Online Research Resources
In addition to the material in the archives and library of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide, there are a number of internet resources that broaden and deepen the study of mission, theology, and global Christianity.
- iDiscover eResources: the Cambridge University offers access to a rich collection of online resources. We provide access to these on a designated computer within the library; staff and students of Cambridge University have access on their own tablet/ laptop/ iPhone using their Raven password. See the ebooks LibGuide.
- Hedwig: the CTF eLearning server provides access to another range of CTF eResources to Cambridge Theological Federation staff and students.
- Free access eResources: listed below. We welcome suggestions for further material that relates to mission or non-western Christianity to add to the list, by emailing the Librarian, Ruth MacLean. We do our best to keep links up-to-date but occasionally links do change.
General
Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.
Online Books Page Listing over 2 million free books on the Web.
OADTL Open Access Digital Theological Library: a virtual library for theology, religious studies, and related disciplines.
“The mission of the Open Access Digital Theological Library (OADTL) is to make all open access content in religious studies and related fields discoverable to everyone, everywhere in the world through a single search experience for free forever.”
Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD): Advanced research and scholarship. Theses and dissertations, free to find, free to use.
Theological Commons is a digital library of over 110,000 resources on theology and religion. It consists mainly of public domain books and also includes periodicals, audio recordings, photographs, manuscript collections, and other formats. Princeton Theological Seminary.
Shared research and papers
Academia “Academia is the easiest way to share papers with millions of people across the world for free. A study published in PLOS ONE found that papers uploaded to Academia receive a 69% boost in citations over 5 years.”
Google Scholar “Stand on the shoulders of giants.” Search for articles and case law.
ResearchGate “Discover scientific knowledge, and make your research visible.”
Online databases and encyclopaedias
The Dictionary of African Christian Biography is a constantly-growing and invaluable collection of biographies of the people who have shaped African Christianity in the past and in the present. It also publishes a monthly e-newsletter that highlights new additions to the collection. See its resource page of online materials for research on Christianity and mission in Africa.
Doctoral Dissertations on Mission from 1908-2019 are searchable on a database compiled by the IBMR and hosted by the Overseas Ministries Study Centre.
The Documentation of Christianity in Hong Kong Database is hosted by Hong Kong Baptist University.
The Gospel and Our Culture Network was founded by Lesslie Newbigin and its resources page now offers extensive bibliographies related to his work and the broader significance of a missional engagement with western culture.
The Gospel and Our Culture Network in the United States also has its own set of online resources.
The International Mission Photography Archive is hosted by the University of Southern California and contains an immense amount of images related to the missionary encounter with peoples around the world.
The Lausanne Movement inherits several generations worth of evangelical thinking about mission. Its website includes many important texts that have shaped mission-thinking around the world.
Missiology.Org.UK is a gateway to the study of Christian mission. A large and increasing collection of digitised material with free access, it is a key section on Theology on the Web.
Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion offers articles, resources, news, seminars, conferences and galleries relating to mission theology in the Anglican Communion in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Dr Muthuraj Swamy is its Project Leader and Editor.
The Mundus Database is a gateway to the more than four hundred collections of overseas missionary materials held in the United Kingdom, including the CCCW archive.
The Newbigin Resources website contains an extensive collection of material by Lesslie Newbigin, including articles, books, and speeches.
The Religious Studies Web Guide is a major portal to free academic research resources for religious studies. You can refine your searches to Christianity, by denomination. Included are gateways to bibliographies and indexes, data and statistics, dictionaries and encyclopedias, digital text collections, images, journals, libraries and archives, and music and liturgy.
Shodhganga: a reservoir of Indian theses.
The website of the Vatican includes a number of important Catholic texts on mission.
The World Council of Churches and its Commission on World Mission and Evangelism has been a forum for mission thinking for generations. Its website includes a number of important mission-focused texts.
Yale University Library has a helpful list of reference databases and guides to the study of mission and world Christianity. This includes Mission Periodicals Online: Church Missionary Society periodicals (Adam Matthew database).
Online eJournals
In addition to the journals that the CCCW library holds, a number of journals focused on mission or the world church are available online. These include:
Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology A scholarly evangelical theological journal offering articles and book reviews relating to theology and ministry in Africa.
Anabaptist Witness A global Anabaptist and Mennonite dialogue on key issues facing the church in mission.
International Journal of Asian Christianity
Biblical Studies Digitised material of rare and out-of-print theology books and articles, detailed bibliographies, and a single access point to ‘Theology on the Web’.
International Journal of Frontier Missions
Journal of Global Christianity
Missio Dei: a Journal of Missional Theology and Praxis
Online eJournals on iDiscover
The Cambridge University offers access to a rich collection of online resources. We provide access to these on a designated computer within the library. Staff and students of Cambridge University have access on their own tablet/ laptop/ iPhone using their Raven password.
Africa: Journal of International African Institute
Exchange: A Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical Research
International Journal of Public Theology
Journal of Pentecostal Theology
Pneuma: Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies
Review of Faith and International Affairs
Online mission documents
Evangelii Nuntiandi: on Evangelization in the Modern World Papal encyclicals online.
Mission as Ministry of Reconciliation World Council of Churches.
Redemptoris Missio: on the Permanent Validity of the Church’s Missionary Mandate Vatican.
The Cape Town Commitment The Lausanne Movement.
The Healing Mission of the Church World Council of Churches.
Together Towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes World Council of Churches.
Towards 2010 – Mission for the 21st century WCC document in preparation for the Centenary of the Edinburgh 1910 World Missionary Conference.