Religion pathfinder

GENERAL RESOURCES

2001 Census data

-most recent census data for Religion in Canada

-Click on “Search by topic,” the click on “Religions in Canada” and scroll down to “Topic- based Tabulations” for most recent census data

-2006 Canadian census did not include any questions about religion

Ministry of Defence Guide to Religions in Canada

-thorough background information on religions in Canada; perhaps the most comprehensive site available

-click on “Table of Contents” to access pages

-links/contact information for national organizations available at the end of each section

-especially useful in explaining different Christian denominations

-at the end of the list of links, click on “Further Information and Contacts” for a complete list of national organizations, their phone/fax numbers, and their websites

Government of Canada Library and Archives

-provides extensive links to websites in Canada dealing with different religious issues and religions; categories include “Bible,” “Pastoral Care,” and “Other Religions”

-sites are reflective of Canada’s predominantly Christian population

-provides links to national organizations such as the Canadian Council of Churches, Buddhism Canada and the Pagan Federation of Canada

Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance

–Kingston, Ontario-based multi-faith organization with lots of background information on different faiths

-this organization is quoted frequently by mainstream media in relation to religious issues

-includes sections for background information about different faiths and a variety of controversial issues

-the site has a definite content bias towards Christianity, which they acknowledge

Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion

-Links to theological schools and departments of religion in Canadian universities and colleges

– Links to academic journals, associations, and presses, as well as a directory of scholars

-must sign in to access scholars’ database

-excellent links to websites, including academic societies and national religious organizations

Multi-faith Calendar

-monthly online calendar showing sacred and secular holidays

Belief Net

-popular American site exploring religion and spirituality

-background information on many faiths, including paganism, secular humanism and atheism

-has extensive chat rooms and message boards; an interesting way to take the pulse of a large group of people and provides potential story ideas

RELIGION AND JOURNALISM

The newbie’s guide to covering religion

-With so many different religious sects in Canada, it can be difficult to know what kind of behaviour to adopt when you’re reporting on a tight deadline, especially if you’re new to the game. Here’s a list of need-to-knows for covering four major religions.

Centre for Faith and the Media

-based in Calgary

-Contains journalists’ guides to Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (no Jainism, Baha’i, or Paganism/Wicca) in PDF format; these guides vary in quality

-Reprints articles from major Canadian news sources, although the most recent article is from February, 2006. According to the webmaster, the site is due to be updated soon

-if the site is updated, it will be a valuable resource for journalists

Religion Newswriters Association

-American organization for news reporters who are writing about religion

-extensive database of past articles and resources for reporters

-has a downloadable book for learning about religion reporting

-links to ReligionLink (story ideas and sources for journalists) and ReligionHeadlines (archived articles)

Om Sakthi Spiritual Movement

-Listing of religion articles in English from sources around the world (including, for example, the Pink Press, Indian Reuters, and the Middle East Times.

-Click on “Religion Links” under “Resources” for a selection of international links

NATIONAL RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

Canadian Council of Churches

-umbrella organization for 20 Christian denominations in Canada

-links provided for national church websites

-Click on “Member Churches” to access websites

Pagan Federation of Canada

-provides background information

-has a “Pagan Professional Directory”

B’Nai Brith Canada

-B’Nai Brith says it is the “independent voice of the Jewish community”

-contains a directory for other Canadian Jewish organizations

Baha’i Community of Canada

-national site of the Baha’i community

Canadian Council of Muslim Women

-some phone numbers are provided for Board members

-provides articles in “In the Press” section

-provides background on Muslim family law (shari’a)

Canadian Society of Muslims

-provides extensive background information on many aspects of Islam

CONTACTS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP IN CANADA

Buddhism Canada

-links to other Buddhist websites as well as temples throughout Canada

-has a “Buddhism in the News” link

Churches in Canada

-enter city and denomination to get addresses and phone numbers of churches throughout Canada

Hindu Temples in Canada

-Click on “Hindu Temples,” then click on “Canada” to find a list of temples with postal and e-mail addresses and phone numbers

Mosques in Canada

-Islamic Society of North America’s listing of mosques an educational centres in Canada

-provides addresses, phone numbers and contact names

Synagogues in Canada

-listing of orthodox, conservative, reform and unaffiliated synagogues across Canada