church
Christian Classics Ethereal Library
https://www.ccel.org/This site boasts that it has "enough good reading material to last a lifetime," and that is very true! Access to the World Wide Study Bible and writings from early church writers is given in an easy-to-use format. Maintained by Calvin College out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the site is ecumenical in approach. A search function is provided throughout the site to ease the location of material. In the World Wide Study Bible, each book of the Bible can be clicked on, and numerous articles and sources are given for that book.
The Vatican
https://www.vatican.va/The official site of the Vatican is filled with pictures, audio, and video features! Easy-to-use tabs are given for the Holy Father, the museums, library/secret archives, the Roman curia, and the Vatican City-State. The content is presented in essays and multimedia formats and is available in a variety of languages.
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/This is one of the most comprehensive sites on Christianity that I have ever seen! From PBS 'Frontline', this site looks at Jesus from a historical perspective and from the spiritual dimension of Christ. The site gives the latest research surrounding Jesus and his world. The four Gospels are explored, along with Q, the Gnostics, and the Gospel of Thomas. The first Christians and how the sect spread and became successful are discussed in detail. The home page offers five major categories to choose from, and each of those takes you to subcategories containing a wealth of information. Maps, charts, pictures, and audio excerpts from the program are also included. The teacher's guide is extremely well done, giving suggestions for using the content and site in history, religion, English literature, and psychology classes. This is a must-see!
John Paul II: The Millennial Pope
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/popeThis Frontline site focuses on Pope John Paul II and explores the sources of his character and beliefs. This site is a must see! There is a biography of John Paul II, along with his anecdotes and stories and encyclicals. A teacher's guide with many questions for discussion, glossary, and debate activities is also included. There is a video clip that includes a roundtable discussion on the Catholic Church and sex that addresses homosexuality, women, and contraception. This is an excellent, thought-provoking piece.
Saints and Angels
https://www.catholic.org/saints/This site from Catholic Online claims to be the "largest collection of facts and information" on saints and angels on the Internet. The site contains an exhaustive alphabetized list of information on saints and angels, as well as other lists such as saints of the month, patron saints, ethnic saints. A search function is available on the site, making this a good tool for teacher and student research.
National Black Catholic Congress
https://www.nbccongress.org/The National Black Catholic Congress, comprised of member organizations, represents African American Roman Catholics, working in collaboration with National Roman Catholic organizations. This site is commited to the evangelization, freedom, and growth of African Americans as full participants in church and society. Publications, prayers, and updates on Blessed Mother Josephine Bakhita, are available on the site, as well as information on programs and future congresses. This is an excellent resource for teachers and students.
Art Concordance
http://www.textweek.com/art/art.htmThis is an amazing resource! You will find hundreds of links to artwork indexed according to biblical and liturgical subjects. A visual feast!
Holocaust on Trial
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/holocaust/From PBS/Nova, this site is an incredible resource for those studying the Holocaust. Included on the site is a timeline of Nazi abuses, results of the death camp experiments, and articles on flawed science. This is a well designed and easy-to-navigate site.
Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus
https://virtualreligion.net/iho/This Web site is designed as a tool for the historical study of the Christian Scriptures. Many of the works are written by Jewish authors, especially those composed after the Hebrew Scriptures that can be found in any Christian "Old Testament." Selections from non-Jewish sources are also available, which can bring the writings of Christian authors into a clearer cultural perspective. This is an excellent resource for teacher background.
Catholic Charities USA
https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/Catholic Charities is the nation's largest private network of independent social service agencies, with the goals of reducing poverty, supporting families, and empowering communities in the United States. The site is well maintained with current articles, links, and statistics. Excellent for teacher and student use.
Church World Service
http://www.churchworldservice.orgChurch World Service is a ministry of the National Council of the Churches of Christ. CWS offers many resources for teaching social justice, including this superb Web site! Essays, links, a free lending library, teaching activities, study guides, and current news from all areas of the world are just a few of the features you will find on this site.
BITESIZE for Religious Education
https://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/rs/This site is filled with bite-size pieces of information on various religious education topics. The revision feature leads the learner through an outline and summary of the content. A test feature is an option as well. Topics include death, God, human relationships, discrimination, sanctity of life, war and peace. This is a great resource for comparative religion courses!
Praying Each Day
http://www.prayingeachday.org/reflect.htmlFrom the De La Salle Christian Brothers in Britain, this site boasts reflections and prayers for each day of the year, an extensive listing of links by category, a search engine, and a scripture locator. Excellent resource.
Gutenberg Bible Online
http://www.gutenbergdigital.de/gudi/eframes/index.htmIf you are interested in the history of publishing or the history of Bibles, check out this great site with the entire Gutenberg Bible online--all 1,282 pages! The "model book" gives handwritten directions (with English translation) for painting each of the illuminations in the Bible. Appropriate for any age-group, this is truly a fascinating Web site.
Fr. Thomas Merton
http://www.monks.org/index.php/monks-pages/thomas-mertonThis site, provided by the Abbey of Gethsemane, contains a brief biography of the life of Thomas Merton, who entered the monastic life on December 10, 1941, and died on December 10, 1968.
