Selected Reference Databases
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
- -opens new windowView Religion & Theology titles
- - Use the Mind Map for a visual representation of related topics.
- Examples: opens new windowNestorius, opens new windowChristianity, opens new windowChurch History
- - Topic Pages provide a background article, related articles, images and related topics.
- Examples: opens new windowReformation; opens new windowCounter-Reformation;opens new window Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome, 121-180;opens new window Paul, the Apostle, Saint-
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
- opens new windowView All Religion Titles Use the Topic Finder (shown below) for a visual on broader, narrower, and related topics. In GVRL, click Advanced in the top menu bar) then choose Topic Finder tab.
- Oxford Handbooks Online: Religion This link opens in a new windowEssays on critical topics and emerging issues in the study of religion, complementing hundreds of essays on Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and cross-cultural thematic studies."
- World Christian Database This link opens in a new windowExtensive data on: Christian denominations, thousands of ethnolinguistic people, major world religions, chronology of world Christianity from 1st century to present, population and evangelism in cities throughout the world. "Extensive data on: Christian denominations, thousands of ethnolinguistic people, major world religions, chronology of world Christianity from 1st century to present, population and evangelism in cities throughout the world."
Church Fathers
The Early Church Fathers is a 38-volume collection of writings from the first 800 years of the Church. The collection is divided into three series, Ante-Nicene (ANF), Nicene and Post-Nicene Series I (NPNF1), and Nicene and Post-Nicene Series II (NPNF2).
- Christian Classics Ethereal LibraryOpen Access, electronic edition of the Early Church Fathers series. Provides searchable full text.
- Catalog This link opens in a new window
In the Library Catalog, try a subject search for "Fathers of the Church" or an author search for a Church Father (e.g., Augustine of Hippo). Or for print books in the library, browse the BR60 call number section.
In an ebook database, try similar searches.
• opens new window"Fathers of the Church" (eBook Collections, EBSCO, Subject search)
• opens new window"Fathers of the Church" (Gale Virtual Reference, phrase search)
Browse the Reference Collection in the Library
Use the opens new window Library of Congress Classification Outline: opens new windowB--Philosophy, Psychology, Religion or the ORU Library Theology Bookmark that lists general theological and biblical call numbers to identify reference sections to browse. Books are shelved in Library of Congress (LC) call number order, so similar subjects will be shelved next to each other.
Reference books cannot be checked; however, some titles may have a duplicate in the main collection that is available for checkout. Search the title you need in the library catalog to see if the book is located elsewhere in the library or online. Assistance is available at the Library Services Desk.
Search the ORU Library Catalog
- Catalog This link opens in a new window
Try a subject search for your topic. From the list of subjects, click a subject to view the book titles. Change "View Entire Collection" to "Reference Collection."
Try a keyword search using truncation:
-church* (searches church, churches)
-theolog* (searches theology, theologies, theological, theologian, -s)
-Christian* (searches Christian, Christians, Christianity)
For general information, use a subject encyclopedia or dictionary to look up a religion, movement, or country. Get background information on politics, cultural and social environment, education, religion, etc. Although you cannot include general encyclopedias in a bibliography, they may be helpful as a preliminary source.
-religio* AND encyclopedia
-bibl* AND dictionary
To get the citation for a book, go to the detailed record in the library catalog, click How do I Cite this?, and then select a citation style, such as Chicago/Turabian: Humanities. Copy/paste/edit the citation, as needed. Always check the citation references for accuracy with your professor's requirements.
Selected Reference Ebooks
- Contemporary American ReligionCall Number: Ebook
Search worldview.ISBN: 9780028649283Publication Date: 1999 - Daily Life in the New Testament byCall Number: EbookPublication Date: 2008
- Encyclopedia Judaica byCall Number: EbookISBN: 9780028659282Publication Date: 2006
- Encyclopedia of ReligionCall Number: EbookISBN: 9780028657332Publication Date: 2004
- Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions byCall Number: EbookPublication Date: 2009