Bibliographic Research in Theology

Abstract

Research in any discipline demands basic bibliographic knowledge and skills. Theology is no exception. Both because of the many facets of bibliographic research and because of the increasing number of new research tools in the theological disciplines, the acquiring and up-dating of these skills is not an easy task. The following bibliographic essay should aid both students and scholars in their difficult, and frequently boring, task of bibliographic research. This bibliography was developed for persons beginning graduate work in Christian theology, and it is limited to basic bibliographic tools in that discipline. We have not included works primarily useful in biblical studies, history of theology, history of religions, and inter-disciplinary studies on religion. In the discipline of Christian theology itself, we have sought a selected list rather than a comprehensive one. In addition, because the majority of students in the program for which the list was first prepared were Roman Catholic, there is a natural stress on Roman Catholic studies. The large number of recent publications in the field of Roman Catholic studies also accounts for some of this emphasis. Because the compilers or editors of many recent Roman Catholic reference works are engaged in ecumenical dialogue, at least within the academic community, they reflect more than a Roman Catholic viewpoint. They catalogue and review major works in both Protestant and Roman Catholic theol-