Other areas of this website offer an overview of the study of religion, but you may wish to do some reading on the topic. We have created a list of texts that will introduce you to the study of religion and religious traditions. The list is hardly comprehensive; it is only meant to offer a sampling of what's out there. Some of the texts are very basic, and some are more complex. But having a look at some of these works will offer you a good insight into the worlds that the study of religion opens up.

The list also includes a variety of websites that might help you get started. Some of them aim to be even-handed in their approach, but some are produced by members of a specific community, and thus they have their own slant. The American Academy of Religion does not necessarily support the views or interpretations presented in the websites listed below. For many scholars, these views and interpretations would be the subject of debate. The websites are presented only to invite you into further investigation of religion and religious phenomena.

Click on any of the topics on the left and it will bring up a page with the books and websites for that topic. You can also download a text file of the information by clicking on the text link at the bottom of each page.