Led by Diana L. Eck, the Pluralism Project explores the variety of religious communities in United States with particular attention to the growing presence on non-Christian groups since the mid-twentieth century.  By focusing on local communities and case studies of specific events and interactions the project offers close-up reports of religious life.

In addition the Pluralism Project site provides brief, instructive introductions to major traditions (including Christianity) with special attention to each tradition in the United States, detailed timelines, and bibliographies.

World Religions in Greater Boston provides an overview of Christianity in the area and allows users to search by key word.  It includes profiles of a dozen Lutheran congregations distinguished by their founding, current mission emphasis, and ethnic composition.  The two most complete profiles are for:

• Faith Lutheran Church, Cambridge founded in 1892 by Swedish immigrants and currently sharing space with the Eritrean Christian Fellowship and Calvary Praise and Worship Center.  http://faithcambridge.org/

• Resurrection Lutheran Church, Roxbury founded in 1874.  The largest ELCA congregation in the area, its current ethnic composition is 80% African American, Caribbean, or African; 10% Hispanic or Latino; 10% European-American.  http://www.resurrectionroxbury.org]

Based at Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, directed by Professor Shana Sippy  this site displays student work investigating religious diversity in the state, primarily in the vicinity of the Twin Cities. Like the Pluralism Project, this one highlights variety and the effects of post-1962 immigration. A map shows the location of the communities included. The exhibits, which report on students’ extensive field, exhibits provide interpretive text, photos, and audio.

The single Lutheran example is Nile Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Fairbault.  This Nur Sudanese community shares space with Our Saviors. The site tells the story through the experience of an early leader. One section treats the congregation’s worship life. In addition the exhibit gives background about Sudanese immigration and provides links to further information aboutSudanese Lutherans.

Houses of Worship draws on a wide range of historical sources to document the location and activities of 250 local religious communities and hundreds of other organizations in nine Twin Cities neighborhoods.  It is a collaboration between Jeanne Halgren Kilde ( jkilde@umn.edu) and Marilyn J. Chiat (chiat@earthlink.net).  To facilitate “exploration of community creation, ethnicity and identity, relationships among congregations, intra-congregational interactions, the role of houses of worship, and social class structures” the site includes a browse-able collection of historical and contemporary photographs, an extensive bibliography, and an interactive map that provides basic information about churches and synagogues. 

Many Lutheran congregations and institutions are included, for example:

• Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
• Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1900