World Religions

• Full Text  - ensures that all results have full text available to read immediately
  • If Full Text is not selected, there will be more results, but many will need to be Requested by Interlibrary Loan from other libraries, which can take time
• Scholarly/Peer Reviewed - ensures that all results were written by subject experts, and reviewed by other experts in the field for accuracy
• Publication Date: Limit as needed - this ensures that only information published within a specific date range will appear

Search terms will vary based on research topics.  If you would like assistance with selecting search terms, please contact Library Staff or your Instructor. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of search terms or belief systems.

• Religion OR Faith OR Values OR Beliefs OR Moral Code OR Creed
• Christianity OR Christian
  • Catholic OR Catholicism 
  • Protestant OR Protestantism
  • Lutheran OR Lutheranism
  • Episcopal OR Episcopalian 
  • Methodist OR Methodism
  • Baptist
  • Mormon OR Mormonism
• Judaism OR Jewish
• Islam OR Islamic OR Muslim
  • Shia OR Shi'a OR Shi'ah OR Shi'atu OR Shiism OR Shi'ism OR Shiite OR Shi'ite
  • Sunni OR Sunniism OR Sunnah
  • Wahhabism OR Wahhabis OR Muwahhidun OR Salafis
• Sikh OR Sikhism
• Hinduism OR Hindu
• Tao OR Taoism
• Dao OR Daoism
• Jain or Jainism
• Agnosticism OR Agnostic
• Atheist OR Atheism

Students can access the databases from home by logging in with their StarID & Password.

A call number, also known as a classification number, is the numerical or alpha-numerical string of numbers and letters that libraries use to identify, organize, and find individual items on library shelves.

All print or paper copies of books in the library are assigned a call number, usually found on the book spine (this is often referred to as a spine label).

The call number represents what the book is about and acts like the book's address on the library's shelves, also known as stacks. Because books on the shelves are arranged in call number order, you will find books on similar subjects shelved near each other.

Spine Label Examples:

      Dewey Decimal                  Fiction                 Library of Congress

The Dewey Decimal Classification System is a classification system by which libraries organize their Non-Fiction collections numerically by subject.  The system divides all knowledge into 9 basic subject classes, ranging numerically from 000-999. All Dewey Decimal call numbers are at least 3 digits long, and may be further extended by the use of decimal numbers. Each digit of a Dewey Decimal number signifies a level of subject specificity.

Dewey Decimal # 200

The entire 200 range of Dewey numbers is designated for Religion and other related topics. Each number within that range designates a specific religious topic. If you wish to browse the library collection in search of primary theological resources, such as the Bible or Quran, or wish to browse for books about religion and theological thought, this would be a good place to start.

The Library of Congress Classification System is a classification system by which libraries organize their Non-Fiction collections alpha-numerically by subject.  The system divides all knowledge into 21 basic classes, each identified by a single letter of the alphabet. Most of these alphabetical classes are further divided into more specific subclasses, identified by two-letter combinations. Following these alphabetical headings, each topic is assigned a single number or a span of numbers. Whole numbers used in LCC may range from one to four digits in length, and may be further extended by the use of decimal numbers.

Library of Congress # BL - BX

The BL-BX range of Library of Congress call numbers is designated for topics related to religion.  Within this range, each two-letter class focuses on a specific topic:

• BL- Religions. Mythology. Rationalism
• BM - Judaism
• BP - Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc.
• BQ - Buddhism
• BR - Christianity
• BS - The Bible
• BT - Doctrinal Theology
• BV - Practical Theology
• BX - Christian Denominations.