In the introduction to the Virtual Religion Index, the author states: “as a global forum that may be accessed instantaneously anywhere, the Internet promises to surpass the impact of the printing press on the study of religion. Gutenberg made possible the family Bible. The WWW puts a global library of free information on the desk of anyone with a computer & telephone line. Efficient use of these resources, however, requires cataloging”. Named “best religion index” by Yahoo Internet Life, the Virtual Religion Index has begun that cataloging process. The Index provides access to a seemingly unending amount of information; but does so in an organized and easy‐to‐navigate fashion.
When accessed using Netscape Communicator v. 4.07, the Index defaulted to launch its frames version. If the user prefers to not use frames, or if they are using a browser not capable of supporting frames, they can use the non‐frame version of the Index. The authors of the Index provide instructions for using the non‐frame version, and point out that hyperlinks on the page may launch a second browser window when clicked. The authors also explain to users that by upgrading their browsers they will then be able to use the “more convenient” frames version of the Index. The buttons on the page that the user is told to click on to upgrade Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, however, were not working at the time of this review.
For users planning to use the Index frequently, the What’s New section will be helpful. Not only do the authors list newly added sites, they also indicate when a particular site has added or removed resources or changed its location. Users are also given the opportunity to receive e‐mail notifications of updates to the Index. The What’s New file currently available on the site dates back to what seems to be the first What’s New item, posted 3/27/97. Items have been consistently posted in the What’s New area about once a month since that date.
The top level of the Index consists of 18 topic areas: Academia, American Religions, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Anthropology & Sociology of Religion, Archaeology and Religious Art, Biblical Studies, Buddhist Tradition, Christian Tradition, Comparative Religion, Confessional Agencies, East Asian Studies, Ethics & Moral Values, Greco‐Roman Studies, Hindu Tradition, Islam, Jewish Studies, Philosophy & Theology, and Psychology of Religion. Each of these categories is further divided into sub‐topics appropriate for the broader subject. Many of the divisions are geographical or chronological. Within each sub‐topic resources are annotated and arranged alphabetically by title. The authors have provided an added‐value to their resource in that they not only link to the front page of sites, but also to “major subsites, directories and documents within” the sites listed.
For a user who is familiar with the study of religion, the Index provides browsable access to an incredible number of sites. The one thing lacking from the site, and which could become valuable to users, is a search engine of some kind. As the authors of the Index continue to add sites to the Index, it may become large and unwieldy. The addition of a search engine could alleviate this potential problem.
Other than the lack of a search engine, the Virtual Religion Index is a most valuable tool for the researcher of religion, theology, and philosophy who does not have the time or the desire to pore through the extraordinary number of religion related sites currently on the Internet.
