Introduction
This guide is designed to help you find books, videos, articles, websites and podcasts for use in the study of Christianity. If you need additional help, please contact the Religious Studies librarian, Ken Orenic, or stop by the Library Reference Desk. You can also get help from our reference services page.
The COD Library provides access to a host of resources, including print books, eBooks, and databases that are available for online use. You'll need your COD MyAccess username and password to access online materials.
Create an I-Share account to access books from over 80 academic libraries located throughout Illinois. Books can be picked up at the COD Library Circulation Desk. You'll get an email letting you know when the book is available for pickup.
Research Process - Suggested Steps
Christianity
According to Harvard Divinity School's Religious Literacy Project, Christianity is a worldwide religious tradition with diverse representations, beliefs and practices. But its common source is one: the life, the teachings, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus.
Christianity is comprised of three major streams, including Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christian Churches, Protestantism movements. This guide provides links to several reference works that deal with multiple aspects of Christianity. To find books and articles on a specific tradition, search the Library's book catalog or article databases using the name of the religion. For example, search for Lutheran or Episcopalian.
Bible Resources
Central to many of these traditions are the Old and New Testaments. Click on the following links to find Encyclopedias, Concordances and Dictionaries.
Old Testament
eBooks
- ACLS Humanities E-Book
ACLS Humanities E-Book collection focuses on the core disciplines of the humanities - literature, linguistics, history, art history, philosophy. Pages from this collection can be printed and emailed.
- EBSCO eBook Collection
EBSCO eBooks Collection spans a variety of topics. Most books in this collection are in PDF format. Many titles in the EBSCO eBook Collection can be downloaded in their entirety to your computer or mobile reading device.
- Very Short Introductions
The Very Short Introductions collection began as a print series in 1995, offering brief informative introductions to a diverse range of subject areas in arts and humanities, law, medicine and health, science and mathematics, and social sciences.
Each book in this collection can be accessed by five users at a time. If the title you need is in use try again in a few minutes.
Reference Sources
Electronic Reference
- Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyA peer-reviewed encyclopedia written by Philosophy and Religious Studies scholars. Hosted by Stanford University.
- Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyThe IEP provides scholarly, peer-reviewed information on key topics and philosophers and theologians in all areas of academic philosophy and religious studies. Articles are written with the intention that most of the content can be understood by undergraduates majoring in philosophy. The IEP articles are written by experts in Philosophy and Religious Studies.
- Credo Reference
Credo Reference provides access to a broad selection of dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations, and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles. Includes a built-in mind map to help students brainstorm search terms. Credo is a great place to start your research.
The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology by ISBN: 9781139081542Publication Date: 2011-02-24Entries are designed to help the reader understand and assess the specifically theological significance of the most important concepts and provides an introduction to the defining topics in Christian thought.
Dictionary of Philosophy of Religion by Call Number: BL51 .D514 2010ISBN: 1441112383Publication Date: 2010-08-19Covering historical and contemporary figures, arguments, and terms, it covers world religions and sources from east and west.
Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity by Call Number: BR66.5 .D5813 2014ISBN: 0830829407Publication Date: 2014-02-28The Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity covers eight centuries of the Christian Church and comprises 3,220 entries by a team of 266 scholars from 26 countries representing a variety of Christian traditions. It draws upon such fields as archaeology, art and architecture, biography, cultural studies, ecclesiology, geography, history, philosophy, and theology.
Encyclopedia of Religion by Call Number: BL31 .E46 2005ISBN: 0028657330Publication Date: 2004-12-17This series includes almost all of the 2750 original entries - many heavily updated - as well as approximately 600 (1.2M words) entirely new articles. An international team of scholars and contributors have reviewed, revised and added to every word of a classic work to make it relevant to the questions and interests of readers, whether students, specialists, or laypersons.
Historical Dictionary of Radical Christianity by ISBN: 9780810873650Publication Date: 2012-05-01Covers the history of Radical Christianity. The entries reflect the leading groups, movements, and sects from each major era of Christian history.
Print Reference Books
The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization by Call Number: BR95 .E467 2011ISBN: 9781405157629Publication Date: 2012-01-10A comprehensive reference work on the history and impact of Christianity. Over 1,400 entries provide an in-depth look at Christianity both through its history and the way it has shaped societies around the world. A series of interlocking major themes is explored, including: key theological ideas; global and regional history; worship; society and Christianity; literature; music; art; architecture; education; politics; law, and scholarship. Uniting these themes is an understanding of Christianity as a truly global phenomenon with strong denominational and regional identities.
How to Be a Perfect Stranger by Call Number: BJ2010 .H68 2006 and 2nd copy in RefISBN: 9781594731402Publication Date: 2006-01-01A guide to the basic service and ceremonies of all major religions and denominations in America, addressing the concerns of guests of other faiths regarding what to wear, appropriate gifts, and behavior before, during, and after the event they are attending.
The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought by Call Number: BR95 .O7 2000ISBN: 9780198600244Publication Date: 2000-12-21Captures a sense of the great diversity of opinion that swirls about under the heading of Christian thought. Readers will find lengthy survey articles on national and regional traditions, and on various denominations, from Anglican to Unitarian with coverage of Eastern thought as well, examining the Christian tradition in China, Japan, India, and Africa.
Religions of the World by Call Number: Ref BL80.3 .R45 2002ISBN: 9781576072233Publication Date: 2002-08-20This work covers the religious belief and practice in all 276 of the world's nations and territories. From the Aboriginal Cult of Maria Lionza in Venezuela to Zionist and Apostolic churches in South Africa and Zimbabwe, Religions of the World is the only comprehensive compilation of the world's existing major religious communities. This extraordinary four-volume survey examines the religious history and key religious communities in all 240 recognized nations and territories. More than 200 international experts contributed the 1,200+ entries covering each group's origin, history, organization, ecumenical contacts, and present status.
The Routledge Companion to Christian History by Call Number: BR145.2 .C66 2008ISBN: 0415383625Publication Date: 2007-12-07Covers key events in the Christian calendar from the persecution of the Roman Empire to the fall of Communism and the rise of Fundamentalism, the impact of Islam, the Crusades, Monasticism, and the spread of popular religious movements, includes cross-cultural coverage; as well as Western Christendom, the Orthodox churches of the East and the 'new' churches of Asia and Africa.
