Many Paths Interfaith Ministries

Resources for Spiritual Growth and Healing

Perspectives on Faith

Perspectives on Faith:

Humankind’s Major

Religions

The major developed religions are listed below in alphabetical order.

The links listed are among the best I have found. All have links to additional sites.

There are at least two ways by which the world’s major developed religions can be categorized. We first need to note that not all of humanity’s religions fall into our broad category of developed religions. The indigenous religions of Africa, Australia, and the Americas (including the native peoples’ religions of the United States) comprise a large and extremely diverse category in themselves. These are religions that have not spread beyond their area of origin and do not have written scriptures. For this reason, these communities of faith are sometimes referred to as oral traditions.

Developed religions, on the other hand, have spread–some more and others less–beyond their points of origin. They also have written scriptures and have developed an elaborate sociological structure as they have spread and adapted to a variety of cultural settings. It should be pointed out here that the term developed simply indicates that these religions have undergone considerable differentiation and evolution throughout their history. We should not read into it our typical Western ideas about progress and “more developed is better.”

One categorization system, then, is to place the major missionary religions–Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam–in one category, and the non-missionary religions–Judaism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto–in another.

A second categorization is based on geographic area of origin, since the religions that began in the same general geographical area often share similar characteristics that underlie their particularity. Introductory world religions textbooks often employ this method. Done this way, there are three categories: the religions that began in what is now called the Middle East [Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, in historical order, along with Zoroastrianism and Baha'i], the religions whose origin is in India [Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism], and the religions that began in Eastern Asia [Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto].

For a more detailed description of the features of these geographical groupings, please see “A  Brief Tour of Humankind’s Religions.”

Baha’i

Brahma Kumari World Spiritual Organization

Buddhism

  • Dharma Haven: Tibetan Buddhism–resources, links, discussion of Tibetan Buddhism’s influence on the “West”
  • Shambhala Sun:  Tibetan Buddhist journal site
  • Friends of the Western Buddhist Order: “Worldwide Buddhist movement dedicated to expressing the essential truths of the Buddhist tradition in ways appropriate to the modern world”
  • Buddhist Peace Fellowship : Buddhists and others working for peacemaking and reconciliation
  • The International Association of Buddhist Women:  Has online newsletter, bibliography, female deities in the Tibetan tradition, and more
  • DharmaNet : An ecumenical Buddhist site oriented toward both study and practice
  • Women Active in Buddhism: Award-winning organization site that is the Web’s first site to focus specifically on a comprehensive collection of links and resources on contemporary Buddhist women
  • The Tree of Enlightenment: An introduction to the major traditions of Buddhism, done by the Chico, California, Dharma study group; an easily-accessible, no-frills site with a great deal of information, all of which can be downloaded.
  • Tricycle: The Buddhist Review : Journal of North American Buddhism with links to other sites. interesting set of features
  • The Dalai Lama : An official site of the Tibetan government in exile, this site has photos and information
    on the life and work of the 14th Dalai Lama, whose title means “Oceans
    of Wisdom.”

Christianity

Confucianism

Hinduism

  • Yoga Journal: Site
    for popular yoga magazine. Now redesigned, this is an informative, easily-navigable
    site.
  • Hinduism Today: Site
    maintained by the North American Hinduism newspaper, Hinduism Today;
    nice graphics, many links     and an online edition of the magazine
  • Hindu Universe:
    A site sponsored by the Hindu Student Council
  • Mantra On Net : Mantras, words
    with power, from the Hindu faith, artiis, devotional songs can be heard
    on this site, which also has deity images and offers a “mantra of the day.”
  • International Sivananda Vedanta
    Yoga Center “Om” Page     : You can download a free yoga screen
    saver
  • Krishna Consciousness :  This is
    the official site for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
  • The Divine Life
    Society    :  Worldwide Hindu organization founded by Sri Swami Sivananda;
    also has links to other sites
  • Vision in Action :
    The Hindu Students Forum, the largest Hindu student organization in the United
    Kingdom

Islam

  • Islamic Society of North America:
    Organizational site maintained by the Islamic Society of North America,
    which also publishes the journal, Islamic Horizons
  • Discover Islam:  Commercial
    sites won’t appear in these lists frequently.  This one advertises
    posters for sale.  However, the text of each poster can be read online.
    The 24 posters cover the basics of Islam plus Islamic views on several
    social issues.  The material is verified by Islamic scholars.
  • World Council
    of Muslim Women     : A “global organization dedicated to the education
    and safety of all women, and to a peaceful environment throughout the world”
  • The Revolutionary Association of the
    Women of Afghanistan     : RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women
    of Afghanistan, was established in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1977 as an independent
    political organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and for
    social justice in Afghanistan. . . .  RAWA’s
    objective was to involve an increasing number of Afghan women in social
    and political activities aimed at acquiring women’s human rights and contributing
    to the struggle for the establishment of a government based on democratic
    and secular values in Afghanistan,” (from their Web site).
  • The Qur’an: This
    site has a browsable and searchable full text of the Islamic scriptures.
    Note that the Holy Qur’an is not believed by Muslims to be canonical unless
    in the original Arabic language.

Jainism

Japanese New Religions

  • Soka Gakkai International
    : Both this site and the next have basic information, pictures, organizational
    statements
  • Tenrikyo Home Page : Newsletter,
    books, salvation stories, kids’ room, links, and a live view of Tenrikyo
    Headquarters’ main sanctuary
  • Konkokyo : Their site welcomes
    visitors to a “joyful world.”

Judaism

  • Judaism and Jewish Resources:
    A very extensive site
  • The Conversion to Judaism Home Page
    : Those of Jewish faith don’t go out and seek converts, but they welcome
    those who wish to become “Jews by choice.” This page, posted by the Conversion
    to Judaism Resource Center in New York state, has a lot of interesting
    information on becoming Jewish by choice.
  • B’nai B’rith International : Home page for important
    Jewish organization
  • Jewish Feminist Resources
    : Art, study, history, organizations, periodicals and more web sites
  • Torah Net : “Internet for observant Jews”
  • Judaism 101 :
    A very basic introduction, an online encyclopedia the goal of which is
    described as “to make available a wide variety of basic, general information
    about Judaism, written from a traditional perspective in plain English”
  • Jews for Jesus:  The
    major organization of “Jewish Christians” who seek to convert other Jews
    to their way of thinking
  • Jews for Judaism: International
    counter-missionary organization, site has resource center, “ask the rabbi”
    (you can actually send in questions), and more

Shinto or The Way of the Gods (Japan)

Sikhism

  • Sikhism Home Page : Resources, Sikh
    philosophy, scriptures, graphics, Sikhism in brief; the “Other Resources”
    link takes you to an extensive and varied list

Taoism

  • Taoism
    and Tai Chi Chuan    : A page of links
  • Siu Tao : This site from the Siu
    Tao organization has informative articles, a discussion area, free newsletter,
    and links to other sites.
  • Taoism : Stanford
    University’s Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry for Taoism
  • Center of Traditional Taoist Studies
    : The Center’s focus is on “bringing authentic Taoist teachings to the
    world.” The site has information on philosophy, religion, the martial arts,
    health, and a virtual tour of the Boston area temple.

Zoroastrianism