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Great link for religion news from the RNA: ReligionLink |
Religion discussion:
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http://123world.com/religion/index.html
One clever way to get one's site at the top of a search engine
is to name it 123. Despite that gimmick, this organization, which also provides
indices to airlines, amusements, universities, etc., online, has some
interesting links; although, it appears religion is not given the comprehensive
attention of some of the other guides.
American Theological Library Association:
http://www.atla.com/
For a hefty but reasonable price, scholars and others
interested in theological journals can subscribe to scores of such publications
online.
Anglicans Online:
http://anglicansonline.org
Not the official site of either the Anglican or the Episcopal
Churches, but a valuable and well-done site sponsored by the British Society of
Archbishop Justus.
ARIL - Association for Religion and Intellectual
Life:
http://www.aril.org/
Among other things, this organization publishes Cross Currents, a
magazine that challenges one's thinking in relation to faith. ARIL also provides
a good set of reviewed links to important religion WWW sites.
Articles of Faith
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/
The religion blog of The Boston Globe's prize-winning religion writer Michael Paulson.
Barna Research Group:
http://www.barna.org/
The Barna organization is the evangelical Christian parallel
of the Gallup polling organization. Barna's group does all kinds of statistical
surveys related to religion in the U.S., most of it concerning Christian groups.
There's a monthly review posted here, but much of the research is for
sale.
Beliefnet.com:
http://www.beliefnet.com
Started at the height of the dot-com boomdays, this classy and
informative site has run upon financial hard times. In May of 2002, Beliefnet
filed for bankruptcy. It is still fighting to hold its spot as the leading site
for spiritual and religious news. Its one-time staff of 69 has been cut to 12,
and the uphill struggle continues. Others, like the Religion Newswriters
Association, are moving to compete with new religion news sites, such as ReligionLink.
BlackandChristian.com
http://blackandchristian.com
Calling itself "A voice for the African American Christian
Community," this fine site offers links to African American churches,
universities, seminaries, history and other areas, including a complete source
of "news from Africa" about the Christian church.
Buddhist site of Thich Nhat Hanh,
(Vietnamese Zen Master):
http://www.parallax.org/
This "Community for Mindful Living" is essentially a promotional site
for Parallax Press, publishers of Buddhist literature, especially the popular
writings of Thich Nhat Hanh. From here one can access the Dharma Ring, a
collection of Buddhist Web sites.
÷I'm advised by a
librarian-follower of Thich Nhat Hanh that the two best Web sites for those
interested in his views and ways are:
http://www.iamhome.org and
http://www.plumvillage.org,
which is the site of the Unified Buddhist Church in France.
CBN:
http://www.cbn.org
Home
page of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the mainstay of evangelist Pat
Robertson's empire. News is reported here, but don't look for items such as the
Scottish Bank breaking a deal with Robertson after he insulted Scotland. See
Regent University, below.
Center for Public Justice:
http://www.cpjustice.org/
A Washington-based (physically in Annapolis, Md.) team of academic and
policy consultants devoted to serving God, advancing justice and transforming
public life. CPJ devotes much time to articulating a Christian perspective in
civic life without wedding itself to any political persuasion. The best source
of research and expression of CPJ's thinking comes from its published resources, a bi-weekly
commentary, a journal, a newsletter and an e-mail bulletin.
Center for the Study of Global Christianity:
http://www.globalchristianity.org
The site is a Web version of the World Christian Database that appears in published form as the World Christian Encyclopedia, a $300 set produced by Oxford University Press. One of the books' editors, Todd M. Johnson, has become director of the study center located at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. The database is a well designed and comprehensive collection of information on religion around the world.
Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life:
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/
(Same as "Religion in the News" below)
Christian Media News:
http://christianmedianews.org/
This site keeps track of the subculture of Christian music,
videos, etc. Basically, it is a repository of news about Christians in the
popular culture of America.
Christian Missions Network:
(see below at SIMS)
Christianity.net News:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ctmag/features/faith/
A quick link to the news in the latest Christianity Today,
ostensibly the widest circulating (and most profitable) of all Christian
periodicals. Check its "hot issues" link and its "faith and thought"
link.
Christian Reporter and CRNews:
http://www.pastornet.net.au/crnews/
An Australian organization acting much like a news service
providing information about religious activities around the globe. Good
information with a decidedly Christian missions bent.
CrossSearch:
http://www.crosssearch.com/
Major search engine for Christian and religious Web sites.
Maintained by Gospel Communications Network, a Christian media organization best
known for its Gospel Films productions but a company that has become a force in
the evangelical presence on the WWW.
This site may well
be the best search engine for religion news on the Web.
Ecumenical News International
(ENI):
http://www.eni.ch
This
Geneva, Switzerland-based organization is sponsored by several councils of
churches and produces ecumenical information on those churches as they work on
problems and politics around the globe.
Episcopal Cafe: The Lead
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/
This online blogging commentary from a group of Episcopal writers tries to keep abreast of events in the Episcopal Church in these postings called "The Lead." Some fine thinking goes into this collection.
Ethics and Public Policy Center:
http://www.eppc.org
A Washington think-tank that puts together seminars and studies. Of
particular interest to religion journalists should be the seminars of the
"Evangelical Studies Project" that brings together editors, writers, columnists,
etc., to discuss key issues related to religion and the media. Click on the
"Programs" tab of the home page to find religion links.
Evangelical Theological Society:
http://www.etsjets.org/
A
scholarly organization more than 50 years old that brings together evangelical
theologians and scholars. In 2002 and 2003, the organization has been in the
news because of attempts to oust two of its members for their writings about
"Open Theism," which is interpreted as in opposition to the organization's
commitment to an inerrant Bible. The organization publishes the academic Journal of the
Evangelical Theological Society, and index of which can be
accessed at the site.
Gegrapha:
http://www.gegrapha.org/
An online fellowship of Christian journalists. The site's opening
question speaks volumes: "Is it possible to be both a tough-minded, skeptical
journalist and a committed follower of Jesus Christ?" The group sponsors some
fairly high-powered gatherings of journalists making a faith journey within
traditional Christianity. Site contains a particularly useful set of Web Resources
Georgetown U.
Center for
Muslim-Christian Understanding:
http://cmcu.georgetown.edu/
A
Pew grant allows the study of Muslim life in American society.
God.com:
http://cgi.pathfinder.com/time/godcom/spiritual.html
This is Time magazine's guide to religion and spirituality,
labelled a "Spiritual Bazaar." An excellent jumping-off spot for explorations of
religion on the WWW.
Greenbelt Interfaith News:
http://www.greenbelt.com/news/ne.htm
A very comprehensive site with many links that makes a serious
attempt to embrace other traditions than Jewish and Christian Web sites in its
pages. Unfortunately, many of the links deep in this site are dated and broken.
Hartford Institute of Religion Research
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/
Everything you ever wanted to know about the sociology of religion is
likely to be available at this site or at one of its many links. An exciting
scholarly site.
Hebrew World:
http://www.hebrewworld.com/
Basically a means of learning Hebrew with CDs and other study
helps.
http://www.journalismnet.com/religion.htm
Canadian freelancer Julian Shur maintains an outstanding site
for journalists. This particular page contains his links to religious resources
for journalists. Well worth visiting.
"The Jesus Seminar" -- Westar Institute:
http://www.westarinstitute.org/
Whatever one may think of the scholarship of the popular
"Jesus Seminar," one cannot ignore it, and the Westar Institute is the home base
with lots of books and references.
Leadership U.
http://www.leaderu.com/menus/aboutus.html
Touts itself as a "one-stop shopping superstore" in the
marketplace of ideas. Heavily theological and philosophical in its orientation,
Leadership U. does offer some online classes and campus sponsored forums but is
not academic in the usual sense of the word. Has close connections with Campus
Crusade for Christ.
My Virtual Reference Desk: World Religion
Resources:
http://www.refdesk.com/factrel.html
This page is part of a reference site maintained by Bob
Drudge, the father of Cybergossip journalist Matt Drudge. The elder Drudge has a
wonderful site, and his religion links are outstanding.
National Catholic Reporter:
http://www.natcath.com/ncr_onli.htm
An independent weekly that attempts to relate the Roman
Catholic faith to the events in the daily news.
National Catholic Register:
http://www.ncregister.com/
The Register is a conservative Roman Catholic weekly newspaper
owned and operated by Circle Media, a Connecticut-based group that also
publishes magazines and operates the Catholic.net Web site. From this site,
one can link to the Catholic International News Agency out of Rome, Zenit. The Register keeps a close eye
(and generally sympathetic eye) on the Vatican.
Nation of Islam:
http://www.noi.org/
Contains special tribute to Elijah Muhammad and lots of information
about the religious movement best known for its confrontational leader, Louis
Farrakhan.
Newsroom.org: ***Good site for international religion
news
http://www.newsroom.org/
A British-based site that attempts to relate the religion dimension to
world news events. Up-to-the-minute reports here.
News Watch:
http://www.mcjonline.com/newswatch.htm
An online newsletter from the Maranatha Christian Journal that
provides links to news around the globe.
New Testament Gateway:
http://www.ntgateway.com/
Theology professor Mark Goodacre (with a little help from his wife,
Viola) of the University of Birmingham in England maintains this site of links
to everything about the New Testament. His links are like a kaleidoscope; one
good link leads to another amazing link. This is a valuable jumping off spot
for religion researchers. Goodacre also conceived and collected sites for the
All-in-One Biblical Resources
Search engine; another great diving board for those wishing to swim in
Biblical research.
Om Sakthi Movement:
http://www.omsakthi.org/history.html
An eclectic and syncretistic humanistic religious organization
out of India that encourages all religious thinking and belief with added
assistance to those seeking personal spiritual advice. One of the Om Sakthi
site's contributions is a listing of relevant headlines to religion stories in
the daily news around the world. To go directly to the headlines page, click
here.
Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/toc.htm
A group of essayists representing three different faiths who
attempt to bring a balanced perspective to hot topics of the day. Includes a
link to
religious news sites.
Pluralism Project:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/html/links.html
A fine resource for a wide variety of religious perspectives.
Designed as part of a Harvard University research project on religious diversity
by Dr. Diana L. Eck of Harvard's Committee on the Study of Religion.
Psychology of Religion:
http://www.psywww.com/psyrelig/
Michael Nielsen, a psychologist at Georgia Southern
University, maintains this excellent site on the psychology of religion.
Especially valuable to journalists is Nielsen's page of links:
http://www.psychwww.com/psyrelig/links.htm
Nielsen's links go far beyond the psychology of religion,
incidentally.
Quodlibet:
http://www.quodlibet.net/
Maintained by a graduate of Trinity International University in
Deerfield, Ill., this site aims to give online readers of theology a rigorous
and doctrinally orthodox vision of historic Christianity. A fine site for
academic theologians.
Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/index_flash.html
Easily the most popular television program on religion. Articulate, relevant and diverse. I've always been a bit surprised that in most regions this fine program airs on Sunday mornings. Perhaps it's for couch-worshippers.
Religion Dispatches
http://www.religiondispatches.org/
An online magazine that provides fine commentary on diverse topics related to religion. Has a slightly academic bent but is guided by journalistic thinking.
Religion and Philosophy Resources on the
Net
(Boston University School of
Theology):
http://www.bu.edu/sth/library/
One of many theological libraries on the WWW that points to
e-resources.
Religion in the News:
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/
The Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life, located
at Trinity College in Connecticut and supported by a Pew Foundation grant,
publishes "Religion in the News," a highly articulate and thorough critique of
the major news media's coverage of religion. Often includes commentary from
working journalists. ***A key site for religion
journalists.
Religion in the News links:
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/rel/relnews.htm
Gene Thursby, a professor of religion at the University of
Florida, maintains an outstanding reference site for those interested in
religion and religious studies. This page contains his set of links to news
about religion.
Religion News Resources:
http://www.zondervan.com/newslink.htm
Zondervan is one of the largest religious book publishers, and
is now a part of the massive Harpers publishing company. This site, maintained
by Zondervan, is probably the best single link to religion news resources for
journalists on the Web, though where it can show a bias it leans in a distinctly
Protestant evangelical direction.
Religion News Service:
http://www.religionnews.com/
Owned by Newhouse, this is the place to find how the world's
religions are making news. Anyone who thinks there's no news to be found in
religion is sadly mistaken and ill informed. The two major Texas newspapers in
Houston and Dallas have made serious commitments to religion news and keep
online readers abreast as well. There's a mild disappointment in store for
anyone coming to this site looking for research tools for doing investigations
of religion news. The RNS is in business to sell stories, not necessarily to
provide resources for journalists.
Religion Newswriters Association:
http://religionwriters.com/
A fine organization made up primarily of print journalists.
The RNA has greatly upgraded its Web site, offering a fine FAQ for young people
interested in the religion beat, a compilation from about 20 or so of the
nation's top religion reporters. After several years of neglect, the
organization is also paying more attention to Web resources and has compiled a
helpful index of
those. Perhaps it took the bankruptcy of Beliefnet to awaken them, but a grant
from the Pew Foundation has given RNA the impetus to launch ReligionLink,
a great source of religion news.
Religion Resources on the Net:
http://www.religiousresources.org/
A valuable search engine aimed at religious categories with
more than 3400 listings. Journalists should find the publications category the
most profitable, though its "news and newspapers" subcategory tends to be heavy
on denominational sources. I'm not certain how to interpret this, but at last
check (04July2001), nine of the 10 top sites as listed by the site's editors
were sites for downloading clip art!
Religion Today:
http://www.religiontoday.com/
Roanoke, Va.-based Media Management operates this site of
religion news, most of it related to conservative Christianity. This site
provides some links to key
religious news sources.
Shamash -- The Jewish Internet
Consortium:
http://shamash.org/
Shamash wants to be king of the Internet information for Jews -- and it
may be.
Society of Biblical Literature:
http://www.sbl-site.org/
This site, quite naturally, encourages membership and joining
of the society, but it also has some key links to electronic resources and other
publications.
Speaking of Faith:
http://www.speakingoffaith.org
Minnesota
Public Radio produces this fine discussion of religion as it affects culture
around the world. The Web site offers broadcasts, reading references, a forum
and an opportunity for readers and listeners to express their views on the topics being
discussed and their critiques of the guest panelists. NPR
broadcasts the show, but it may not be easy to find on the local
line-up.
Urantia Book Fellowship:
http://www.ubfellowship.org/interfaith_links.htm
An ecumenical organization with an assorted index to religion
links on the Web. The Urantia Book, incidentally, is a kind of cosmic guide to
spirituality that is studied in groups around the country and superintended by
the home organization in Chicago.
World Journalism Institute:
http://www.worldji.com/home.asp
From this site's mission statement one gets a good sense of
where these journalists see themselves in the profession: "To help Christians
apply the Bible to their understanding and response to everyday current events
(Rom. 12:2). To achieve it by reporting the news in an interesting, accurate,
and arresting fashion (John 21:24). To accompany reporting with practical
commentary on current events and issues from a perspective committed to the
final authority of the Bible as the inerrant written word of God (2 Tim.
3:16-17; 2 Peter 3:14-16). To assist in developing a Christian understanding of
the world, rather than accepting existing secular ideologies (Luke 12:54-59)."
As sympathetic as one might feel for this perspective, it seems to totally
ignore critical cultural questions that a Christian worldview must engage and
examine.
Worthynews.com:
http://www.worthynews.com/
A digest of news from online sites around the world, including
some of the nation's top newspapers. Seems to be selectively edited to support
the manager's anxieties over Y2K, home schooling, microchip implants, and the
coming of the antichrist; in other words, a bit of a haven for conspiracy
thinkers.
Zondervan Church Source Online:
http://zondervanchurchsource.com/
A fine site with lots of links not only to curriculum and
readings for Christian educators but several to religion in the news. This is a
site worth visiting often.
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Academic Info on Religion:
http://www.academicinfo.net/religindex.html
An annotated directory of information on the Web related to
the academic study of religion. An excellent, extensive research site. Don't ask
what is the difference between the "academic" study of religion and the
non-academic study that we journalists lean toward -- serious religion
journalism tends toward the academic. This may be the best single reference site
on the WWW for information on religion.
Apologetics Index:
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news.html
A neat guide to information on the WWW ostensibly aimed at a
defense of the faith with a particular bias toward Christians confronting cults
and non-historic religious traditions. A Netherlands-based site.
Biblical Archaeological
Review:
http://www.bib-arch.org/bswbAbOnresource.html
The
publication that sponsors this site maintains this list of professional Web
links for anyone interested in archaeology and religion. A fine set of
references. Journalists might be particularly drawn to the site called "Anthropology in the News"
maintained by the Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M University; in
fact, this site should be visited regularly by all science writers and
journalists covering the science and religion beat.
Britannica.com:
http://www.britannica.com/
The online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Go here and
click on its "religion" entry for a fine introduction to religious
topics.
BUBL Link Religion Resources:
http://link.bubl.ac.uk/religion/
From an academic library in Glascow, Scotland. When it comes
to categorizing, this is an excellent Web site. Navigate back to investigate
other subjects. This link takes one to the religion resources.
The Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/
A project has been underway since 1997 to transcribe the
massive print version into this online version. It appears to be going quite
well, and it's done in a manner that seems appropriate to online encyclopedia
development.
Christian Apocrypha
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~xnapocry/
A site maintained at Western Washington University in
Bellingham, Wash., dedicated to the scholarly study of the Apocrypha. The
Society of Biblical Literature is a partner in this informative site. Part of
this site is its list of links valuable to
anyone investigating the Apocrypha.
Duke University Divinity School/Internet
References:
http://library.duke.edu/divinity/research/divlist.html
The library of one of the nation's leading schools of theology
and religion posts this guide to religion and theology resources on the
Internet.
Finding God in Cyberspace:
http://www.kenrickparish.com/gresham/contents.htm
This comprehensive religious studies site is maintained by
John L. Gresham, former library director at Fontbonne College in St. Louis.
http://home.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html
A site devoted to scholarly research and discussion of the
non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, a collection of the sayings of Jesus.
Internet Public Library (Religion and Theology):
http://www.ipl.org/div/aon/browse/hum80.00.00/
The reference links here are quick, easy and informative. An
especially valuable listing comes under the rubric "Leading figures"
Judaism 101:
http://www.jewfaq.org/
Everything you want to know about Judaism, especially from an
Orthodox perspective. This site is maintained by Tracey Rich and it amounts to
an online encyclopedia of Judaism.
A Guide to Christian Resources on the Internet:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/christian-resources.html
An amazing number of links here, some of them remote to
research. Still, a good index and some fascinating annotations make this a
worthwhile place to browse. A distinctly evangelical Christian bias runs through
this site.
Refdesk.com (My Virtual Reference
Desk):
http://www.refdesk.com/factrel.html
At last count, this list of world religion reference links,
maintained by Bob Drudge (father of gossip journalist Matt Drudge), was at
113 down from February's 117!
Religion Newswriters Association References:
http://www.rna.org/library.php
The group that ought to know lists some key reference
resources in its online religion library.
Religion, Society and Culture in
Newfoundland and Labrador:
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~hrollman
This prize-winning site is maintained by Hans Rollmann, a
professor of religious studies at Memorial University in Newfoundland. Though
heavy on provincial religion, the site provides a wonderful study in
denominationalism and its influence in a small social setting. In addition,
Rollmann writes a weekly column on religion for The Telegram, the daily newspaper of
St. Johns, Newfoundland's largest city.
Religious Education Network:
http://www.cant.ac.uk/renet/renetFP.HTML
From Britain's Canterbury Cathedral, a set of links for
Christian Educators primarily, although its scope is extremely world-religion
oriented.
Religious Movements Page:
http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/
Maintained at the University of Virginia, this site provides
detailed profiles of the world's religions and their manifold expressions in
society. This is a massive and masterful glossary on religion in the world, and
it is graphically pleasing and easy to browse as well. Jeffrey K. Hadden, a
professor of sociology at the university, is the guru behind this site.
Religious Studies Web Guide:
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~lipton/
A University of Calgary librarian and a Library of Congress
librarian have created this collection of resources aimed at researchers in the
academic study of religion.
RJ.org (News and Views of Reform Judaism):
http://blogs.rj.org/reform/
A blog that provides not only several statements and several stories concerning Reform Judaism but also links to many other Reform Judaism sites. The site also represents a growing trend toward providing subscribable blogs in place of full blown Web sites.
StudySphere's Religion Dictionaries:
http://www.studysphere.com/Site/Sphere_677.html
An internet indexing site out of Connecticut provides this
list of religion references. Points to some interesting glossaries of various
religions, e.g., Jainism, Scientology, etc.
http://www.theologywebsite.com/
This site is promoted as "everything you wanted to know about
theology but were afraid to ask." A potpourri of theological and biblical
knowledge and references. The site is part of SOCTP -- the Society of Online
Christian Theology and Philosophy -- and publishes an online journal called
Quodlibet.
Virtual Religion Online (Rutgers
University):
http://religion.rutgers.edu/vri/
The Religion Department at Rutgers maintains this site for
researchers in the field of religion. An amazing set of links, this site is
highlighted as a key online reference in Microsoft's Encarta Encyclopedia. Prof.
Mahlon H. Smith, who teaches New Testament at Rutgers, is primarily responsible
for this site. An active member of the Jesus Seminar, Smith has also been
instrumental in developing the Web site of the Westar Institute, parent
organization of the Jesus
Seminar.
World Christian
Database:
http://www.globalchristianity.org/wcd
Yale University Library Research Guide:
http://www.library.yale.edu/div/instruct/internet/bibframe.htm
This site begins with the basics of the Internet and
eventually gets to some important and extensive links for the study of religion.
This particular link is to research on Christianity.
A note from the Webmaster about religion courses online:
Many colleges, graduate schools and seminaries offer religion courses online, most of them operating as arms of institutions promoting Christianity. Some even offer degree programs, usually with a component of on-campus study. Keep in mind that schools and seminaries are much like denominations; that is, their offerings come out of a particular theological tradition, be it conservative or liberal, Catholic or Anglo-Catholic, charismatic or sacramental, Trinitarian or Unitarian, liturgical or iconoclastic. One must examine carefully the doctrines and beliefs of the particular institution before committing to its online study program. I'd be wary of any institution whose Web site doesn't articulate clearly its host organization's doctrinal or theological position. Just as one would choose a college or seminary carefully before attending, so one should exercise equal care and diligence in selecting an online study program. Unfortunately, there is not a flourishing accrediting agency for online course offerings.
A cautionary note for online course seekers: If a Web address contains the domain ending .edu, this means generally it is associated with a non-profit institution of higher education. Courses offered from Web addresses ending in .com, are more likely to be commercially operated institutions. Of course, this gets tricky with addresses outside the U.S. or with the recent proliferation of Web extensions. An address ending in .ca, for example, represents a Canadian organization, while an address ending in .au represents and Australian organization. (The suffix .re represents not religion but the nation of Reunion, a tiny island nation east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.) In addition, some sites use addresses ending in .org, which represents a non-profit--but not necessarily educational--operation. One should study fully a Web site and the online offerings before committing expenses to any online study. And online study, by the way, is not cheap.
Please note: The list below by no means should be considered exhaustive; it is a mere beginning to listing online locations for the study of religion. Incidentally, some of the best sites for online education are not institutions associated with religion; although, they may offer courses related to religion. Check out, for example, the online offerings of UCLA, the University of Washington, or Johns Hopkins University.
Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty:
http://www.acton.org/
A Grand Rapids, Mich., organization that weds economic thinking to
faith. Most of its programs are aimed at intellectuals and students and aim to
undergird the free enterprise system with religious values.
Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Ky.:
http://www.ats.wilmore.ky.us
Asbury offers an excellent site map for its online offerings. The seminary's home page offers a statement of Asbury's "Wesleyian-Arminian"
theological position, which undoubtedly affects the teaching of theology in its
courses. For online education, Asbury runs a pastoral institute that emphasizes
online study.
Bethel College and Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.:
http://www.bethel.edu/
Bethel is a fully accredited college and seminary of the Baptist General
Conference and represents one of a handful of Evangelical Christian institutions
of higher learning that have in the last half of the twentieth century devoted
themselves to the integration of faith and learning. Unfortunately, the Bethel
site does not make it easy for browsers to find the school's online offerings.
Bethel is regionalizing its curriculum in conjunction with Seminary of the East.
For those who recognize subtleties, Bethel, a friend informs me, is planning a
journalism program that places a premium on writing.
Bibletutor.com:
http://www.bibletutor.com/
This is basically a commercial venture, but the demonstration
provides a pretty full view of what tutoring someone in basic Bible knowledge is
all about. The site is sponsored by Luther Seminary in St. Paul,
Minn.
BlackandChristian.com
http://www.blackandchristian.com/academy/index.shtml
This site on things African American and Christian provides a
listing of academic institutions offering seminary training especially of
interest to African American Christians.
Christian Distance Learning
Directory
(Loyola College of
Baltimore):
see Baker's Christian Distance
Learning Guide (above).
Christian University GlobalNet:
http://www.gospelcom.net/cugn/
Closely related to the Council of Christian Colleges and
Universities in Washington, D.C., this Littleton, Colorado, organization
specializes in distributed education. Some believe this collaborative is the
beginning of an evangelical national university.
Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, Calif.:
http://www.cdsp.edu/center.php
The Center for Anglican Life and Learning (CALL) at CDSP has
been a pioneer in online theological discussions, though most of its offerings
heretofore have been strictly non-credit. Now the school is experimenting with
Continuing Education Unit credit and is offering some certificate programs. For
those interested in Episcopal worship and education, CDSP has a nice list of
links, with special bearing
on things academic and Anglican (Episcopal), mostly in the Western United States.
Committee on the
Study of Religion at Harvard U.:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~csrel
A high-powered doctoral program. Journalists can exploit some
of the reference links here.
CSB/SJU Libraries -- Internet Theology Resources:
http://www.users.csbsju.edu/~eknuth/itr/
The combined libraries of two small schools in Minnesota, the
College of St. Benedict for women and St. John's University for men, have put
together an amazing collection of Internet resources for students of theology. Although not graphically rich, the list is nicely categorized for easy browsing.
Eastern Pentecostal Bible College,
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada:
http://www.epbc.edu/
Eastern touts itself as Canada's largest denominational undergraduate
theological institution. It has an extensive online offering of about 25 courses
and offers a bachelor of theology degree, largely through distance education.
The program advertises itself as one designed "to further equip men and women
for effective Spirit-filled service." Those words should give browser's insight
into Eastern's Pentecostal theological position.
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena,
Calif.:
http://www.fuller.edu/
Fuller is the largest seminary in the United States and has been a
leader of Evangelical theological education. Though it has for a long time
offered extended and continuing education through satellite campuses and through
distance-learning technology, it is just beginning to offer courses online,
most of them designed by the seminary's School for World Mission.
George Fox University, Newburg,
Oregon:
http://www.georgefox.edu/
This school represents a pacificist, Quaker heritage in the Evangelical
Christian tradition (Evangelical Friends Church). This fully accredited liberal
arts school ranks among the best in the Evangelical tradition, and is committed
to a program of integrating learning with Christian faith.
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, S. Hamilton,
Mass.:
http://www.gcts.edu/
This Evangelical seminary now has three additional campuses in Boston, Florida, and
in Charlotte, N.C. Its Semlink offerings include
online study, which can lead to an M.Div. degree, although some on-campus study
is required for the degree. Full disclosure demands that I reveal I'm an
alumnus of GCTS, but I earned my degree long before online education was making
itself known.
Harvard Divinity School
http://www.hds.harvard.edu
Traditionally, the place for top academic explorations.
Originally founded as a Congregationalist/Unitarian seminary, it moved away from its Puritan roots to champion broader religious viewpoints. Harvard Divinity School is a
graduate seminary with diverse offerings for almost all religious
persuasions.
Institute for Pastoral Initiative (U. of
Dayton):
http://www.udayton.edu/~ipi/
An academic institution for training clerics in the ways of
the media and the interface with culture.
Learn Greek Online:
http://www.ntgreek.org/
A certain amount of discipline is needed, not to mention time,
but everything one needs to begin a study of New Testament Greek is located at
this site. The force behind these instructional pages is Corey Keating, a West
Coast computer systems engineer with degrees in classical studies and
information systems and a passion for online teaching of the primary language of
the New Testament.
Mount Allison University (Canada)
Religious Studies:
http://www.mta.ca/faculty/humanities/religious
A rather obscure site for people living in the United States,
but Mount Allison University in the Canadian province of New Brunswick has a
fine religious studies department. To check it out one might best look at a
sample course.
Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills,
Alberta, Canada:
http://www.prairie.edu/
A large Bible College growing out of interdenominational Evangelical
pietism. It is now operating what it calls its eClass Pilot Program (go
to home page and click "Distance Ed.") that allows the earning of an associate's
or a bachelor's degree in religious studies and ministry fully via online
study.
The Red Book:
http://www.theredbook.org/redbook/default.asp
Find any online church or school associated with the Episcopal
Church at this specialized search engine.
Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va.:
http://www.regent.edu/
The school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson has its own
School of Communications that strives to integrate Christian faith with modern
journalism, especially broadcast journalism. According to its Distance Ed. page
offerings, one can even earn a Masters degree in law from Regent (check
requirements carefully). (N.B.: Regent University in Virginia should not be
confused with Regent
College in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, an outstanding Christian Graduate
School associated with the U. of British Columbia and a more reformed Anglican
Christianity represented by two of its outstanding theologians, J.I. Packer and
Alister McGrath.)
Syllabi Project (American Academy of
Religion):
http://www.aarweb.org/Programs/Syllabus_Project/default.asp
A wonderful learning concept is gathered here. Professors of
religion post their syllabi, and in alphabetical splendor one can dig into an
amazing array of religious topics. Whatever one's religious specialty, there's
probably a course on it being taught somewhere, and this site might give one
great insight into the content and approach to that specialty.
Theological Education by Extension, Johannesburg, South
Africa:
http://www.tee.co.za
This ecumenical and worldwide operation out of Southern Africa offers
courses designed to equip "anyone anywhere for ministry." Most of the courses
offered appear to be in the area of practical theology (i.e., marriage, family,
etc.) or with an emphasis on personal, devotional growth.
Trinity Episcopal School of Ministry, Ambridge,
Pa.
http://www.tesm.edu/
Under its extension division label, one finds TEEM (Trinity Episcopal
Extension Ministry), and there one finds a hefty offering of distance education
opportunities. Trinity offers courses and some degree programs online. Trinity,
one of the seminaries under the accreditation of the Episcopal Church in the
United States (ECUSA), is easily the most evangelical and conservative of the
national Episcopal seminaries.
Trinity Theological Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana:
http://www.trinitysem.edu/
It's difficult to pin down the history of Trinity from its Web
site. It began in 1969 and has been a pioneer in online education with an
affiliation to the University of Liverpool in England and the Evangelical
scholar John Warwick Montgomery. Much of its impetus appears to be aimed at
Christian evangelism. It is one of the few online sites advertising programs
leading to doctoral degrees.
Union Theological Seminary and
Presbyterian School of Christian Education
(Union/PSCE):
http://www.union-psce.edu/profdev/programs.shtml
This Web site says the independent study program is open to
ordained clergy and Christian educators, but I'll bet the school would welcome a
professional journalist who wanted to study at this seminary of the Presbyterian
Church in the U.S.A. located in Richmond, Va. (and now in Charlotte, N.C.).
Independent study can last from two days to two months, involves full
participation in the daily life of the seminary, and is relatively inexpensive.
As far as I can tell the school is not yet offering any educational
opportunities online.
University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB)
Religious Studies:
http://www.religion.ucsb.edu
A program for the study of religion worldwide. More of a
reference site than an online study site. Contains a valuable links page.
Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill.:
http://www.wheatononline.org/
The largest and most well-known Evangelical Christian College
in the U.S., Wheaton was once
described to me as the "West Point of Evangelical Christianity." I'm not sure
people at the school would accept that label, but the college has certainly
trained many of the scholars and leaders in today's Evangelical Renaissance.
Wheaton also operates an online graduate division.
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Posted by: Payton | February 08, 2010 at 06:27 PM