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General  
BBC Religion and Ethics vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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. This site seems to improve each time I look at it.
Bible Translations and Editions (New testament Gateway)
Links to a wide variety of sites offering Bible texts, commentaries and tools for studying the New Testament.
The Big Myth   ks2.gif (967 bytes) vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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". Sadly (but not surprisingly) what was once free is now a subscription site, although a sample of the sections are still available for free. Mind you the price is very reasonable ($15 US for the CD)
The Brick Testament ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
What a weird idea. Bible stories told through a series of scenes set up in LEGO! It's very well done, with lots stories from 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 bottom to the author's home page, parts of which are not really suitable for children! -contains bad language etc.) 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 so that you can use them offline.
 Chinese New Year
Basic information about Chinese New Year
 Creation Movie ks1_2.gif (1080 bytes)
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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
RE Online (incorporating the RE Site) vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Collective Worship / Assemblies top.gif (1541 bytes)
The Assembly Site
Instant Assemblies, all tried and tested by teachers in schools. Indispensable!
bullet1.gif (148 bytes) Collective Worship primary.gif (1033 bytes)secondary.gif (1047 bytes)
Another assemblies site - this one by The National Society and Culham College Institute. This is an excellent resource which is kept up to date with lots of ideas for collective worship in schools and elsewhere.
bullet1.gif (148 bytes) 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.
bullet1.gif (148 bytes) 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.

 
Buddhism top.gif (1541 bytes)
BBC Buddhism vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
The BBC's excellent information pages. There are sections about History, Beliefs, Worship, Holy Days and Customs.
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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Christianity  
BBC Christianity vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Christianity For Children ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
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.
Teddington Baptist Church  vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 top.gif (1541 bytes)
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
Kids' Domain pages - activities, recipes etc.
Hinduism top.gif (1541 bytes)
BBC Hinduism vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Hinduism for Kids ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
Information on Hinduism from the ever reliable Woodlands Junior School.
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.
 
Holocaust top.gif (1541 bytes)
Holocaust Education Resources
Based at Sussex University, this is the website of the Centre for German-Jewish Studies. The site offers information about the history of anti-Semitism and the experiences of people who lived through the Holocaust. Excellent resource.
Holocaust Education Trust
Established in 1988 with the aim of educating young people from all ethnic backgrounds about the Holocaust this is another excellent site
Holocaust Teacher Resource Site
A useful collection of resources on this American site.
Nizkor Holocaust Education Resource Site
Lots of resources and information here. (Nizkor is a Hebrew word meaning, "We will remember").
Judaism top.gif (1541 bytes)
BBC Judaism vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
T
he 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.
Jewish Artefacts
Photos and text about some important Jewish objects (Torah Scroll, mezuzah, tallit etc.)
The Jewish Education Bureau
Based in Leeds, the JEB can provide artefacts, lectures, talks and walking tours, a programme of visits to schools nationwide (both primary and secondary) and experiential weekends for teachers and other adults.
The Jewish Museum London
The Jewish Museum in Camden town, London, has just reopened (March 2010) after a major refit. The 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.
Judaism 101 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
ICJudaism: A Teachers' Guide to Judaism
For teachers by a teacher, this is the Vaultman's own website. The site is designed to provide both basic information and enough additional material to give teachers sufficient contextual background to be able to teach, what to many is an unfamiliar topic. There is also has a collection of downloadable resources (information / work sheets + Teachers’ notes).
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).
Rabbi Scheinerman's Webpage  ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
An excellent American site. Rabbi Scheinerman explains about Judaism. There is lots of information about many aspects of Jewish prayer and practice  including a very useful section about synagogues, all in clear simple language. There is a useful glossary, too.
  Virtual Synagogue ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Virtual Synagogue (2)
A virtual tour of the orthodox synagogue in Swansea. Very simply presented with many photographs.
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 (eg Sufism).
 

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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   vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
(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 vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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).
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.
Islam by Questions vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Ramadan (Kid's Domain)ks2.gif (967 bytes)
This might be a useful one for children. There is a brief explanation of what Ramadan is and several links to other sites.
Virtual Mosque
vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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.
Virtual Mosque Tour vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
From Bolton Council of Mosques comes this excellent look around a mosque. There are interactive panoramic photographs with clickable hotspots for extra information. Well worth a visit.
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.

Sufism

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.
Sikhism top.gif (1541 bytes)
BBC Sikhism vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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 ks2.gif (967 bytes)vmstar.gif (1122 bytes)
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).
Notable Individuals top.gif (1541 bytes)
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
Biographical information, information about his life, quotes, and more.

Martin Luther King
BBC MLK Page

MLK online
Text / audio / video of some of his most famous speeches.

Nelson Mandela
BBC: Mandela's Life and Times

Mandela's Inaugural Address Speech (An edited transcript)
Nelson Mandela A brief summary of his life and achievements

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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