GEK1045: Introduction to World Religions

• What are world religions?
  • Christianity as a world religion
• Themes
  • Religious symbols
  • Sacrifice
  • Martyrdom
  • Monotheism
  • Religious persons as political figures
  • Critical conversions
  • Humour & religion
• Judaism
  • Foundational (meta-)Narrative
  • Sacrifice: The First sacrifice (Ishmael and Issac, Lamb)
  • Pain: Circumcision - place in modern society? The Covenant
  • Monotheism
  • Matyrdom (Father and brothers)
  • Classical / Rabbinic period: Persecution of Jews (Temple, Conversion of Constantine)
  • Who are Jews?
  • Beliefs: Torah, Tanakh, Talmud, Israel etc.
• Christianity
  • Jesus: His multiple identities (Jew, Politician, Sect leader? Enemy of the State?)
  • Sacrifice: Crucifixion
  • Martyrdom and resurrection
  • The Nicene Creed
  • Old & New Testament
  • Monotheism: One God or many? The Holy Trinity
  • Soteriology: salvation, afterlife.
  • Beliefs and Practices: prayer, worship, Sacraments
  • Catholics vs Christianity (vs. Protestants)
  • Jesus - Christian?
  • Proselytism (Paul, Constantine, Missionaries)
  • Christian split (Protestant reformation, Roman Catholic counter-reformation)
  • Pain: Pampanga crucifixion
  • Changing face of Christianity (Jesus, global reach)
• Islam
  • Mohammad as the founder of Islam (Anti-establishment?)
  • Monotheism - destroyed polytheism, Mecca, Hijrah to Medina
  • Four "Rightly Guided" Caliphs
  • Caliphates / Dynasties
  • Divisions within the Faith - Differences being Muslim (Sunni and Shia)
  • Five pillars of Islam
  • Pain: Ramadan
  • Beliefs: Cosmology, sin, End of the World, Islamic practice (Lecture slides)
  • Jihad - "sixth pillar"?
  • Islamophobia - "Jihad vs McWorld"?
  • Pain in Islam: Self-flagellation
• Hinduism
  • The Divine: Atman & Brahman, rebirth
  • Polytheism?
  • Caste & Society: Significance, dalits
  • Hindu Scriptures
  • Practice: Dharma
  • Hindu Soteriology
  • Dharma
  • Bhagavad Gita: Arjuna and Krishna
• Buddhism
  • Buddha and His Enlightenment: The Four Sights and
  • The Four Truths, The Eightfold Path and the Ten Precepts
  • (Dis-)Continuities from Hinduism
  • Scriptures
  • Different Kinds of Buddhism (Critical conversions)
  • Soteriology
  • Pain in Buddhism: Self-Immolation