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References and Links

To return to Homepage, click on Home link in frame to left.

If you are the Webmaster of a site listed here and would prefer to have the link removed, please email me.

Recommended = a resource that I have found to be especially useful

There is a listing for general references on Christianity below. All other faiths and denominations have such references shown immediately following their entries on the appropriate group page. Click on the page directory in the frame at the right for non-Christian groups.

Page table of contents:

The Bible

Christianity generally

Comparative religion

Demographics

Denomination Finders

Interfaith groups and ecumenical organizations

Reference books and printed materials

Unsorted temporary study resources

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The Bible

► About the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV) and the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV)

From the National Council of Churches website

► The Jefferson Bible

Especially interesting to graduates of Mr. Jefferson’s university

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Comparative religion

► Interfaith Center of New York --World Religions

For generalists seeking an introduction

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Demographics

► Adherents.com - Religion Statistics and Geography Recommended

► Churches In America

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Christianity generally

► National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Listed here for their membership directory

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Denomination Finders

[Ones with taxonomies are particularly recommended]

► Angelfire: Index of all Christian denominations on the Web

Weblinks on one long scrolling page; some annoying advertising animation; not as comprehensive as others; mis-categorizes some denominations

► Christians USA 10,000 church directory

Developed by ChristianUSA.net. More a church finder than denomination list. Obviously covers only Christian churches (FAQ says “true biblical Christian churches”). Organized by state

► Churches In America

A denomination list developed by a commercial firm, American Church Lists, Inc., that markets data. Only a list — no links

► Churches in the United States

A list developed maintained by Becky and Paul Pasholk

► Comprehensive List of Religions that Evolved from the Classic 12 Recommended

From the Religions of the World web site

► ElectronicChurch.org

Web resources of the religious bodies listed in the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches

► Families of Religions source page

Somewhat incomplete, but a work in progress on the Interfaith Calendar Web site

► ETA Denomination Finder

Evangelical Training Association’s site; fast-loading, though not as complete as others

► Ind-Movement.org: The World of Autocephalous Churches Recommended

Fr. Tony Begonja’s indispensable guide to autocephalous (“Independent-Movement”) churches; many entries found nowhere else

► List of North American Religions Recommended

Maintained by Prof. Lesley A. Northup at Florida International University

► National Black Yellow Pages Religious directory

Has listings for national offices of many traditionally-African American denominations

► National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Listed here for their membership directory

► Net Ministries Denominations Directory -- Links to Denomination and Church affiliations including church directory

Denominations listed alphabetically with no taxonomy, but a speedy pull-down menu if you know what you want

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► Official denomination websites

Maintained by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at the Hartford Seminary

► Official Websites for America’s largest denominations

Compiled by Kenneth A. Wedin from the The 1999 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches

► Open Directory - Society: Religion and Spirituality: Christianity: Denominations

An Open Directory site, so only has entries that others have taken time to post; many denominations have entries for unofficial sites discussing the denomination

► Religion Community -- Religions Online

A Prodigy community bulletin board; has listings for non-Christian groups, but not comprehensive

► Religion In The Americas: Rita Database

Created by Clifford L. Holland, director of the Latin American Socio-Religious Studies Program

► The Religious Movements Homepage @ The University of Virginia Recommended

An enormously useful resource maintained by Prof. Jeffrey K. Hadden at Mr. Jefferson’s university

► The Unofficial Home Page of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church Top recommendation!

Built by Jon Zuck; the place to begin if you are trying to sort through the various permutations of “catholic” churches. This is not the original URL. Not sure if this is a mirror or Jon moved the site here. But try it, you’ll find it a wonderful introduction to this whole topic.

► Toward a Classification System of Religious Groups in the Americas By Major Traditions and Family Types

Developed by Clifton L. Holland, for his doctoral dissertation. (“A History of the Protestant Movement in Central America: 1780-1980.” Doctor of Missiology dissertation, School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1985.) Builds on Melton.

► Welcome to God Bless This Mess! Christian Denominations

Part of the God Bless This Mess! site on Christianity. One long scrolling document, making it somewhat hard to use; has narratives on some denominations on its page; misses many smaller ones

► Will You Save My Soul? World Religions listing

Has some exotic listings.

► World Council of Churches members

Also has listings of regional groups.

► Yearbook-Listed US Religious Bodies from the 2001 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches

From ElectronicChurch.org

► Zondervan Church Source

Loads fast, one scrolling list of denominations but few ads so scrolls quickly; listed alphabetically with no taxonomy; also has a church finder

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Reference books and printed materials

► Approaches to taxonomy

■ Church-sect dichotomy tradition

Rosten, Leo, editor. Religions of America. New York: Simon & Shuster, 1973.

Ernst Troeltsch. The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches. University of Chicago Press, 1981.

■ Sociological tradition

Holland, Clifton L. Toward a Classification System of Religious Groups in the Americas By Major Traditions and Family Types. Programa Latinoamericano De Estudios Sociorreligiosos, San Pedro, Costa Rica, 1990 [?].

Mead, Frank S., Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood. Handbook of Denominations in the United States. Eleventh edition. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001.

Melton, J. Gordon, editor. Encyclopedia of American Religions. Sixth edition. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 1999.

Piepkorn, Arthur C. Profiles in Belief: The Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada. Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Bodies, Volume I. Protestant Denominations, Volume II. Holiness and Pentecostal Churches, Volume III. Evangelical, Fundamentalist, and Other Churches in the Christian Tradition, Volume IV. San Francisco: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1979.

Wach, Joachim. Comparative Study of Religions. Columbia University Press, 1958.

_______________. Essays in the History of Religions. New York: MacMillan Library Reference, 1988.

_______________. Sociology of Religion. University of Chicago Press, 1944.

Wach, Joachim, Joseph M. Kitagawa, and Gregory D. Alles. Introduction to the History of Religions. New York: MacMillan, 1988.