The first course we will cover is the one on Judaism.
A summary from the website is as follows:
“However Judaism is defined, the beliefs, practices, attitudes, and institutions of Jews through the ages display a striking diversity, despite the fact that all would ascribe to a common heritage. Join Professor Gafni for these 12 lectures that explore the ever-changing 4,000-year-old saga of Judaism, one of the world’s most ancient and influential religions. Throughout the lectures, you’ll study Judaism from within – as it was understood by its adherents in the past and by those who practice or identify with Judaism today. You’ll cover the critical stages of Jewish history; the centrality of such books as the Torah, Talmud, Midrash, and Mishna; and the manner in which the Jewish calendar and Jewish law, or Halakha, define daily life. You’ll learn how Judaism reinvented itself by embracing the rabbinical tradition after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. and consider the thinking of such philosophers as Philo of Alexandria and Moses Maimonides. You’ll consider how Judaism deals with converts and other members of the outside world. And you’ll investigate how Judaism manages its dual missions: to be true to itself as a people chosen by God and to be a spiritual example to the world. Rich with historical and spiritual insights, this is your chance to dig deep into the heart of what makes Judaism one of the world’s most important monotheistic faiths.”
The lecturer is Dr. Isaiah M. Gafni. The following is a background on him from the Great Courses website. He “is the Sol Rosenbloom Professor of Jewish History at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he earned his Ph.D. and has taught for more than 40 years. He was formerly the Director of the Mandel Center of Jewish Studies at the university and also previously served as Director of Graduate Studies at the university’s Rothberg International School. He has been a visiting professor at numerous American universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Brown. Professor Gafni has written extensively on a broad range of topics relating to the social, religious, and cultural history of the Jews in late antiquity, including more than 100 entries in the Encyclopaedia.”
Disc 1
Lecture 1: What is Judaism?
Lecture 2: The Stages of History
Lecture 3: The Jewish Library
Lecture 4: The Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism
Lecture 5: Jewish Worship – Prayer and the Synagogue
Lecture 6: The Calendar – A Communal Life-Cycle
Disc 2
Lecture 7: Individual Life-Cycles
Lecture 8: God and Man: God and Community
Lecture 9: Philosophers and Mystics
Lecture 10: The Legal Frame works of Judaism – Halakha
Lecture 11: Common Judaism – or a Plurality of Judaisms?
Lecture 12: Judaism and “Others”
In addition to this is might be enlightening to read or listen (available as an audio book) to a book on the Holy Scripture of both Judaism (the Old Testament part of the Bible) and Christianity (Both the Old and New Testament parts of the Bible, that is the whole Bible) A place to start is “The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible.”
A quote of the overview of the course “Great World Religions: Christianity” from the website reads as follows:
Discover profound insights into what Professor Johnson calls “one of religion’s great success stories” with these 12 lectures that provide a clear survey of the most important elements of Christianity and a framework for further study. In these lectures, you’ll consider a range of fundamental issues, including Christianity’s birth and expansion across the Mediterranean world, the development of its doctrine, its transformation after Christianity became the imperial religion of Rome, its many and deep connections to Western culture, and tensions within Christianity today. Professor Johnson’s synthetic approach provides first an overview of the Christian story, how it understands history, the relation of scripture to that history, and the Christian creed (what Christians believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the church). He explains Christian practice as expressed, in turn, by the structure of the community and its sacraments, by the struggles of Christians to find a coherent and consistent moral teaching, and by various manifestations of Christianity’s more radical edge in martyrs, monks, mendicants, missionaries, and mystics. By the conclusion of his last lecture, you’ll have a firm grasp of Christianity’s distinctive character, the major turning points in its history, its shared beliefs and practices, its sharp internal divisions, its struggles to adapt to changing circumstances, and its continuing appeal to many of the world’s peoples.
The lecturer we saw in earlier blogs and the following short reminder quote also from the great courses website is as follows:
Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia. Professor Johnson earned a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from Yale University, as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Indiana University, an M.Div. in Theology from Saint Meinrad School of Theology, and a B.A. in Philosophy from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. A former Benedictine monk, Professor Johnson has taught at Yale Divinity School and Indiana University, where he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Disc 1
Lecture 1: Christianity among World Religions
Lecture 2: Birth and Expansion
Lecture 3: Second Century and Self-Definition
Lecture 4: The Christian Story
Lecture 5: What Christians Believe
Lecture 6: The Church and Sacraments
Disc 2
Lecture 7: Moral Teaching
Lecture 8: The Radical Edge
Lecture 9: Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant
Lecture 10: Christianity and Politics
Lecture 11: Christianity and Culture
Lecture 12: Tensions and Possibilities
Arguably their can only be one truth that Jesus Christ brought us which in my personal opinion was kinda muddied up after Vatican II and to get back to the root I suggest a 1959 copyright edition by Fides Publishers which carries the Imprimatur entitled “THE FAITH EXPLAINED” by father Leo J. Trese. The fact that it is the 1959 edition is important in that there have been later editions – the latest one is from 2000, I think, and this edition is expository of the old Tridentine Latin form of the mass, which was in some form the mass of the Church for almost 2000 years. It, I think, was responsible for most of the people who lived exceptional Christ like lives referred to as saints, and its loss with the attended silence and reverence, is what is responsible for many of today’s scandals. In the Bible Hebrews 13:8 reminds us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
The next course on religion we will cover is on Islam. This is a quote of the overview again from the great courses website as well as the quote on the lecturers credentials.
In these 12 lectures, Professor Esposito guides you through the facts and myths surrounding Islam and its more than 1.2 billion adherents. They’ll help you better understand Islam’s role as both a religion and a way of life, and its deep impact on world affairs both historically and today. Moving from Muhammad to the present, from the 7th to the 21st centuries, you’ll explore Muslim beliefs, practices, and history in the context of its significance and impact on Muslim life and society through the ages, as well as world events today. Along the way, you’ll examine topics including Jihad; Muslim beliefs about other faiths; whether the Quran condones terrorism and what it says about God; the contributions to mathematics, science, and art made by a flourishing Islamic civilization; the role of women in Islam; and whether Islam is compatible with modernization, capitalism, and democracy. These lectures also expand the human dimension to spotlight the ever-increasing reality of Muslims as our neighbors and colleagues in Europe and America, examining how and why Muslims came to Europe and America, and the issues of faith and identity, integration and assimilation, that face them in their new homelands and how they are grappling with these challenges. “We will see that Islam is not monolithic,” says Professor Esposito. “Although Muslims share certain core beliefs, the practices, interpretations, images, and realities of Islam vary across time and space.”
The lecturer, “Dr. John L. Esposito is University Professor, Professor of Religion and International Affairs, and Professor of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. He earned his B.A. at St. Anthony College, his M.A. at St. John’s University, and his Ph.D. at Temple University. Professor Esposito is Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: History and International Affairs in the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. He has served as President of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, and the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies. A specialist in Islam, political Islam, and the impact of Islamic movements from North Africa to Southeast Asia, Dr. Esposito serves as a consultant to the Department of State as well as multinational corporations, governments, universities, and the media worldwide. In 2005, Professor Esposito won the American Academy of Religion’s prestigious Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion. This award honors a scholar who has been exemplary in promoting the public understanding of religion. A prolific writer, Professor Esposito is the author of over 25 books, including What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, and Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, The Oxford History of Islam, and The Oxford Dictionary of Islam.”
Disc 1
Lecture 1: Islam Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Lecture 2: The Five Pillars of Islam
Lecture 3: Muhammad-Prophet and Statesman
Lecture 4: God’s Word – the Quranic Worldview
Lecture 5: The Muslim community – Faith and Politics
Lecture 6: Paths to God – Islamic Law and Mysticism
Disc 2
Lecture 7: Islamic revivalism – Renewal and Reform
Lecture 8: The Contemporary Resurgence of Islam
Lecture 9: Islam at the Crossroads
Lecture 10: Women and Change in Islam
Lecture 11: Islam in the West
Lecture 12: The future of Islam
Much is said about Islam good and bad. For complete disclosure it may be helpful to read or listen to something from another perspective covering, as we did in Christianity above, the Holy Book of Islam the Koran. I found “the Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran” by Robert Spencer interesting.
Once again, for course on the religion of Buddhism of we take the overview and lectures credentials from the great courses’ website
Overview
Buddhism challenges some of the most important Western ideas about God, human life, and the self. An excellent study in the basics of Buddhism, these 12 lectures illustrate why Buddhism is an astonishingly lively and adaptable religion – one which has transformed the civilizations of India and much of Asia, and has now become a vital part of Western culture. In the company of Professor Eckel, you’ll study the Buddhist idea that there is no single almighty God who created the world, that all of life is “suffering”, and that there is no permanent self; the life story of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama; the Buddha’s teaching, or Dharma; the development of his Samgha, or community of disciples; key Buddhist terms such as nirvana, tantra, mandala, bodhisattva, and Zen; the lives of contemporary, well-known Buddhists such as the Dalai Lama; and Buddhist responses to some of the fundamental problems of life. These lectures survey Buddhism from its origin in India in the 6th or 5th centuries B.C.E. to the present day. During its 2,500-year history, Buddhism has grown from a tiny religious community in northern India into a movement that now spans the globe. And, with these lectures, the history, insights, and perhaps the profound peaceful influence of this great world religion may reach you.
Lecturer
Dr. Malcolm David Eckel is Professor of Religion and Director of the Core Curriculum at Boston University. He holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in English from Harvard University and a second in Theology from Oxford University. Professor Eckel earned his master’s degree in theology at Oxford University and his Ph.D. in the Study of Comparative Religion at Harvard University. He held teaching positions at Ohio Wesleyan University, Middlebury College in Vermont, and the Harvard Divinity School, where he served as acting director of the Center for the Study of World Religions. At Boston University, Professor Eckel teaches courses on Buddhism, comparative religion, and the religions of Asia. In 1998, Professor Eckel received the Metcalf Award for Teaching Excellence, the university’s highest award for teaching. In addition to writing many articles, Professor Eckel has published two books on Buddhist philosophy: To See the Buddha: A Philosopher’s Quest for the Meaning of Emptiness and Buddhism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places.
Disc 1
Lecture 1: Buddhism as a World Religion
Lecture 2: The Life of the Buddha
Lecture 3: All is suffering
Lecture 4: The Path to Nirvana
Lecture 5: The Buddhist Community
Lecture 6: Mahayana Buddhism – the Bodhisattva Ideal
Disc 2
Lecture 7: Celestial Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Lecture 8: Emptiness
Lecture 9: Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia
Lecture 10: Buddhism in Tibet
Lecture 11: Buddhism in China
Lecture 12: Buddhism in Japan
The final religion we will outline the great courses course on is Hinduism. I take it last because thought there appear to be many adherents they seem localized in the geographical and cultural area of India.
Once again the over view and lecturers credentials are taken from the great courses website.
Overview
In Hinduism, you’ll find a religion that is perhaps the most diverse of all. It worships more gods and goddesses than any other, and it rejects the notion that there is only one path to the divine. These 12 lectures provide a window into the roots of, perhaps, all religions. You’ll explore over the course of Hinduism’s 5,000-year journey: the Indus Valley civilization; the sizable variety of Hindu gods and goddess; the sacred writings in the Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads; ritual purity rites; the Aryan language of Sanskrit; and more. As you’ll discover, the story of Hinduism is the story of very non-Western traditions – such as arranged marriages and the caste system – that have survived and thrived for thousands of years. It’s also the story of gods, terms, and practices – karma, Krishna, yoga, guru – that have found a home in Western lives and language. The lectures move chronologically through the history of Hinduism, from its earliest precursors through its classical manifestations to its responses to modernity. Along the way, you’ll encounter the multiple paths to divine reality acknowledged by Hindus: the Way of Action (which aims to improve an individual’s future lives through meritorious deeds), the Way of Wisdom (a more demanding pathway to salvation), and the Way of Devotion (oriented toward faith in a deity of one’s personal choice). Dr. Muesse also discusses salient aspects of Hindu life and places them in historical and theological context.
Lecturer
Dr. Mark W. Muesse is W. J. Millard Professor of Religious Studies, Director of the Asian Studies Program, and Director of the Life: Then and Now Program at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He earned a B.A., summa cum laude, in English Literature from Baylor University and a Master of Theological Studies, a Master of Arts, and a Ph.D. in the Study of Religion from Harvard University. Before taking his position at Rhodes, Professor Muesse held positions at Harvard College, Harvard Divinity School, and the University of Southern Maine, where he served as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a recipient of the 2008 Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Teaching, Rhodes College’s highest faculty honor. Known for his experiential teaching style, Professor Muesse was honored for his effective use of imaginative and creative pedagogy as well as his ability to motivate his students toward lifelong study. Professor Muesse has written many articles, papers, and reviews in world religions, spirituality, theology, and gender studies and has coedited a collection of essays titled Redeeming Men: Religion and Masculinities. He is currently compiling an anthology of prayers from around the world. Professor Muesse is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society for Indian Philosophy and Religion and has been Visiting Professor at the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary in Madurai, India. He has traveled extensively throughout Asia and has studied at Wat Mahadhatu, Bangkok, Thailand; the Himalayan Yogic Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal; the Subodhi Institute of Integral Education, Sri Lanka; and Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
Disc 1
Lecture 1: Hinduism in the World and the World of Hinduism
Lecture 2: The Early Cultures of India
Lecture 3: The World of Veda
Lecture 4: From the Vedic Tradition to Classical Hinduism
Lecture 5: Caste
Lecture 6: Men, Women, and the Stages of Life
Disc 2
Lecture 7: The Way of Action
Lecture 8: The Way of Wisdom
Lecture 9: Seeing God
Lecture 10: The Way of Devotion
Lecture 11: The Goddess and Her Devotees
Lecture 12: Hinduism in the Modern Period
Hopefully this will give some insights into other major religions of the world, and help us understand the motivations of various peoples based on their religious beliefs to help us better work with them and understand them in friendships, relationships, business and politics.
Traditional Thomistic Catholic 