. General LDS Information Resources are found at Brandon Plewe's site. One commonly used index of LDS and related sites. (I don't like Yahoo for several reasons, but they offer this useful site.) A selection of pictures (mostly LDS temples and historical figures) is at the LDS Art Gallery. A collection of documents is available via ftp. Most of these will not be useful to you unless you are familiar with recent Mormon history concerning such things as the excommunication of fundamentalist Mormons, the ill-founded scare of satanism in the metropolitan Salt Lake City area, and similar events. An electronic community of Mormons is available at the World Wide Web First Ward. This is one of the better Mormon sites if you are already familiar with Mormonism. It includes WWW Latter-day Magazine, a literary magazine that Mormons will find interesting. Brigham Young University Home Page connects you with the Mormon church's university, which is an unusual cross between Harvard and Bob Jones Universities. Why I say this is a long story, but many of the issues are described by the BYU chapter of the American Association of University Professors. You might also want to drop by the BYU newspaper for the latest news at that school. LDS-Gems contains tid-bits that devout Mormons are likely to find uplifting. The official site of the LDS church. [back to top] Presbyterian See what is happening at the Presbyterian Church USA. United Methodist The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries is a well-done site that includes many useful resources and links. [back to top] New Christian Religious Movements The Liberal Catholic Church offers a new variation on the Roman Catholic theme. This site was unavailable the last time i tried to visit. It may be available now. Connect to The Family's web page, and see the psychological evaluation of children in The Family. The Toronto Airport Vineyard is an interesting Christian phenomenon. Take a look. Joel Elliott has compiled a bibliography of resources about David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Learn more about the International Churches of Christ at their official web site, which includes a fairly extensive FAQ page. Information critical of a new Christian movement known as Boston Church of Christ is found here. [back to top] DEISM A fine introduction to deism is available from the World Union of Deists. [back to top] HINDUISM An interesting on-line journal is Hindu Studies Review, which offers reviews of books on Hinduism's past, present and future. I have located few good Hindu sites in my travels on the web. Far and away, the best that I've seen is GHEN: The Hindu Universe. The Free Daism page presents an interesting variation on Hinduism. This site was unavailable the last time I tried to visit. Perhaps it is active now. [back to top] ISLAM An introduction to Islam and a Moslem perspective of other religions is found at the Review of Religions site. The Islam Page presents basic beliefs and responses to Christian proselytizing efforts. The banking systems of Iran and Pakistan have been transformed by Islam, and several other countries have been influenced in similar ways. Read Islamic Banking to learn more. Answers to 25 frequently asked questions about Islam are found here. Ahmadiyya Muslim Students' Organization provides ISLAM'S HOMEPAGE in text or graphic versions. You may also wish to visit the Ahmadiyya Portal site. The Complete Guide to Palestine's Websites isn't strictly religious, but people interested in the age-old conflict will find useful links here. The Search Engine Resource to Muslim Sites and the Islamic World doesn't disappoint. This site currently links to over 100,000 home pages and websites providing Islamic content. A Sufi perspective is found at the Sufi Path of Self- realization. [back to top] JAINISM Far and away, the best source I've seen for information about Jainism is Jainism: Principles, Traditions and Practices. JUDAISM You can find a good set of links to Jewish internet sites at the Digital Genizah. The Jewish Communications Network is one source for news regarding Judaism. The A - Z of Jewish & Israel Related Resources may be the most extensive catalog of its kind. Leonard Grossman offers several interesting pages. These include his list of Jewish lists, Genesis in Glass, as well as these sites for Jews in Chicago: (West Suburban Temple) and (Jewish Adult Ed in Chicago's Western Suburbs). The Jewish Identity Development Project is the focus of Jeff Kress, a psychologist whose work is well worth reading. Get an introduction to one of the most interesting Jewish philosophers in recent years, Emmanuel Levinas. An interesting examination of the kabbalah is found at Bnei-Baruch's Kabbalah home page. Have fun searching for Jewish Resources, and test your skills at a scavenger hunt too! The Divrei Torah -- Commentaries include search features to aid your Torah studies. Shamash Home Page includes a variety of resources, including a bookstore and Hillel groups. This site was down the last time I checked. It may be active now. Another Judaica bookstore, this one based in Toronto, is here. The Jerusalem One gopher archive contains information ranging from art to Jewish software. This link was unavailable when I last visited. Perhaps it is available now. Jewish Bulletin of Northern California is a superb site in a magazine format. It deserves its 4-star rating! The premier online journal devoted to research in Jewish studies is the Judaica Ejournal. The Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism has a large searchable database of information. The last time I visited, I was unable to search the database. It may be available now. Tikkun makes several articles and editorials from its print edition available for you to browse. In the Light of the Menorah: Story of a Symbol, a major exhibition from the Israel Museum, traces the history of the menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum that is both a sacred object and the national symbol of Israel. Not limited only to Judaism, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has several interesting resources, including historic maps of Jerusalem. You also may want to visit the Jerusalem Mosaic, which offers virtual tours through the city. The Lubavitch movement is described at http://www.chabad.org. Dr. Stefan Rohrbacher and the staff at the Jewish Studies Department of the University of Duisburg, Germany, maintain the Academic Jewish Studies Internet Directory. Here you will find links to academic associations, research institutes, Jewish Studies programs, and archives. You may find the most recent Jewish news at the Jerusalem Post. [back to top] NEW AGE World Transformation is more than new age religion, but it represents much that is common with new age thought. New Age and the paranormal are the subjects of Man and the Unknown. The Theosis page specializes in esoteric Christianity. The Researchers of Truth offers an interesting view of Daskalos. One of many businesses that will sell you new age spirituality is Quantum Quests. Note: this is not an endorsement of the products found at the link. An interesting twist on new age religiousness is found at Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Existential Quest pages, available in three languages. Do you think that "New Age" religion is really new? Click on Michael Rogge's Newage - Theosophy pages to learn more about the movement's history. The Enlightened Planetary Civilization presents a good example of new age thought. The collection of new age resources at the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance is very useful. [back to top] NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS The first place for anyone to visit on your trip to investigate new religious movements is Jeffrey Hadden's Religious Movements Homepage. The NUREL home page offers a great variety of information about new religious movements. Michael Rogge is a psychologist who studies new religious movements. His perspective is quite useful and well-informed. A site containing various views about Sahaja yoga and a mailing list dedicated to the same subject. Sahaja Yoga is a new religious movement run by a woman claiming to be the Supreme Goddess who created the Universe. See also Sahaja Yoga: Facts Shinreikyo is a new religious movement based in Japan. (This group is not associated with the Aum Shinrikyo group that was responsible for the terrorism attack in Japanese subways during the mid-1990s.) [back to top] PAGANISM/WICCAN Read a CNN story about witches and wiccan religious views. A resource is available for wiccans to help people in their coven deal with psychological problems. A pagan organization called Church of All Worlds has a page to express their views. It includes essays by members from their magazine, Green Egg. Excerpts from the Protean Initiates Book, used at the Proteus Coven, are available. [back to top] SCIENTOLOGY & the Net You may have heard about the Church of Scientology's efforts to censor its critics. Two sites related to this series of events are The Church of Scientology vs. the Net, and the F.A.C.T.Net 3 Home Page. If you are interested in religion and the free flow of information, you will probably find these sites fascinating. Visit the Official Site of Scientology [back to top] SIKHISM The Sikhism Home Page presents an interesting overview of Sikh beliefs. This site is well-worth visiting. [back to top] TAOISM The Taoism Information Page is a fine compilation of Taoism resources. You will find translations of ancient Taoist writings and other, more modern resources as well. Dana Riemer has several good links on his Daoism page. This page was inactive the last time I tried to visit. It may be available now. [back to top] UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST The UU Association home page offers a description of their beliefs, the history of the organization, and links to other UU resources. Another excellent site is the UU Hotlist. It has several interesting features, including a UU FAQ file. [back to top] Other Religion Sites and Sites Difficult to Classify Bookstores Specializing in Religion Dr. Tory Hoff's Therapeutic Bibliotheca has an interesting collection of used books relevant to psychology and religion. Well worth a visit! Old books on religion are offered by Samovar Books, and from Dr. Tory Hoff's pages which are available here or here. Brian Goulet offers an interesting listing of books. SYMBOLS.com--Encyclopedia of Western Signs and Ideograms groups over 2500 symbols into more than 50 categories, many with religious significance. A fascinating resource. The syllabi for two interesting courses on Ancient Religion are available online: Classics 330: Greek and Hellenistic Religions, University of Maryland Spring 1998; and Religion 232/ Women's Studies 232c: Womens' Spirituality in the Roman Empire and the Early Middle Ages, Bowdoin College Spring 1998. Religion of Yoruba and the diaspora is available at this site. The science of meditation site, maintained by Osho Commune International in Pune, India, is full of information and links regarding meditation. The Advent of Dionysus is an online book about spirituality and myth. The Witchcraft Bibliography Project compiles and disseminates bibliographical information about witchcraft in early modern Europe and America. According to Professor Michael C. Kearl, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Trinity University, death is "the central dynamism underlying the life, vitality, and structure of the social order...(and) reveals the most central social processes and cultural values." To explain and explore the social and cultural implications of death, Kearl created this extensive guide to Sociology of Death and Dying. Throughout the sight, numerous resources to relevant thanatological resources are provided. You can read an online book about Cosmosofy, which the author describes as a global ethics and is related to religion. Witchcraft in Salem Village includes verbatim transcrips from trials of the Witchcraft Outbreak of 1682 that will interest historians, students, and general users alike. Articles describing Old Norse religion are available at Viking Age. A mix of untraditional religious ideas and psychology is found in Dwight Ott's Diagram of Conscious Life. Information about new religious movements is available in seven languages at the Simpos site. The material here tends to be quite critical or skeptical of the groups it discusses. Another, similar site is the American Family Foundation, which tries to provide services to people who are concerned about religious movements. The AFF also sponsors a contest for students writing about new religious movements. To place these kinds of sites in perspective, you also should read the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion's Resolution on New Religious Groups. Encyclopedia Mythica encompasses mythology, folklore, and legend. This collaborative reference resource contains more than 4400 definitions of mythical and legendary figures and almost 200 images, among an abundance of other informative features. The primary source for information about the Heaven's Gate group is at Right to Know. A terrific collection of links to new age, wicca, and other "alternative" religions can be found at The Portal. Karl Eklund's unique perspective on religion can be viewed at Seeking the Third Jesus. Learn more about Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls by visiting the U.S. Library of Congress exhibit. Institute for the Promotion of Universal Theology outlines a theology claimed to apply to all people/times/religions. The Raelian Religion site describes a group that believes in UFOs, located outside of Montreal. Related to this is UFOland, which was established by Rael, the founder of Raelian religion. The Interfaith Fellowship tries to provide a resource and magazine broadly focused on spirituality. Articles include a wide variety of perspectives. Information about widespread claims of ritualized sexual child abuse is available at the Witch Hunt Information Center. You also may be interested in visiting James Lampinen's page for his class on children as eyewitnesses, which includes links to related sites. The latter link was inactive the last time I checked, but it may be available now. At the American Family Foundation, you can see an example of research based on the assumption that religions that are different are also harmful, evil cults. You also might want to look at the Trancenet site. But as you do so, remember that the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, the primary group of social scientists who study religion, has found that there is no reliable scientific evidence at this time to support the claims put forward by groups like the AFF. Ed Plotkin's Four Yogas electronic book offers a bend of Buddhism, Jung and Carlos Castanedas. You can read about UFOs from one Christian perspective promoted by someone who prays to UFOs as part of his research. The Alchemy Website includes a diverse range of material, including mysticism, philosophy, and other aspects related to psychology and religion. [back to top] Evaluating Web Sites Because the quality of information that is found on the internet varies widely, it is very important to consider the merits of the source. Here are some sites that will help you evaluate the information you find on the internet. Evaluating Internet Research Sources Evaluation of Information Sources Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: or, Why it's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources, from New Mexico State University. Thinking Critically About WWW Resources from UCLA. Thinking Critically About Discipline-based Web Resources from UCLA. Evaluating Web Resources maintained by Widener University. E-mail Discussion Lists The following lists deal with themes that are relevant to the psychology of religion. Some I have subscribed to, some have not, so my comments here are sketchy. Please let me know if you find any of these lists particularly helpful! The order is simply alphabetical; no ranking is implied. Be sure also to check this compilation of internet lists relating to religion. Another resource to look at is Liszt, which enables you to search for specific topics, such as "religion," "Mormon," or "Judaism." If you have other interests, Liszt allows you to search for those too! If your focus is on women and religion/spirituality, the Gender-related Electronic Forums guide will direct you to a suitable list. Community Psychology & Spirituality Community psychology and religion/spirituality are the focus of this list. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: listserv@email.rutgers.edu: SUBSCRIBE SCRA-Spirit YourFirstName YourLastName Global Spirituality Report The Global Spirituality Report is a moderated email list that is aimed at religious people who recognize that they might gain spiritual insight from diverse traditions. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: MAJORDOMO@EPINET.CO.UK: SUBSCRIBE GSR-L your-email-address You might also want to look at the GSR web page. Jewish-Psy Jewish-Psy is a moderated list that is a forum for psychologists, rabbis, and those in related academic and professional fields, to discuss Jewish life, psychology and psychohistory. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: LISTPROC@SHAMASH.ORG: SUBSCRIBE JEWISH-PSY YourFirstName YourLastName The list owner is Dr. Schimmel, sschimme_delete_this_@lynx.dac.neu.edu Mystic-L Mystic-L is a group formed for the academic discussion of mysticism. Topics might include the mysticism of Paul, the writings on Jewish mysticism of Gershon Sholem, the work of Thomas Merton, etc. No devotional or polemical discussions should appear on this list. The list has been created for the academic discussion of mysticism by scholars of mysticism and those interested in the scholarly study of mysticism. To subscribe, or for more information, click on http://www.bhsu.edu/dsalomon/mystic-l/home.html Nurel-L Nurel-L is aimed at people who are interested in new religious movements. Note that this is what people commonly but inappropriately call cults. It is my understanding that this list does not condone such inflammatory and derisive language. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: LISTSERV@listserv.ucalgary.ca: SUBSCRIBE NUREL-L firstname lastname For additional information, contact Irving Hexham at hexham_delete_this_@acs.ucalgary.ca Psyrel-L Psyrel-L is a moderately active list that examines psychology and religion, broadly conceived. Much of the discussion comes from psychology, but it also is reasonably well-informed about scientific psychology's application to themes of religious importance. It does not condone proselytizing. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: majordomo@lightlink.com: subscribe psyrel-l For additional information, contact Christine Norstrand at xine_delete_this_@lightlink.com or Greg Singleton at G-Singleton_delete_this_@neiu.edu Religion and Neurosciences Religion and Neurosciences is a moderated list that is dedicated to how these two disciplines can inform one another. Because it is moderated, it tends to have high-quality discussions and a more reasonable number of email messages than some of the unmoderated lists. In order to subscribe, send your real name, address and e-mail address to: lutheran_delete_this_@summon.syr.edu Pseudonyms will not be accepted. Although you will be asked to post who you are and what your expertise is, novices are welcome on this list. SCICHR If you are looking for a busy place to discuss science and Christianity, especially if you want to take an evangelical view, then SCICHR is a list worth looking at. Discussion examines things like "creation science," and can be heated at times. Admission to the list is by permission only. Contact the list owner at S-SCHIM@UIUC.EDU for more information, or look at their webpage. Shaman-L Shaman-L offers discussion of shamanism and shamanistic practices. It is does not condone proselytizing for a particular religion or dogma. To subscribe, send the following message in the BODY of email to: LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM: SUBSCRIBE SHAMAN-L firstname lastname If you have questions about shamanism, you might find answers in the shamanism FAQ file. Spiramed Spiramed focuses on the intersection of spirituality and medicine. While I monitored the discussion there was a fairly broad range of topics. Discussion on Spiramed tends to emphasize caring and people's impressions of things, rather than what research suggests about religion. Its usefulness will depend on what exactly you hope to come away with. To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail to LISTSERV@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU: SUBSCRIBE SPIRAMED The Spiramed listowner is Jean-Marc Mantel: spiram@netvision.net.il SSREL-L SSREL-L is a private list for discussion of issues like those that appear in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. It is a low volume list for social science researchers in religion. SSREL-L does not welcome arguments for or against faith, nor does it welcome proselytizing or discussion of the merits of a religion or religious denomination. I have found it very helpful from time to time, and recommend it to others who study religious phenomena from a social science perspective. To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail to OWNER-SSREL-L@ODIN.BERRY.EDU: ADD SSREL-L YOUR@EMAIL.ADDRESS Tantra-L Tantra-L is a discussion list focusing on tantras, which have become part of Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The list is a closed (by subscription) list but it is unmoderated. If you are interested in Hinduism and Buddhism, you may find this list of value. To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail to LISTSERV@UNCG.EDU: SUBSCRIBE TANTRA-L YOUR NAME Theosci An interesting place to discuss science and theology is found at the THEOSCI discussion list. I have not subscribed to this list myself, but am told that it is an interesting list, and not overwhelming in the number of messages sent each day. To subscribe, send the followin command in the BODY of mail to MXSERVER@ALPHA.AUGUSTANA.EDU: SUBSCRIBE THEOSCI The list moderator is Gary Mann, whose address is REMANN_delete_this_@AUGUSTANA.EDU Transpsych-L Transpsych-L is an open, unmoderated discussion list of topics in transpersonal psychology, which includes aspects of spirituality. To subscribe, send the following command in the BODY of mail to LISTSERV@NEWCIV.ORG: SUBSCRIBE TRANSPSYCH-L I have not participated in this list, so I can't comment on the number or quality of messages. If you find it particularly useful or interesting (or uninteresting or unuseful), please let me know. Back to Top Good Things on the Net Perspectives on People The Virtual Memorial Garden gives people a chance to remember loved ones who have died. I was quite surprised at how well I liked this site. It is well worth visiting. Parents and Children Together Online is a superb resource for families. Children Now is a children's advocacy group here in the U.S. You will find interesting resources for senior citizens at SeniorCom. One person can have a positive impact on the world, as illustrated by the Carter Center's offerings. For a sobering examination of the nuclear age, see Remembering Nagasaki. People's inhumanity to each other can be explored at this University of Pennsylvania holocaust site. You might also wish to visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, or the Yad Vashem holocaust museum in Jerusalem. Leebert's Home Page is the funniest page on the net, if your sense of humor is a bit twisted, like mine is! I especially enjoy his list of sayings by Steven Wright, one of my favorite comedians. This site was inactive the last time I tried to visit. It may be available now. Many interesting things are happening at PBS ONLINEŽ. See what public television has to offer! The U.S. Library of Congress Exhibits give a glimpse of the past. UNICEF's 1996 ratings of the Progress of Nations is informative. It offers a comparison of nations using a variety of social statistics. For those of you who are teachers, I highly recommend Interactive Teacher Online. The Wounded Healer is a good "self-help" magazine on the internet, focusing on people who have experienced various kinds of abuse. [back to top] Science Learn more about diseases and their prevention at the Centers for Disease Control. The Academic Resources Channel is an excellent resource for locating solid academic information on the internet. Social Research Online is a good online journal. You may find some sociology of religion articles there. See what's new in science at Science Daily. Other sources of science news are available from the U.S. National Research Council's Science in the Headlines, and from the Why Files. All of these sites offer good explanations of science phenomena that make the news, from hurricanes to innoculations. The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Connecticut provides summary infomation on surveys and studies measuring public opinion on a wide range of social, political, and economic issues. It purports to be the "largest library of public opinion data in the world". An electronic science museum is found at the Exploratorium Home Page. The Mad Scientist Network is a fun and informative presentation of science. Students can submit questions to professional scientists from throughout the world! Learn more about astronomy at The Nine Planets and the Henrietta Leavitt Flat Screen Space Theater. The latter link was down the last time I checked. Perhaps it is available now. Galileo Gallilei's life and work is highlighted at The Galileo Project homepage. Archaeology Magazine will bring you up to date on the field of archaeology. You may also want to see the Israeli government's aerial views of archaeological sites such as Qumran and Masada. The 1990 Census Lookup allows you to examine demographics. View the famous cigarette papers at the University of California, San Francisco library. They offer a fascinating perspective on the debate over smoking. [back to top] Art Visit the Louvre without travelling to Paris. The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art will give you a view of some of humanity's finer moments. Some people might not consider it art, but I can think of few things more beautiful than the scenery of Southern Utah. Max Bertola has a variety of pictures and articles to introduce you to this corner of the world. This link was not active the last time I checked. It may be available now. [back to top] Censorship Information The Blue Ribbon Campaign is the most famous "free speech" site on the internet. The File Room is a list of censorship cases, many of which involve religion, such as the Bible, Koran, Galileo and Rushdie. Bonfire of Liberties is a beautifully-done examination of censorship in the humanities. Computer and Internet Resources A genuinely interesting and useful "online magazine" on the internet is Boardwatch. Not a search site in the traditional sense, the AskERIC pages are a helpful way to find research papers on a variety of topics. PC Lube and Tune can help you decode the technical terms surrounding computers. If your job involves explaining how the internet works, stop by the Internic's 15-minute training series. This link was unavailable the last time I checked. It may be active now. A good introduction to using the internet is found at December Communications, Inc. The U.S. Department of Education has released a fascinating series of "white papers" on The Future of Networking Technologies for Learning. Read about how classrooms are being affected by the internet. The Starting Point is just that: a terrific place to get you started finding information on the internet. The All in One search site (my personal favorite). Rider's World Wide Web Yellow Pages. Find what is new on the internet by connecting with Washington and Lee University's list of new web sites, gopher sites, and telnet listings, or by connecting to the Global Internet information site, a searchable set of articles describing what's new for people like us. Library information can be found at Exeter University's library resource page. Looking for someone's phone number? You may be able to find it at The Switchboard. Top of this file

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