01: The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) has greatly expanded its features, and website, giving students, scholars and other religious professionals access to the most comprehensive collection of data on religion.
Among the ARDA’s newest features are statistical and descriptive profiles of nations and regions around the world, providing facts and figures on the adherents of various religions. The profiles are integrated with new indexes on religious freedom and regulation created by the ARDA’s staff. Other features on the website generate national profiles, maps, church membership overviews, denominational heritage trees, tables, charts, and other summary reports.
The ARDA includes over 350 data files on national and international religion which are available for online preview. Most of the files can be downloaded for additional research . The ARDA has also developed a series of tools for educational purposes. Learning modules provide structured class assignments and the many online tools allow students to explore religious beliefs, attitudes and behavior across the globe The ARDA’s website is at: http://www.theARDA.com
02: The Nordic Journal of Religion and Society has recently revamped its pages to publish only in English while still covering religion in northern Europe.
The publication started out as a theological journal focusing on Norway (called the Journal of Church, Religion, and Society) in 1988 but gradually expanded to include topics in the sociology of religion in all of Scandinavia. The changeover to all English seems to represent a trend of European publications (including books) attempting to find a wider readership in the English-speaking world.
It may be just the time for such an expansion, given the wide interest and controversy over the Danish cartoons. In fact, in 2004, the journal devoted an issue to Muslims in Denmark and the other Scandinavian countries. To mark the new incarnation of the new journal, the current issue looks at the history and state of the sociology of religion in Scandinavia.
For more information on the journal, visit its website at: http://www.tapirforlag.no/visartikkel.php?id