APA

Reference list

In APA7, religious texts and classical works are cited like any other book or webpage.

Examples:

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (2007). Harper Catholic Bibles.

The Holy Qur'an. (S.A. Maulawi, Trans.). (2011). Islam International Publications.

Tanakh. (2014). Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/texts/Tanakh

Senior, D., Collins, J. J., & Getty, M.A. (Eds.). (2016). The Catholic study Bible (Rev. 3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

In-text

The Holy Qu'ran (2011)

(The Holy Bible, 2007, Matthew 5:16)

(Senior et al., 2016, Romans 14:8-10)

Notes

• Religious works are usually treated as having no author.
• However, when a religious work has been annotated by an editor, the editor appears in the author position of the reference (for e.g., the Catholic study Bible reference above).
• For translated works, include the translator's name in the reference.
• For Bible references, instead of page numbers, refer to the book, chapter and verse in the in-text citation (e.g. John 1:5)
• When referring to the Bible generally in the text of your essay, do not use italics (e.g. New Revised Standard Version, Holy Bible).
• More information on citing religious works is available on the APA Style Blog.

Reference list

Church documents are cited like any other book or webpage.

Book example:

Francis. (2015). Ecclesia de Eucharistia. Encyclical on climate change & inequality: on care for our common home. Melville House.

Website examples:

John Paul II. (2003). Ecclesia de Eucharistia. Vatican. http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_eccl-de-euch.html

Vatican II Council. (1965). Dei Verbum. Vatican. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html 

Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). (1997). https://www.scborromeo2.org/catechism-of-the-catholic-church.

In-text

(Francis, 2015) or Pope Francis (2015) declared …

"Through divine revelation, God chose to show forth and communicate Himself…" (Vatican Council II, 1965, para. 6).

In Dei Verbum (DV), the Second Vatican Council ….  (1965, para. 12).

Notes

• For encyclicals, use the Pope's name as the author in the reference list, excluding the title "Pope".
• If directly quoting a text found online, use paragraph number (para.) in place of page number, for example, (John Paul II, 2003, para. 3).
• Below are some common abbreviations.  When you first use a term that you want to later abbreviate, present both the full version of the term and the abbreviation (e.g. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)).