Resources in Religion and Theology: Religion Databases
This guide includes print and online research tools related to the study of religion and theology. It is a selected list of resource materials and is not meant to be exhaustive.
The Biblical Research Institute staff consists of several Adventist theologians working at the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who promote the study and practice of Adventist theology and lifestyle as understood by the world church. The Institute provides theological resources for the administration and departments of the General Conference and the world church. It identifies areas of doctrinal and theological discussion seeking to enhance their understanding and builds commitment to the truths of Scripture. It encourages and facilitates dialogue with the Seventh-day Adventist theological community, endeavoring to foster doctrinal and theological unity in the world church.
The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) strives to democratize access to the best data on religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997 and going online in 1998, the initial archive was targeted at researchers interested in American religion. The targeted audience and the data collection have both greatly expanded since 1998, now including American and international collections and developing features for educators, journalists, religious congregations, and researchers. Data included in the ARDA are submitted by the foremost religion scholars and research centers in the world. Currently housed in the Social Science Research Institute, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of Sociology at the Pennsylvania State University, the ARDA is funded by the Lilly Endowment, the John Templeton Foundation and the Pennsylvania State University.
ATLA Religion Database® (ATLA RDB®) with ATLASerials® (ATLAS®) combines the premier index to journal articles, book reviews, and collections of essays in all fields of religion with ATLA's online collection of major religion and theology journals. This database is produced by the American Theological Library Association.
The Center for Adventist Research, often referred to as CAR, seeks to promote an understanding and appreciation of the heritage and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It combines the resources of the Adventist Heritage Center and the Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office to provide the most extensive collection of Adventist related resources in the world. Located on the lower level of the James White Library at Andrews University, it is positioned to not only facilitate the education of future Seventh-day Adventist church leaders, but to also develop academic and professional links with other Adventist heritage rooms and research centers throughout the world.
Beyond the mentioned resources, the Center hosts the Seventh-day Adventist Periodical Index for the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians (ASDAL), houses the Andrews University Archives and Record Center, serves as rare materials repository for the James White Library, actively cooperates in the educational program of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and the collection activities of the Seminary library.
A digital library of hundreds of classic Christian books selected for edification and education. The online www.ccel.org eerer reaches several million different users each year.
The Ellen G. White® Estate, Incorporated, is an organization created by the last will and testament of Ellen G. White to act as her agent in the custody of her writings, handling her properties, "conducting the business thereof," "securing the printing of new translations," and the "printing of compilations from my manuscripts. It is through the Estate that you can search the complete writings of E.G. White online.
The archives houses over 20,000 linear feet of records covering the entire period of the Seventh-day Adventist Church history. Patrons can trace the development of the church through these records, which include legal instruments, minutes, reference files, reports, correspondence, publications, recordings, films, video and audiotapes, and photographs. This site marks the beginning of an effort to place some of the most referenced archival documents in a flexible and expandable online system.
This website has 3 primary purposes: 1) To present summaries of current religion research by Hartford Institute for Religion Research faculty as well as the research done by other sociologists of religion. 2) To educate pastors, denominational leaders, religion reporters and the general public in a better understanding of research on religion in order to help create stronger communities of faith and a more informed society. 3) Finally, to assist the site's users in understanding the use of statistics and poll data, designing church web sites, on searching the web for information, and the implications of the Internet on religious life.
Award-winning web directory of internet resources on the New Testament. Browse or search annotated links on everything connected with the academic study of the New Testament and Christian Origins. This major upgrade of the site improves navigation and introduces lots of new features. For all the latest information on the site, please visit the NT Gateway blog.
ProQuest Religion provides an excellent source of religious news and information, informative details on doctrines and philosophies, and scholarly reports on religious history. More full-text journals have been added in related religious studies, such as philosophy, ethics, and international perspectives. Many essential full-text titles cannot be found in any other online database.
