General
Collective Worship / Assemblies
Christianity
Easter
Hinduism
Sikhism
Judaism
Islam
Buddhism
Sufism
Notable Individuals
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General
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 BBC Religion and Ethics
This is the homepage of the BBC's Religion and Ethics section. There is lots of useful
stuff here, including clear explanations of the major religions.
Bible
Translations and Editions
Links to a wide variety of sites offering Bible texts, commentaries and tools for
studying the Bible.
The Big Myth
This is great! Creation myths from a wide range of cultures designed so that children can
use them to help them learn how to use the internet for researching and learning. They say
"The Big Myth is ... designed for use in European primary school classrooms. It is a
sociology textbook for the comparative study of world creation mythology. The myths are
told using Flash animation and are accompanied by an overview of the culture, the pantheon
of the gods and a series of exercises based on that culture".
The
Brick Testament
What a weird idea. Bible stories told through a series of scenes set up in LEGO! It's very
well done, with lots stories form both OT and NT. The pictures do take a while to
download, though. (Health warning: the index page has a tiny little link at the top to the
author's home page which is definitely not suitable for children!) and the author has
chosen several of the more sexually explicit stories to illustrate (among many others).
The links to the stories are clearly labelled to indicate content.
Perhaps this is one to cache the pages you want your pupils to see
to your offline.
Children's
Bible Stories
Three stories from the Bible (Christmas, Easter, Noah) presented as
narrated picture "books". The voices are children and the pictures
are simple and colourful. Will appeal to younger children and might
be useful for your IWB.
Creation Movie
The seven days Judaeo-Christian creation story told in an impressive flash movie complete
with music. Takes a little while to download.
Encyclopedia
Mythica
Information about myths and beliefs from a wide variety of cultures from around the world.
Exploring Religions
This is a great find. The University of Wyoming host hits site as
part of their Religious Studies Program. There is matching
information about Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and
Judaism. Topics covered include: Cosmos, Organisation, Time &
Worship, Texts & Tales, Timeline, Religious Life, Glossary, Key
Terms, Maps, Life Stages and Links. The information (and their is
masses of it) is given in a clear and non-judgemental way. This is
an excellent resource for anyone wanting to find out more about any
of these religions without any attempt to persuade or convert.
Families
of Religions
An introduction (or crash course!) to the religions of the world, categorised by their
shared features. This one is part of the Interfaith Calendar site and tries its best to be
unbiased They say, "The challenge is to be one world with many faiths".
Interfaith
Calendar
Do you want to know when Sukkot falls in 2006? or Nirvana Day 2007? or any of the many
important days in any of the major (and a few minor) religions over the next few years.
This is the place to find out. There is also a very useful list of definitions of the terms
used which includes brief information about each festival. There's a good links list, too,
concentrating on sites of interfaith interest.
Perton
Middle School's Learning About Religion Site
This is a school website devoted to learning about religion. An excellent example of the
sort of work that a school can do. There is also a useful links list on the Homework page.
RE-XS
This is the RE Exchange - a first class site for RE. There are sections about World
Religions (all the main religions are covered)., Ethical and Moral Issues, News, Links to
RE related sites, a directory of email links to RE teachers around the country (and the
World) and an Excellent Teachers' area. The World Religions section has useful links about
Places of Worship complete with quizzes and worksheets.
RE Online (incorporating
the RE Site)
RE Resources for teachers and for pupils, where resources are
grouped by Key stage relevance. Looks really useful
Teaching
Ideas for Primary RE
Ideas / schemes of work for seven R.E. topics currently available.
Turn the Pages
On this part of their site the British Library have "animated"
a number of great books from the past. These include, among
others: 40 of
the most beautiful pages from the Lindisfarne Gospels (Christian),
Baybars' Magnificent Quran (Islamic), The Golden Haggadah (Jewish),
the Diamond Sutra (Buddhist). By clicking you can turn the pages,
and you can also zoom in to the page to see the details. Stunning!
Works best with a broadband connection but there are non-animated versions for people without.
Winter Holidays
A film about Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa presented in the way
that only Brianpop konws how.
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Collective Worship / Assemblies
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The Assembly Site
Instant Assemblies, all tried and tested by teachers in schools. Indispensable!
Collective Worship
Another assemblies site - this one by The National Society and Culham College Institute. A
weekly Collective Worship resource for all schools. Each week a new act of worship will be
made available for both primary and secondary schools. Watch out for special themes and
further resources too. Here you will find new, topical ideas for Collective Worship. This
section is updated regularly during normal term times.
Cyberhymnal
This site has over 2,800 Christian hymns and Gospel songs from many denominations.
You’ll find lyrics, scores, MIDI files, pictures, history, and more.
Readers Theatre Editions
Assembly play scripts to download for free. They are rather
American, but well worth a look.
School Assemblies for
Busy Teachers
A site where teachers can freely download and submit assembly ideas and ready-to-use
assembly scripts. There are also some useful links and some awards you can apply for.
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Christianity
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BBC
Christianity
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship,
Holy Days and Customs.
Bible Gateway
On this site you can look up biblical references or find occurrences of particular words
in a variety of versions of the Bible. The site is run by Gospelcom.net
Cathedrals of Britain
This is a page from Britannia.com, a general travel site. You can see photographs of each
of the cathedrals in England and Wales.
Christianity For Children
Aimed at children in an Oxfordshire primary school this site give
basic information about many aspects of Christian belief, practice and
culture in a simple, child-friendly way.
Culham
Institute
The Culham Institute is a leading research and advice organisation,
based in Oxford. They have a number of RE related subsites which are
linked from here. This is an excellent resource.
Educhurch
A superb site dealing with the similarities and differences between 3 Christian
denominations (CE, CF and Salvation Army). Produced by Sir Robert Hitcham's Primary
School, Framlingham, Suffolk, they have taken an in-depth look at 3 Christian communities
in their area. There are details of the individual communities and comparisons between
them. The text is informative, the pictures are plentiful. There are 2 distinct sections,
one for pupils and one for teachers.
History of the Church in Britain
Another part of Britannia.com. This page leads to a list of churches in different parts of
the British Isles with information about each one.
The National Society (Church of England) The National Society is a
Church of England and Church in Wales education service. It is an energetic and vibrant
force in the education of the nation's children. It offers a wide range of services and
publications to all people working in education. This website gives access to many of its
resources, including ideas for collective worship.
On-Line Versions of the Bible
Various versions of the Bible, including foreign language versions,
to read online.
Praying Each Day
A site belonging to the De La Salle Brothers. Well presented site with Christian
reflection and prayer specific to each day of the year, built around the anniversaries of
events, births, deaths, discoveries (select 'Reflect and pray'). This resource is already
used world-wide in book form (3 volumes) for assemblies in schools. There are also
numerous links to educational sites, arranged according to 20 subjects of the school
curriculum.
Saints and Angels
The Saints and Angels page of Catholic Online is a comprehensive source of information
about ... Saints and Angels. There is information about all known saints. There is also
information about this months Saints, general FAQ about Saints, Patron Saints and a
Feastday List. This site also provides a Saints Search feature that will help you locate a
specific Saint quickly and effectively.
Teddington
Baptist Church
Wonderful! Lots of content all written in clear English. If you would like to know how
Baptists differ from other Christians and why, or watch a baptism, or have a
virtual tour
of a Baptist church (and these are only scratching the surface of
this extensive and
informative site) then click on this link. |
Easter
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Meditations and Prayers for Lent and
Easter
A collections of meditations and prayers for this key time in the
Christian year.
How to Make
Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs)
How to make Ukrainian Easter Eggs
Kaboose Easter and Passover
Kids' Domain pages about the two festivals. Activities, recipes etc.
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Hinduism
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BBC
Hinduism
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship,
Holy Days and Customs.
Bhagavad
Gita
Here you can here the Bhagavad Gita sung (verse by verse) in
Sanskrit and translated into any one of 16 languages.
Hinduism For Children
Aimed at children in an Oxfordshire primary school this site give
basic information about many aspects of Hindu belief, practice and
culture in a simple, child-friendly way.
The
Hindu Universe
Mostly a site for Hindus giving access to a wide variety of discussion forums. There are
also links to some articles about aspects of Hinduism.
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Sikhism
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BBC
Sikhism
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship,
Holy Days and Customs.
The
Golden Temple
Information about the structure and history of this important Sikh holy place. Nice
pictures.
Sikhism For Children
Aimed at children in an Oxfordshire primary school this site give
basic information about many aspects of Sikh belief, practice and
culture in a simple, child-friendly way.
Sikhism Home Page
Well presented information about the Origins, Philosophy and Scriptures, Way of
Life. There is a resources page with information about the Sikh alphabet, its origins and
pronunciation, about Sikh names, essays on various topics and more. This site is well
worth a look if you want to know more about Sikhism.
Sikhnet
Mainly a site of Sikh interest aimed at a Sikhs audience. It does have information about
Sikhism which may be of more general interest. (The Golden Temple pages above are part of
this site).
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Judaism
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BBC
Judaism
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are
sections about History, Beliefs, Worship, Holy Days and Customs.
Being Jewish
One man's view of what being Jewish is all about. Lots of information about Judaism from
the orthodox viewpoint.
The
Dead Sea Scrolls
Lots of information about, and images of, the Dead Sea Scrolls - based on an Exhibition of materials in
America.
The Jewish Museum London
The Jewish Museum opens a window onto the history and religious life of the Jewish
community in Britain and beyond. It seeks to recover and preserve the diverse roots and
heritage of Jewish people in Britain, and to increase knowledge and understanding about
Jewish life and history. There is an interesting on-line exhibition about the Yiddish
Theatre.
Judaism 101
A well constructed and well presented "encyclopaedia" of basic knowledge about
Judaism. Originally intended to provide information for non-Jews, but equally valuable if
you are Jewish. Possibly the best site for information about Judaism.
Judaism For Children
Aimed at children in an Oxfordshire primary school this site give
basic information about many aspects of Jewish belief, practice and
culture in a simple, child-friendly way.
Mike's Jewish
Emails
A collection of emails explaining the rituals and customs of the major Jewish festivals,
as seen from a less-than-orthodox viewpoint, for the benefit of non-Jewish teachers who
are "doing" aspects of Judaism. (Mike is the Vaultman!)
Mike's
Rough Guide to Judaism
For teachers by a teacher, this is the latest addition to the Vaultman's own website. I
have aimed to provide basic information in a straightforward way.
The Judaism Primer
A useful introduction written by a rabbi who also teaches in schools - including
sections giving a brief summary of each book of Torah. (Aimed
primarily at a Jewish audience).
Virtual
Synagogue
An excellent American site. Rabbi Scheinerman explains about synagogues, and many aspects
of Jewish prayer and practice in clear simple language. There is a useful glossary, too.
Virtual
Synagogue(2)
This one is from Sir Robert Hitcham's Primary School, Framlingham, Suffolk, (see Educhurch
in the Christianity section). This site is a child's eye view of a synagogue with plenty
of photos and simple explanations. There are 2 sets of text at different difficulty
levels.
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Islam
Note: Like Christianity, and Judaism, Islam is not a unitary faith. It has many
groups, sharing the core beliefs but varying in details. The 2
largest groups are Sunni and Shi'a, but there are many others.
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Ahlul
Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project
A very informative site about Islam, as seen from a Shi'a point of
view. The library is a large resource and well worth a visit. I
particularly liked the Gallery of Photos, Calligraphy and Artwork.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
(Corrected Link)
The Ahmadiyya Community has branches in over 170 countries and claims a total membership
of more than 130 million. It is a movement which encourages interfaith dialogue, advocates peace, tolerance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths and strongly rejects violence and terrorism in any form and for any reason.
This is a well structured and clearly written site, giving information about all aspects
of Islam. It is written to be accessible to both Muslims and non-Muslims. Amongst other
useful and informative things you the site links to an English translation of the Holy
Quran.
Important Note: The Ahmadiyya Community are followers of Hadhrat
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who in 1889, declared that he was the Awaited
One of the world community of religions (ie the Messiah or Mahdi).
Their founder's messianic claim puts the Ahmadiyyans outside the pale
of the mainstream Islamic world, who do not accept them as Muslims.
BBC Islam
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship,
Holy Days and Customs.
Discover
Islam
This site contains sets of posters, each with an accompanying text which sets out to
explain an aspect of Islam in simple terms. (You can also buy full size copies of the
posters).
Introduction
to Islam
This is a single page giving information and explanations on a wide variety of topics.
Very useful.
Islam
101
A site dedicated to education about Islam. There are sections on
Theology, Comparative religion, Human Disciplines and more..
Institute of Ismaili
Studies
The Ismaili are the 2nd largest Shi'a community in the world. Best
let IIS speak for itself: IIS promotes scholarship and learning
on Islam, with an emphasis on Shi‘ism in general and its Ismaili
tariqah in particular, and a better understanding of their
relationship with other faiths and societies. Its programmes,
informed by the full range of diversity within Islam, explore the
relationship of religious ideas to broader dimensions of society and
culture, paying particular attention to issues of modernity. It also
encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Islamic
history and thought. In pursuit of its objectives, the Institute
collaborates with other institutions of learning.
Islamanswers
A very informative site gives an Islamic view of Islam and its
relationship to the wider world. There are collections of articles
explaining Islamic belief and interpretation, with sections about
worship, existence, unity, belief, The Prophet Mohammed, destiny and
freewill, love, jihad and much more.
Islam For Children
Aimed at children in an Oxfordshire primary school this site give
basic information about many aspects of Islamic belief, practice and
culture in a simple, child-friendly way.
Quran Translation
Here is a rough* translation of the Koran into English, chapter by chapter. (*Since no
translation can be exact). You can also hear the Quran being
recited.
Quran Reciter
See the Quran and hear it recited (in Arabic, of course). You can also see translations of
the verses.
Ramadan (Kid's Domain)
This might be a useful one for children. There is a brief
explanation of what Ramadan is and several links to other sites.
Ramadan
(Kiddihouse)
Another site about Ramadan. This one has much more information for
children, a teachers section and songs and graphics to download.
Virtual
Mosque
This one is from Sir Robert Hitcham's Primary School,
Framlingham, Suffolk,(see Educhurch in the Christianity section). Here you have a well
illustrated tour of a mosque with text aimed at primary age children giving a clear
explanation. There is also a section about Islamic life.
Wedding Customs Around The Muslim World
A collection of accounts, from a variety of sources, of wedding
ceremonies and customs in different Muslim communities around the
world. Interesting.
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Buddhism
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BBC
Buddhism
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship,
Holy Days and Customs.
Buddhist Prayers
Read the words of a variety of Buddhist prayers and some of the words of the Buddha. The
background music gets a bit intrusive after a while, but there is a really cheering photo
of the Dalai Lama to make up for it. The text gives a good flavour of some of what
Buddhism is about.
Buddha Net
The Buddhist Information Network provides links between, and information for, Buddhists
worldwide. Well worth a look if you want to find out more about Buddhism and what is going
on in the Buddhist World.
Access to
Insight - Readings in Theravada Buddhism
This site is dedicated to one particular form of Buddhism. There is an introduction to
Theravada Buddhism and excerpts from the Pali Canon, thought to be the oldest record of the
Buddha's teachings.
Zen
Metalab
This site does not explain Zen Buddhism but certainly gives a flavour of it. Here you will
find The Gateless Gate (a collection short teaching stories called Koans), and lots more.
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Sufism |
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BBC Sufism
Another of the BBC's excellent Religion and Ethics sections.
Introduction to Sufism
Useful site which explains the basic
information about Sufism quite clearly. |
Notable Individuals
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Gladys Aylward
Biographical and other information about this Christian missionary, who's story was made
into the film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (Starring Ingrid Bergman).John Bunyan - Christian Writer and Pilgrim
Acacia
John Bunyan
An incomplete chronicle of Bunyan's Life.
John Bunyan
Information about the man, his life and his works.
Pilgrim's Progress
Read Bunyan's most famous work online.
Corrie Ten Boom The Dutch resistance
worker who saved many Jewish lives during the Holocaust.
Corrie Ten Boom
This site tells Corrie's story in some detail.
The
Corrie Ten Boom Museum
Like Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam, Corrie Ten Boom's former home in Haarlem has been
turned into a museum.
Elizabeth Fry - Quaker Social Reformer,
particularly well known for her work with prisoners.
Elizabeth Fry
Information from the excellent Spartacus website about the Quaker social reformer.
Mahatma Ghandi
Ghandi
Book Centre
Mahatma.org
Both of these sites have biographical information, information about his life, and quotes,
and more.
Sojourner Truth Freed 19th century slave
who campaigned against slavery
Sojourner
Truth
Harriet Tubman The escaped slave who
organised the "Underground Railroad" route for slaves to escape from the
Confederate states.
Harriet Tubman
A clearly written, comprehensive biography |
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