Religious Studies: Topics

Funded by the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture, the ARIS surveys the religious affiliations of the American public through direct telephone surveys. In contrast to reports from church leaders or organizations, this methodology makes it a unique study of how people self-identify their religious affiliations.

Data on American religion; membership numbers and surveys and polls. Browse by category, alphabetically, most popular, or newest additions, or use a search engine.

Provides a county-by-county measure of religious bodies in the US. The study is currently sponsored by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. The survey includes maps, reports, and data sets of survey results. 2010 RCMS was released May 1, 2012. An overview of the study can be found here. Full regional reports can be searched through the ARDA.

Contains essays by leading scholars on various aspects of religion in American history.

Harvard University's Pluralism Project uses affiliates (including WKU) to document America's multi-religious society.

The Pew Forum conducts surveys, demographic analyses and other social science research on important aspects of religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world. The site has landing pages for reports based on religious affiliations: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Other Affiliations (incl. Hindus, Buddhists, Baha’is, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Unitarians, New Age groups and Native American religions), and Unaffiliated.

The International Religious Freedom Report is an annual report issued by the Department of State documenting religious freedom around the world. The report is organized by country and provides a look at how much freedom governments grant to religion.

AAR are the largest scholarly society dedicated to the academic study of religion, with more than 5,000 members around the world. Their mission is to foster excellence in the academic study of religion and enhance the public understanding of religion.

ECFA is an accreditation agency dedicated to helping Christian ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™, which focus on board governance, financial transparency, integrity in fundraising, and proper use of charity resources.

The purpose of the Society is to promote scholarly work in Christian ethics and in the relation of Christian ethics to other traditions of ethics, and to social, economic, political and cultural problems; to encourage and improve the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools; and to provide a community of discourse and debate for those engaged professionally within these general fields.

The Society of Christian Philosophers mission is to promote fellowship between Christian philosophers and to provide occasions for intellectual interchange among Christian philosophers on issues that arise from their joint commitment.

The Council of Societies for the Study of Religion is a federation of learned societies in religion interested in developing greater coordination of the field as a whole.

The John Templeton Foundation funds research and catalyzes conversations that inspire people with awe and wonder.

Daily postings from “the only secular news and photo service devoted to unbiased coverage of religion and ethics exclusively.” Other parts of the site are available via a paid subscription.

The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life “seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs . . . The Pew Forum conducts surveys, demographic analyses and other social science research on important aspects of religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world. It also provides a neutral venue for discussions of timely issues through roundtables and briefings.”

“A daily review of religion in the news and the news about religion. We’re not so much nonpartisan as polypartisan-- interested in all sides, disdainful of dualistic arguments, and enamored of free speech as a first principle. We publish and link to work by people of all persuasions, religious, political, sexual, and critical.”

A popular-level site that covers all religions as well as news and aspects of life connected with religion

An authoritative guide created for journalists who report on religion in the mainstream media.

Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church recognizes the need to dialogue from and beyond local culture and interconnect within a world church. The network fosters cross-cultural, interdisciplinary conversations about critical issues in theological ethics, shaped by shared visions of hope.

from Hartford Institute for Religious Research at Hartford Seminary

From the Virtual Religion Index, articles and links on topics like moral theory, social justice, welfare, and the environment.

The Society of Jewish Ethics is an academic organization dedicated to the promotion of scholarly work in the field of Jewish ethics, including the relation of Jewish ethics to other traditions of ethics and to social, economic, political and cultural problems.

The purpose of the Society is to promote scholarly work in Christian ethics and in the relation of Christian ethics to other traditions of ethics, and to social, economic, political and cultural problems; to encourage and improve the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools; and to provide a community of discourse and debate for those engaged professionally within these general fields.

A non-profit, non-partisan think tank and advocacy organization dedicated to the research and encouragement of cooperation between religion, ethics and morality and government, politics, and policy in both the domestic and foreign arenas.

A public interest law firm committed to ensuring the ongoing viability of constitutional freedoms in accordance with principles of justice as outlined in scripture.

Works to guarantee that all are free to follow and practice their faith – or no faith at all – without governmental influence or interference.

Promotes a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs by delivering impartial information.

The ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all.

An online exhibition from the Library of Congress with over 200 objects including early American books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings, artifacts, and music from the Library's collections and complemented by loans from other institutions.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation works as an umbrella for those who are free from religion and are committed to the cherished principle of separation of state and church. As FFRF’s principal founder Anne Gaylor noted, “To be free from religion is an advantage for individuals; it is a necessity for government.”