| Title | Description |
| Instituto Brasileiro de filosofia e ciência Raimundo Lulio (Ramon Llull) |
A wide variety of historical and bibliographic resources is available from the 'Instituto Brasileiro de Filosofia e Ciência Raimundo Lúlio' on Ramon Llull (1232-1316), one of the most famous medieval scientists. Theologically, Ramon Llull was known for his dramatic visions of Christ, which lead to his conversion to Christianity and his resulting works on Christian doctrine and missions. However, in recent years, he has been the particular focus of researchers interested in the development of natural philosophy in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Likewise, the site underlines the figure of Llull as an inspiring figure for cross-religious dialogues. The vast majority of resources are found under the Studies on Ramon Llull link. From here, one can access data on the chronology of his life and details about his travels. For those looking to expand the frontiers of Llull research, there is a helpful directory of critical editions in both Latin and Catalan; as well as details of theses published in Brazil and a catalogue of pseudo-Llull works on alchemy. The Institute has also collected a series of electronic articles in Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish and English. A number of free ebooks are available, as well as a catalogue of publications which can be purchased on site. Users of these pages should note that while the site can be navigated in English, many of the documents themselves are available only in Portuguese. |
| Tafseer al-Mizan |
This websites provides the reader with easy access to a translation of substantial parts of the Tafsir al-Mizan. This major exegetical work was produced by one of the foremost Iranian Shi'i religious scholars of the 20th century, Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn al-Tabataba'i (1892-1981), and reflects not only his background as a scholar rooted in traditional Shi'i religious thought (including the philosophical teachings of the school of Mulla Sadra), but also more contemporary socio-political concerns (many of his students were influential in the Iranian Revolution of 1979). This translation project still seems to be under progress, and the English translation has not been made from the original Arabic, but from a Persian translation by Saeed Akhtar Rizvi. This still seems to be an ongoing project, as only the first six of the original 20 volumes in Arabic have been translated. Besides the translation, various features can be found on the website, including a search tool, and choice excerpts from the work arranged according to different topics. One can also find a section (through a link to a related website) comparing Tabataba'i with other 20th century exegetical writers, as well as a collection of articles discussing various topics related to Shi'i thought. It should be noted that both the comparative study section and the articles reflect the general approach of the website, which presents Tabataba'i and his thought from a commited Shi'i point of view. |
| Official website of a common word |
This is the official website of ‘A Common Word’, a letter drafted and signed by a large group of Muslim scholars, clerics and intellectuals in reaction to the controversy raised by Pope Benedict the XVI’s message in Regensberg on the 13th of September, 2006. The name ‘Common Word’ refers to a Quranic verse (3:64) which calls on followers of other Abrahamic religions to come together with Muslims and agree on common ground and shared values. This document can be found here in numerous languages (including English, Arabic, French, German, Russian, Polish and Indonesian), together with lists of signatories and recipients. The website has special sections for documents related to Christian and Jewish responses, and a ‘News’ section which provides a chronology of events following the release of ‘A Common Word’. The ‘New Fruits’ section has a substantial collection of papers published since then, including conference proceedings. Audio and video recordings of many of the events mentioned above can also be seen in the multimedia section. |
| Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought |
This is the website of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, a non-governmental research institute based in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The name Aal al-Bayt is a reference to the family of the Prophet Muhammad, to which Jordanian royal family claim descent. This choice of name is intentionally aimed at bringing together the various schisms within Islam, particularly that between Sunnis and Shi’is. This interest in dialogue and reconciliation extends also to inter-faith dialogue, and a list of the various events and publications organised by this institute can be found here, connected to both types of dialogue. The institute also is involved in funding and organising research in the study of Islamic thought and civilization. The list of fellows associated with the institute contains names of prominent Muslim researchers and teachers in both traditional and modern institutes of learning. A selection of some scholarly contributions (in both Arabic and English) on the subject of ‘Love in the Holy Quran’ (the topic of the Institute’s Fourteenth General Conference) can be freely accessed from the website. Together with this, one can find information on past, current and future activities organised by institute in the ‘Projects’ section. |
| Pali text society |
This is the website of the Pali Text Society, founded in 1881, which exists to promote the study of the Pali canon, the principal works of Theravada Buddhism. The website gives details of the work of the society and has a list of society members which scholars new to the field will find particularly useful. There are also a number of translation exercises and tutorials on the site which will be helpful for new learners. The principal focus of the website are the lists of publications. None of these are available online, but the site gives details of prices and how to place an order, which can be done directly through the site. |
| Mas'ud Ahmed Khan's home page |
The Mas’ud Ahmed Khan website has evolved substantially from its early origins as a newsgroup run in the 1990s by the administrator. Its resources mainly reflect the interests and concerns of an increasingly vocal and articulate section of British Muslim society interested in reviving a traditionalist Sunni version of Islam, Sufi orientated, and keen on maintaining a strong British identity (one section is dedicated to British Muslim Heritage). Leading figures of this community (US born Nuh Ha Mim Keller and Cambridge don Abdul Hakim Murad, who both produce a bulk of the articles) have grown in importance over the last decade, particularly following 9/11 and the increasing media attention given to Muslims in the West. Therefore, this website is useful to those interesting in researching discussion among British Muslims over issues relating to citizenship and jihad, articulated not only in contemporary article form, but also in the language of classical juristic and theological scholarship. Numerous video and audio resources are also available, including lectures and radio interviews. These resources deal not only with contemporary social issues, but also long-standing theological debates that are still current in modern Muslim society. |
| Marifah.net |
By providing translations, this website aims to create access for the wider English-speaking Muslim public to writings by classical and contemporary Sunni scholarship. For the Islamic Studies student or researcher, this website can provide a look into the living heritage of medieval Sunnism. The Sunni scholarship that the translators of this website are concerned with reflect a more classical approach (described here as 'orthodox'), sympathetic to the approach of speculative theological schools as well as the teachings and practices of Sufis, and are dominantly from the Arab world (or at least wrote in Arabic). A section dedicated to biographies of such scholars can be found, as well as a collection of photographs of scholars from various parts of the Muslim world. Most of the translations given here are in PDF form, and are either from relatively short treatises, or small sections from larger works. In line with the contemporary concerns of traditional Sunni discourse, many of these papers attempt to defend the theological methodology of the Ash'ari and Maturidi schools as well the teachings of Sufism from attacks by more reformist Sunni streams. Although the quality of translation does vary from text to text,the standard of translation is usually good, and transliteration and citations are given in the style found in academic journal. A number of audio and video recordings of lectures in Arabic by contemporary scholars can also be found on this website, as well as an online forum. |
| Creating Buddhas : the making and meaning of fabric thangkas |
The website 'Creating Buddhas: the Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas' is partly a promotional site for a film about a woman working on these Tibetan artworks in north America. The site gives information about the making of the film and a three-minute trailer for the documentary, as well as information about the film maker and those involved in the project. It is included in this database as the film is a not-for-profit production and of academic merit. The site also gives a list of the numerous past and present screenings of the film in public cinemas. These are mostly in the US, although there have been screenings in Europe as well. There are a number of still images taken from the film showing the various stages of the production of the thangkas. It would be nice to have more information about the craft itself, rather than the documentary, but this site presents a taster of what appears an interesting and useful resource. |
| Footsteps project |
This is the website of the AHRC funded project 'In the Footsteps of Jesus and the Prophet: Sociality, Caring and the Religious Imagination In the Filipino Diaspora'. The Footsteps Project is a major two year research project funded within the AHRC Diaspora Programme, concerned with the experiences of Filipino carers living and working in the Middle East and the role that Filipino religious congregations play in creating sociality, community and social networks among fellow migrants, both local and transnational; the ways these facilitate relations with their hosts; how faith may empower women negotiating status and identity within and beyond the workplace. |
| Jews and the graphic novel |
'Jews and the Graphic Novel' is a 22-page documentary comic book created and written by David Gantz. This comic is free to read online, and offers a condensed history of the immense contribution made by American Jewish men to the art and craft of the comic book in the 20th century. The author has the advantage of having worked in the industry since the 1940s, and there is particular focus on the impact of the Second World War on the industry. In 22 pages, this free online comic can only scratch the surface of a history which is now dealt with in a significant number of scholarly history books - such as 'From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and comic books'; 'The Jewish graphic novel: critical approaches'; 'Up, Up, and Oy Vey'; and 'Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero', among others. It does however give a useful outline introduction for those who are just starting to take an interest in the topic. |
| Armenian church |
The Armenian Church website provides an overview of the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion, in 301 AD, and the site gives a brief history of Christianity in the region, plus background information about the country and details of the church's hierarchy. While the site gives a useful introduction to the subject, it is probably not detailed enough to be of use for more advanced research. It does, however, offer an interesting gallery of several dozen black-and-white images of aspects of church architecture and decoration, and of key personnel and events in the Armenian church, though unfortunately detailed descriptions of these are not provided. The site features text adverts, which some users may find distracting. |
| Hindu website : the sacred scriptures of Hinduism |
The Sacred Scriptures of Hinduism Web page provides English texts of the Hindu holy writings, including: the Rig Veda; the Ramayana; the Mahabharata; the Bhagvad-Gita; and the Laws of Manu. Also available is an electronic version of Surendranath Dasgupta's 1922 work 'A History of Indian Philosophy'. The site is a part of the much larger Hindu Website, which offers a variety of resources on Hinduism and other eastern religions, including separate sections providing more detailed information on the Bhagavad-Gita, the Vedas, and the Upanishads. While this is not primarily intended as an academically focused site (and some users may find the adverts distracting), it does offer one of the more comprehensive online collections of the Hindu scriptures, and so provides a useful resource for students of the religion. |
| Biblindex |
BIBLindex is an online resource supported by the French Institute of Christian Sources. Ultimately, it aims to permit users to identify biblical quotations in all Jewish and Christian literature of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages (from the beginning of the Common Era until 1400). It is already possible to search a database of around 400,000 biblical references in works from a wide range of authors, including Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Gregory Nazianzen, Gregory of Nyssa, and many others. While this is a site with much potential, it is currently rather cumbersome to use: registration is required to access the search function, and the interface is somewhat non-intuitive (reading the instructions before beginning is strongly recommended) and slow to produce results. However, for those working in this area who are able to invest the necessary time, this may nevertheless prove a valuable resource. The site is available in English and in French. |
| Bible geocoding : Bible maps in Google Earth and Google Maps |
Bible Geocoding is an impressive online resource which uses Google Earth and Google Maps to produce maps showing the location of every identifiable place mentioned in the Bible. One can choose to view all the places mentioned, or those in individual books or chapters. An atlas feature lists the places alphabetically, and provides for each entry a thumbnail image, links to photos, and a list of verses in which the place is mentioned. Additionally, a set of overlays allows users to compare Google Earth's images of Jerusalem with those found in historical maps. Users should note that they will need to install Google Earth to enjoy all the features of this website. |
| Inter-religious dialogue |
Inter-Religious Dialogue is a freely available online journal. It aims both to advance theological scholarship and to promote communication, collaboration, and tolerance between members of different faith communities. The journal is edited by a multifaith team of students and scholars, and the articles (provided as PDF files) which make up the bulk of its output are peer reviewed by members of the journal's Board of Scholars and Practitioners. Readers are invited to make their own contributions to debate by commenting on the articles. The site also has a separate section (entitled 'InterViews') which features shorter non-peer-reviewed pieces, and a resources section which offers links to educational material and the websites of other organisations which exist to promote religious dialogue. The journal first appeared online in spring 2009. |
