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Religious Protest
We note in Global Problems and the Culture
of Capitalism that most religions have emerged from one form of social protest or
another. We suggest also that global religious movements, such as the various
fundamentalisms that have attracted renewed attention in the past two decades, may
represent the only viable cultural alternative to global capitalism. We also ask
whether or not small-scale communal movements represent viable alternatives? The
following sites provide access to such movements. We have also included general
religion sites to provide access to background material. The Comparative Religion site
will provide access to many other sites.
Anthropology
of Religion Links
http://www.uwgb.edu/~sar/links.htm
An extensive list of religion resources on the
Internet from the Anthropology of Religion section of the American Anthropological
Assocation.
Apocalypse! The evolution
of apocalyptic belief and how it shaped the western world. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/
This companion
site to PBS’s Frontline special, "Apocalypse!" continues in the direction
established by the extraordinary Website (and Frontline special) "From Jesus to
Christ: The First Christians" .... Apocalypse! features an extended section on
apocalypticism, which ranges from the expectations of the early believers, to the
Crusaders of the middle ages, to various New World imaginings of the end (and
America’s pivotal role in it). The site’s pictorial chronology offers a series
of artistic renderings of the apocalypse throughout western history; a report on the rise
of the Antichrist as a central figure in end time scenarios; a complete text of the Book
of Revelation; and a roundtable discussion in which "scholars assess apocalypticism
and the American psyche" as well as "what happens after the year 2000." The
Website also links to information about primary texts in apocalyptic studies and to video
clips from the broadcast of Apocalypse! .....(Scout Report for Social Sciences, November
30, 1999)
APS
guide to resources in theology
http://www.utoronto.ca/stmikes/theobook.htm
An extensive list of sites dealing largely with
mainstream religion.
Bible
browser URL
http://www.fishernet.com/bb1.htm
The Bible, particularly sections of The Gospels,
contain some of the most revolutionary writings in the world. There are many Bible
Browsers, and this is just one. To find others, go to a search engine (e.g. Lycos), and just type "Bible Browser" to
retrieve others. This site allows you to retrive any section of The Bible you
wish. Check, for example, Matthew 5:3-10.
Center of Concern
www.coc.org/coc/
The Center of Concern is a Catholic organization that, since
1971, "has offered moral vision and has provided effective leadership to help end
global hunger, poverty, environmental decline, and injustice in the United States and
around the world. Our goal is to provide individuals and organizations with basic tools to
address these universal questions: What are the root causes of human suffering in the
world today? What responses offer hope? We provide reliable information and analysis on
development issues, practical alternatives to current development policies and practices
suggestions for personal action, and faith reflection on this work for
justice." Among their major concerns are the role of women, economic justice, Catholic social teaching, and human rights.
Communal
Studies Bibliography
http://www.salamander.com/~jgoodin/csabibs.html
An extensive list of bibliographies on communal studies.
Communal studies
organization
http://www.well.com/user/cmty/icsa
"The International Communal Studies Association is a
multidisciplinary organization providing a common framework for scholarly exchange
regarding communes, intentional communities, collective settlements and kibbutz throughout
the world. The ICSA functions as a clearinghouse for research projects, encourages
comparative studies, and maintains a list of communal organizations and individuals active
in communal and kibbutz research."
Comparative
Religion--A Directory of Internet Resources for the Academic Study of Religion
http://www.academicinfo.net/religindex.html
A comprehensive listing of religious material on the
Web. You can access general information (e.g. Online Publications), or
material on specific religions or religious movements (e.g. Islamic Studies). You can also
access other meta-indices on
religion.
Divining
America
http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/divam.htm
A site designed largely for high school teachers that
includes articles and information about the history of religion in America. But
there are some very good introductory articles, including one on fundamentalism in
America, one on the religious right,
and another on the Nation of Islam in
America.
 EIKON
http://eikon.divinity.yale.edu/
Created at Yale
Divinity School by faculty and library staff, EIKON is an image database that
"provides digital resources for teaching and research in the field of Biblical
studies." The approximately 800 images in EIKON are a subset of a larger Yale digital
collection called AdHoc that contains both texts and images related to the history of
Christianity. EIKON is searchable by subject; a search on Moses, for example, retrieves
four images from a series of frescos at a synagogue in Syria. The subject headings in
EIKON records are links, so it is easy to find related pictures by clicking the headlines.
Clicking on the geographical location heading in a Moses record retrieved sixteen more
images from the same temple. EIKON can also be browsed by categories such as Biblical
Book, Geographical Location, Cultural Affiliation, Object Type, or Topic. (Scout Report, November 5, 1999)
Finding
God in Cyberspace: A Guide to Religious Studies Resources on the Internet
http://www.fontbonne.edu/libserv/fgic/intro.htm
This metasite provides "a selective listing of
the best Internet resources of interest to religious studies scholars and students of
religion." Finding God in Cyberspace offers annotated links to print and digital
resources on the Web, including e-texts, e-journals, multimedia and graphics, and
software; online communities for religious study; teaching resources; and gateways to
relevant sites in Archaeology, Biblical Studies, Church History, and Comparative
Religions. A special section features sites that examine the "encounter between
religion and digital culture." Additional links to related directories and search
engines are also provided. Unfortunately, the site can only be browsed at this time.
However, the depth and richness of its resources make it an excellent stop for those doing
online academic research in religious studies. John L Gresham, Library Director at
Fontbonne College in St. Louis and a published scholar in Religious Studies, maintains the
site. (Scout Report for Social Sciences, 7/27/99)
A Guide to the Best
Religious Studies Resources on the Internet
http://fn2.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/~cstier/religion/toc.htm
"The purpose of the subject guide is to provide useful
links to Internet resources
in Religious Studies that are of value to the undergraduate student in Religious
Studies. This subject guide is intended to cover the most useful resources
related to each of the world's major religious traditions: Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and the Chinese and Japanese religions
(Confucianism and Taoism). We also will provide limited coverage of some
smaller, non-traditional forms of religion such a s Paganism and New Age
spirituality, although the scholastic content of this area of the Internet is
sometimes dubious."
Intentional Communities
http://www.ic.org
Many so-called intentional communities are explicitly
antisystemic in orientation, many emerging from the revolution of 1968. This site
provides information and access to crucial resources for seekers of community, existing
and forming communities, and other friends of community. You can, for eample, access
a sample list of intentional
communities in North America.
Introduction
to Islam
http://www2.ari.net/gckl/islam/introislam.htm
Provided by the Middle East Institute George Camp
Keiser Library, this online version of M. Cherif Bassiouni’s book offers an
interesting and useful introduction to the history and culture of Islam for non-Muslim
readers. The book is well-organized and attractive, offering numerous photos, maps, and
charts. In addition to providing a historical and cultural context of Islam, the book
covers basic tenets of Muslim belief, Islamic law, schools of thought, the social and
economic systems of Islam, and an overview of Islamic civilization. (Scout Report, 9/3/99)
MOST
Clearing House on Religious Rights—UNESCO
http://www.unesco.org/most/rr1.htm
"UNESCO’s MOST Clearing House (first mentioned in the
November 18, 1997 Scout Report for Social Sciences) has added a new segment on religious
rights. The Clearing House on Religious Rights supplies legislators, policymakers,
researchers, and other representatives of both governmental and non-governmental
organizations with information to monitor to the peaceful transition to democracy in
societies characterized by cultural and religious pluralism. This site provides several
full-text international legal documents concerning religious rights, excerpts of 67
national constitutions that contain provisions on religion, and a modest bibliography on
religious rights. In addition, the site hosts a new discussion forum, Democratic
Governance in Multireligious Societies. The forum will address "the social dynamics
of multireligious societies and policy-options for the management of religious conflict
from a social science perspective." Subscription information for the mailing list is
available at the site." (Scout Report for the Social Sciences, 3/23/99)
National
Abortion Federation: Clinic Violence
http://www.prochoice.org/violence/index.htm
In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism we
discusss the extent to which attacks on abortion clinics and providers represents the
militant arm of religious fundamentalism in the United States. The national Abortion
Federation maintains statistics on attacks on abortion clinics and providers.
New Testament Gateway
http://www.bham.ac.uk/theology/goodacre/featured.htm
This reputable, scholarly gateway provides an annotated directory of "good
academic New Testament web resources." In addition to being searchable, the site
sorts resources into relevant categories such as Bible Translations, Textual Criticism,
Non-Canonical, Gospels and Acts, Paul, Revelation, Historical Jesus, Judaica and more. The
site also posts featured links each month (with an archive of past months) and clearly
identifies new sites. The annotations are excellent in terms of both scholarly and
Web-browsing information. The site is maintained by Professor Mark Goodacre at the
University of Birmingham.
"Project Megiddo"
[.pdf, 110K]
http://www.fbi.gov/library/megiddo/publicmegiddo.pdf
Widely reported in the press this week and then released online on November 3, the
FBI’s report "Project Megiddo" analyzes "the potential for extremist
criminal activity in the US by individuals or domestic extremist groups who profess an
apocalyptic view of the millennium or attach special significance to the year 2000."
Those most likely to commit violent acts, according to the FBI, are either groups
motivated by religious beliefs relating to the Apocalypse or New World Order conspiracy
theory holders convinced the United Nations has a secret plan to conquer the world.
Available in .pdf format only, the report contains a useful introduction and short
analyses of groups such as the Christian identity Movement, white supremacists, militias,
the Black Hebrew Israelites, and apocalyptic cults. A brief discussion of the potential
for violence in Jerusalem, especially at the Temple Mount, is also included.
The Pluralism Project
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~pluralsm/
"Developed at Harvard University by Diana L. Eck, Professor of
Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, the Pluralism Project aims to study and document
the expanding religious diversity in the US. Besides providing details about the Project,
this Website contains an abundance of information resources germane to the study of
religion, including full-text articles, numerous bibliographies and syllabi, a directory
of nearly 3,000 religious centers, recent news on religion, a national calendar of
conferences and religious events, an ImageBase of photographic slides, and a selected
collection of annotated links to related sites." (Scout Report for Social Sciences,
3/9/99)
The Rain-Atlantis
Project: Studies in Utopian & Peaceful Societies
http://www.rain.org/utopia1.html
"The Rain-Atlantis project is a study of Utopian
Culture, the literature, art and science (science fiction as well) that flourished in
Utopian circles. The history of Peaceful Societies, drawing on the study of ancient and
contemporary cultures and peoples, serves as our environment to learn math, architecture,
science, human culture and sustainable agriculture."
Reach:
Intentional Communities
http://www.ic.org/fic/cmag/88/reach88.html
Religious Studies on
the Internet
http://www.wlv.ac.uk/sed/rsnet.htm
Another excellent comprehensive site on religion, containing
links to other sites.
The RESite: Religious
Education on the Web
http://www.theresite.org.uk/
The aim of this site is to facilitate ICT (Information and
Communications Technology) for the subject of Religion. To this end, RESite offers an
annotated index of instructional/ research Websites that deal with the world’s
religious faiths. Searchable by topic, keyword, and specific faith, the site allows the
user to limit returns to those resources geared toward a particular age group. Based in
the UK, RESite also provides links to British sites that review instructional technology,
and a Guide to Educational Visits to religious institutions within the Isles. RESite is
maintained by Culham College Institute and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
(SPCK), an Anglican organization. Despite its sponsors, the sites sources and annotations,
for the most part, appear balanced. However, there are some oversights. For example,
Sikhism is indexed, but the Baha’i faith and Zoroastrianism are not. (The Scout
Report for Social Sciences, 7/13/99)
The
Scopes "Monkey Trial"
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/inherit/1925home.html
In Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, we
mention the role played by the Scopes trial in the development of the fundamentalist
response in the United States. Sponsored by the American Studies Group and the
Electronic Text Center at the University of Virginia, this site offers basic information
about the famous "Monkey Trial," including reporters' notes and a transcription
of the key moment in Darrow's questioning of Bryan.
The Society for Utopian
Studies
http://www.utoronto.ca/utopia/
SocioSite:
Activism-Collective Action-Social Movements-Utopia
http://145.18.241.97/sociosite/TOPICS/activism.html
The main site contains information on various kinds of
activist social movements. The section on religious activism contains extensive,
annotated links to material on various religions. A superb source to begin with.
Skeptic’s Annotated Bible
http://SkepticsAnnotatedBible.com/
This Freethought Ring
Website is designed as an anti-fundamentalist version of the King James Bible. Written by
a disaffected Christian, this hypertext version of the complete King James text highlights
those passages the author contends are embarrassing to Bible-believers, specifically those
numerous passages which involve "absurdities, contradictions, violence, sex, insults
to women, injustices, bad language or false prophecies." The highlighting is
color-coded for easy identification, and a frame provides running commentary explaining
the skeptical response. One can also access specific sections of the text by the
particular categories listed above. While some might take issue with the combative tone of
this evangelical skeptic, this is a highly useful resource for confronting the mass of
biblical evidence that challenges any literalist approach to this central text of Western
literature and religious thought. (Scout Report for Social Sciences, 12/14/99)
Theology Website
http://www.tiu.edu/churchhistory/index.html
Created by the historical theology department of
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Trinity International University, the Theology
Website is a comprehensive collection of theology information and resources including
articles from the _Quodlibet Online Journal of Theology_, recommended sites about religion
and theology, and interactive polls and quizzes. Interested users are invited to
contribute to the Sermon Outline Database, which will be a compilation of sermon notes,
outlines, and transcripts, as well as Bible study and Sunday school lessons. Also included
is a vast, indexed database of theology and world religion links. (Scout Report, 8/13/99)
The Unbound Bible
http://unbound.biola.edu
The Unbound Bible, an online searchable database maintained
by Biola University (La Mirada, California), is comprised of 24 versions of the Bible. The
database includes a Hebrew version, a Greek version, four versions in ancient languages,
seven English translations, as well as translations in fifteen other languages, such as
Swahili, Icelandic, and Tagalog. For each version, users may conduct Boolean keyword
searches of the whole bible or specifically query the Old Testament, New Testament,
Apocrypha, or particular books. The Unbound Bible also contains a topical index and
supports parallel searches, allowing users to compare the texts of two different version.
[AO] (Scout Report for Social Sciences, 6/1/99)
Virtual religion index
http://religion.rutgers.edu/links/vrindex.html
http://religion.rutgers.edu/links/vrindexb.html
[No frames]
"The Virtual Religion Index is an excellent portal for
locating religious studies resources on the Internet. Created and maintained by the
Department of Religion at Rutgers University, the index provides an extensive compilation
of annotated links for the academic study of religion. Comprised of eighteen topic
sections, the index covers the historical, philosophical, theological, psychological,
sociological, and artistic aspects of a wide range of international religious traditions.
The well-organized index divides major topic sections into several subtopics. Within each
subtopic, indexed links are arranged alphabetically and include brief annotations
highlighting important content available at each listed site. Comprehensive as well as
current, the index frequently posts updates to its What’s New? section." (The
Scout Report for Social Sciences, 11/3/98)
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