Skip to Main Content

Religious Biographical and Genealogical Information

This guide describes the biographical information available from Harvard Divinity School Library and online through the Harvard Library. It is written for Harvard Library and non-Harvard users interested in the types of information we can provide.

American Religious Biography

In addition to the resources mentioned elsewhere in this guide, consider using the following resources to find biographical sketches of individuals playing a role in the religious life in the United States.

The biographical sources mentioned below are only a small number of those available. For more information, contact a research librarian.

General

American National Biography Online [Harvard Login]

Search for a specific name or choose "Occupations --> Religion and belief"  to locate religious leaders.

Oxford African American Studies Center [Harvard Login]

Search for a specific name or choose "Occupation --> Religion and Spirituality"  to locate biographical articles about religious leaders who shaped African American and African history and culture. 

African American Biographical Database [Harvard Login]

Includes both famous and everyday people.

Specialized

Dictionary of American Religious Biography

Religious Leaders of America

African American Lives [Print Only]

African-American Religious Leaders

Biographical Dictionary of American Cult and Sect Leaders

Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions [Print Only]

Biographical Directory of Negro Ministers

Black Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia [Print Only]

Dictionary of American Catholic Biography [Print Only]

Encyclopedia of American Women and Religion [Print Only]

Dictionary of Christianity in America

Encyclopedia of Religion in the South [Print Only]

Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics

Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics [Print Only]

The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal Charismatic Movements [Print Only]

Orthodox Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook [Print Only]

Conservative Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook [Print Only]

Reform Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook

The Religious Right: A Reference Handbook [Print Only]

Twentieth-Century Shapers of American Popular Religion

By Religious Tradition or Denomination

Subject Encyclopedias

These tradition-specific encyclopedias include articles about people and coverage is international.

Encyclopaedia Judaica [Harvard Login]

Encyclopaedia of Islam [Harvard Login] 

Encyclopedia of Buddhism [Harvard Login]

Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church [Harvard Login]

New Catholic Encyclopedia [Harvard Login]

Biographical Dictionaries

These biographical dictionaries cover leaders in specific religious traditions.  Coverage extends beyond the United States.

Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexicon [Harvard Login]

Dictionary of Catholic Biography [Print Only]

Twentieth Century Dictionary of Christian Biography [Print Only]

The Blackwell Dictionary of Evangelical Biography 1730-1860

Oxford Dictionary of Popes [Harvard Login]

Oxford Dictionary of Saints [Harvard Login]

The biographical sources mentioned here are only a small number of those available. For more information, contact a research librarian.

 

         Harvard Diviity School shield   

HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY
45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 617.495.5788

my.hds   |   Harvard University   |   Harvard Library   |   Privacy Policy   |   Trademark Notice   |   Reporting Copyright Infringements
Copyright © 2015 President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved.