Theology Subject Guide

REFERENCE MATERIALS provide definitions, background information and an overview of topics. They also provide select citations for beginning your research. Some have special functions, such as concordances and word study sources. Use the following links to access a list of EXAMPLES (not a comprehensive list) of theological reference tools. Please consult LINUS and/or the Reference Librarian for additional titles.

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Guides
Atlas of the World's Religions   REF  G 1046.E4 .A7 1999
Encyclopedia of Religion   REF BL 31 .E46
Encyclopedia Judaica, 16 vols.    REF DS 102.8 .E496
Encyclopedia of Islam, 9 vols.+    REF DS 37 .E523
New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., 15 vols.  REF BX 841 .N44 2003
Contemporary American Religion   REF BL 2525 .C65 2000   
Encyclopedia of Women and World Religion   REF BL 458 .E53
Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics    REF BL 31 .E44 Biblical Tools
Anchor Bible Dictionary, 6 vols.    REF BS 440 .A54 1992
HarperCollins Bible Dictionary     REF BS 440 .H235 1996
New Jerome Biblical Commentary    REF BS 491.2 .N485 1990
HarperCollins Bible Commentary   REF BS 491.2 .H37 2000

Concordances
NRSV Concordance Unabridged     REF BS 425 .K645 1991
The Analytical Concordance ... to the New Testament [NRSV]   REF BS 2305 .W45 2000

Historical Sources
Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, 2 vols.    REF BR 162.2 .E53 1997
Encyclopedia of the Early Church, 2 vols.    REF BR 66.5 .D5813 1991

Papal and Catholic Sources
The Holy Father [subset of the Vatican Web site]
The Papacy: An Encyclopedia, 3 vols.    REF BX 955.2 .D53 2002
Papal Encyclicals    REF BX 860 .C375 1981
Papal Pronouncements: A Guide, 1740-1978     REF BX 850 .P53 C37 1990
The Pope Speaks     PERIOD BX 850 .P6 (Vol. 1+)  Online via ProQuest (3/98+)

Bible Windows  (CD-ROM Network, PC format, available from the Reference Computers) - A multifaceted tool for biblical text retrieval and manipulation. Includes texts in the original languages, plus the Septuagint, Latin Vulgate, Luther's German translation, and the KJV, NRSV and NIV English translations; any of these can be searched to create concordances. Also includes dictionaries and other tools.

Bible Gateway is less comprehensive than Bible Windows (eg. no NRSV, Greek or Hebrew), but freely available on the Web.

Patrologia Latina   LMU only  - Searchable electronic version of the first version of the first edition of Migne's Patrologia Latina comprising the works of the Church Fathers from 200 to 1216 C.E.  Print versions of the PL as well as the Patrologia Graeca and Sources Chretiennes available.

Past Masters    LMU only  - Among the full-text philosophical works in this collection are the works of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas in English. Searchable by word, phrase, etc. across your selection of texts.
 

The following are sample subject headings for theology and religion:
     Arianism                                                      John XXIII, Pope, 1891-1963
       Bible O.T. Genesis                                         Judaism 20th Century
       Bible N.T. Matthew -- Commentaries                 Koran -- Commentaries
       Catholic Church -- Bishops                              Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint
       Christianity                                                  Missions -- Africa
       Church of England -- Doctrines                        Philosophy, Hindu
       Cults -- History -- 20th Century                      Theology -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600
       Fraticelli                                                      Womanist theology
     Jesus Christ                                                  Women clergy

You may request books from other university libraries if they are not available at LMU.  Search LINK+ and request the book online using your OneCard.  Your book should arrive in 3-4 days.  For more information on LINK+ please see LINK+ Instructions.

The Library provides access to journal articles in religion and theology via print and online subscriptions (see Databases). The best way to locate journal research on any topic is to check one or more periodical indexes pertinent to your subject. Indexes may be online, on CD-ROM, or in paper format. If you are off campus, please read Connect to LMU's library databases from off campus.  Theology majors can benefit from several excellent indexes, including the following:

ATLA Religion Database   LMU only
All aspects of world religions.  Index to over 1000 periodicals in religion and theology, some back to 1949.  Also indexes multi-author books and book reviews.  Print version equivalent:  Religion Index: One and Religion Index: Two.  Note that the over sixty full-text periodical titles in the ATLAS Serials  collection are included, many back to volume one.

ProQuest Religion    LMU only   - database within ProQuest Research Library
Indexes 108 religion journals and magazines; some with full text.
**ProQuest Tutorial available

Catholic Periodical & Literature Index (CPLI)      CD-ROM (Reference Computers)  
Index to nearly 160 Catholic periodicals from 1981 to the present. Print version at INDEX BX 800 .A1 C323

Old Testament Abstracts       Print version at INDEX BS 410 .O42
New Testament Abstracts      Print version at INDEX BS 410 .N35
Provide good coverage of focused scholarly articles on respective parts of the Bible. Cumulative subject index every third issue plus a Scriptural Index.

Religious and Theological Abstracts      Print version at INDEX  BR 1 .R286
International scope, solid abstracts, in four wide-ranging categories: Biblical, Theological, Historical, and Practical.  Each issue has a subject and author index.

Consult LINUS or LMU's Journal List to determine if the Library has the journals you need. Check Other Libraries to see if the University of California, California State University, or U.S.C. libraries have those journals that LMU doesn't hold in paper, microfilm, or online. You can get articles via our Document Delivery Service for a small charge. Ask at Reference.

The Internet has progressively become a more important source for religion and theology. Click on the following link for selected theology and religion Web sites:   Religion and Theology Websites

To find additional Web sites, see Searching the Web for recommended search engines.


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