Religious Studies & Spirituality Links
The Labyrinth With Its Many Twists & Turns
Symbolizes the Journey of Life
Click for an introduction to labyrinth tradition
My interest in religion and spirituality had its origins in my growing up as a devout Seventh-day Adventist and the crisis of belief I underwent as a young adult when I found I could no longer believe what I had been taught to regard as “truth” handed down from heaven.
Leaving the Garden is the story of my ongoing spiritual journey. I also have links there to a couple of articles on historical aspects of Adventism as well as information on other fundamentalist and cultic type groups.
Part of my process of recovery from being an Adventist involved getting an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, and I continue to have a strong interest in the scholarly study of religion, especially the psychology of spiritual experience, mysticism, the history of early Christianity, heterodox movements such as gnosticism, and new religions. Here are a few of the many interesting sites on these topics:
What Is Meant By Religion? The Nature of Religious Experience is an excellent article written by a religious studies professor who grew up in a conservative religious tradition.
As a result of my own experience in leaving a conservative religious group, I am very much interested in the issues that come from that kind of “de-conversion” experience. I have written essays on Restrictive Religious Groups, by which I mean cultic and fundamentalist type groups, and the Psychological Issues of Former Members of such groups, and also have a page of Internet Resources for Former Members of Restrictive Religious Groups.
Spiritual Minds.com (lots of New Age type material) & Belief Net.com (more traditional religions) offer a wealth of information as well as links to a vast range of religion/spirituality sites.
The Virtual Religion Index is a wide ranging list of links to scholarly material (much of which is accessible to non-scholars) on religion and related topics. Lots of fascinating browsing.
Biblical Archaeology Review - Biblical scholarship made accessible. This journal was instrumental several years ago in breaking the monopoly a few scholars had on the Dead Sea scrolls and continues to be active in covering, and sometimes creating, controversy in a field that is full of disputes.
"From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians" has material from an outstanding PBS "Frontline" presentation on early Christian history. The series, based as it was on history rather than dogma, was not well received by fundamentalists. "The Bible's Buried Secrets" is a PBS "Nova" program about the history of the Hebrew Bible (also known as the "Old Testament" by Christians).
The Jewish-Roman World of Jesus has a wealth of information by noted Biblical scholar, James Tabor on early Christianity, its cultural context, and apocalyptic tradition. Tabor is also the co-author of Why Waco? an important book on the apocalyptic Branch Davidian Seventh-day Adventist offshoot group and the FBI's tragic mishandling of the events that happened near Waco, Texas. I find it fascinating that the events in Waco closely paralleled similar events involving apocalyptic groups at other times in history.
Navigating the Bible (Torah) & Talmud Page explore these primary documents of Judaism.
The Quran Library has an introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls along with some translated texts. The Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature has a lot of information on these manuscripts that have given us new insights into ancient Judaism and the background of Christianity.
Resource Pages for Biblical Studies - several pages of links "focusing on the early Christian writings and their social world." Serious scholarly material.
Society of Biblical Literature was founded in 1880 to further the scholarly study of the Bible and associated literature. Membership is open to anyone interested in Biblical studies.
American Academy of Religion - scholarly society for the study of religion. Focus is on historical and sociological aspects.
Gnostic Society Library - has information, including lectures and ancient texts, from a fascinating early rival of orthodox Christianity. Jung was very interested in Gnosticism as an expression of what was repressed in mainstream Christianity.
Not all forms of Christianity limit believers to "Thus saith the Lord" pronouncements. If you "find more grace in the search for meaning than in absolute certainty, in the questions than in the answers, have religious interests and longings but cannot accept the beliefs and dogmas you associate with Christianity, and are repelled by claims that Christianity is the only way," you may be interested in The Center for Progressive Christianity.
Unitarian-Universalism is a liberal religious tradition based upon freedom of conscience, social justice, and respect for individual pursuit of truth. While Unitarian-Universalism has its origins in heterodox Christian movements rejecting the dogmas of the trinity and eternal damnation, its members now embrace a wide range of diverse beliefs.
Grace Cathedral, "A House of Prayer for All People," offers a refreshing alternative to the dogmatic Christianity I grew up with. The Labyrinth Walk at Grace is a profound meditative experience.
Buddhist Virtual Library has lots of information and resources. You can follow the Zen Webring to explore the tradition that is probably the best known form of Buddhism in the West.
Introduction to Hinduism is an excellent guide to the many varied strands of the primary religious tradition of India. The Hindu Webring has many links to sites relating to many aspects of Hinduism.
The Taoism Virtual Library has lots of information about this Chinese mystical tradition.
Parabola Magazine - "Myth, Tradition, and the Search for Meaning." A wonderful quarterly devoted to what the subtitle says.
Gnosis Magazine - "A Journal of the Western Inner Tradition." High quality and always fascinating articles on a greatly neglected subject of Western Esoterism. Sadly Gnosis is no longer being published. However the web site is still up and back issues continue to be available.
The Skeptical Inquirer published by the Center for Skeptical Inquiry can help keep at least one foot on the ground amid the multitude of contending and contrary truth claims. Fascinating browsing even if you are not a skeptic!
But all this fades into nothingness when measured against the incomprehensible Whole relative to which our world appears for a brief instant with no more significance than a speck of dust. Just to keep things in perspective, check out the Astronomy Picture of the Day or the The Hubble Heritage Project.
A sample image from the Astronomy Picture of the Day:
Orion Nebula: The Hubble View
Click on image for more information
This astronomical body has a special meaning for Seventh-day Adventists such as I once was. According to the Adventist prophet, Ellen G. White, "the open space in Orion" is a a heavenly gateway through which the New Jerusalem will descend to Earth. (Early Writings 39.3).
Original Material ©2009 James C. Moyers
May be reproduced with source cited
