There are many definitions of religion. Mine is simple: A person's religion is what that person holds to be of ultimate value and to be ultimately real. By this definition, everyone is religious. Religion is not optional. It is as much a dimension of human existence as politics and economics, if not more so, because religion deals with issues that go beyond the limits of empirical existence. In other words, what people are willing to live and die for, that is their religion. And religion is as old as the human race. It has motivated human conduct, for better or worse, down through the centuries. And despite what some historians and commentators contend, it continues to do so to this day.
Class Summary
Class Time:
14 hours of learning!
Class taught in:
English
Available:
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In this class we will take a deep philosophical and spiritual dive into the world's major religious traditions, exploring what they have in common and what makes each distinctive. In simplistic shorthand, one can say that Hinduism is about transcendence, Buddhism detachment, Judaism justice, Islam obedience, and Christianity love. I think these values are at the heart of each of these traditions, but students will have the opportunity to present differing perspectives. We will also look at the various schools of thought and practice in each tradition, as well as the history of development and conflict within and among them.
I have taught this subject for over a quarter century in college classrooms, but I confess that I have never taught it on-line. I will strive to bring the same passion and care to our on-line meetings as I have in-person. I once had a combat vet as a student who, at the beginning, said he was taking the course because he had looked me up on Rate My Professor and saw that I averaged C, not because I was mediocre, but because students graded me either as A or D with nothing in-between. He wanted to find out why. At the end of the course he said that, apart from the natural sciences, my course was the only one he had encountered that was truly at the college level. Whether they love it or hate it, I challenge people to think right through to the bottom of things, and in doing so to take a good hard look at their own subconscious presuppositions. For when you're talking about religion, you're talking about fundamental assumptions. You cannot truly understand another's fundamental assumptions unless you are aware that you have them as well. No one -- not popes, mullahs, gurus, prophets, scientific experts, atheists, agnostics, nor even artificial intelligence programs -- is operating according to "just the way things are." We are all making choices about what we hold to be real and of real value. And that brings us full circle: in expanding your understanding of religion, you will expand your own self-awareness. That's scary, but it's also liberating. It all boils down to individual choice.
From the time I was a child, I have wanted to engage in the battle between good and evil, and that in the most nitty-gritty way. At first I thought that meant becoming a combat officer in the military, and I even got a nomination to West Point. But then I realized that the fundamental battle is waged in everyone's heart, and that my own personal calling was to challenge people to live from the depths of the heart.
To prepare for this, I earned a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from New College of Florida and a PhD in Religious Studies from Yale. I then taught for over a quarter century, mostly at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I retired from formal teaching in 2014, but I haven't abandoned my original vocation, only carried on through different avenues.
