eceletic religion curriculum

[Mountainmama]

looking for resources to share Judaism, xtianity, islam, and Buddhism. any recommendations? We want a fair (not purely secular or xtian) presentation.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Teaching company has a series that covers several of the major non Christian religions. I listened to some of the Buddhist lectures and found it examined a lot of what I was encountering in Japan.

For Christianity you might try reading a couple of the major catechisms.

[KarenNC]

The BBC has some resources http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/

 

You might also check out Huston Smith's books on comparative theology.

[Candid]

For Christanity, to be thorough I'd read the following books:

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Story-Christianity-Church-Present/dp/1565635221/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1372943955&sr=8-3&keywords=story+of+christianity

 

http://www.amazon.com/What-Bible-All-About-Revised-NIV/dp/0830759662/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372944137&sr=1-2&keywords=what%27s+the+bible

 

http://www.amazon.com/Words-Delight-Literary-Introduction-Bible/dp/0801077699/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372944165&sr=1-1&keywords=words+of+delight

 

Now, those will cross count in history and literature, but I also think you need a why believe sort of book and which one you pick will depend a lot of what flavor of Christianity you want to explore.

 

Oh, and let me mention that some (but not all) Christians will be fairly offended by replacing Christ with X in the word Christianity. So in the future I'd type it out if looking for help. 

[ktgrok]

Using the X is a scholarly thing....it means Christ.

 

As for a good overview, how about a used college textbook? Religions of the World is a common class taught to undergraduates and the books are pretty easy to understand. Otherwise, I think Usborne has a book on relgions of the world.

[KarenNC]

posting problem

[KarenNC]

Let's try this again, since the previous attempt messed up.

 

I continue to be surprised when I find that many folks objecting the most to the use of "X" in "Xmas" or "Xtianity" are the same ones who will gladly sport an icthus on their car or in other places, usually one containing the Greek word for "fish." They would probably be astonished and offended if you asked them if they worshiped fish. In the icthus, the second letter, "X," is exactly the same letter and same usage as in "Xtianity." It is the Greek "chi" and is the first letter of the Greek word "Christos." In the icthus, the letters forming the Greek word for "fish" are abbreviations using the first letters of the Greek phrase for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." I've also not heard of anyone objecting that the Chi-Rho, one of the earliest forms of Christogram, is an attempt to remove anything from the church, despite the exact same usage of "X." This abbreviation for "Christ" has been in use by Christians and the Church since at least the Middle Ages.

 

When I encounter offense, it tells me that there are churches out there who are not doing an adequate job of educating their congregants on either the history of their religion or the meanings of the symbols they are using, which is a shame.

[Candid]

Let's try this again, since the previous attempt messed up.

 

I continue to be surprised when I find that many folks objecting the most to the use of "X" in "Xmas" or "Xtianity" are the same ones who will gladly sport an icthus on their car or in other places, usually one containing the Greek word for "fish." They would probably be astonished and offended if you asked them if they worshiped fish. In the icthus, the second letter, "X," is exactly the same letter and same usage as in "Xtianity." It is the Greek "chi" and is the first letter of the Greek word "Christos." In the icthus, the letters forming the Greek word for "fish" are abbreviations using the first letters of the Greek phrase for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." I've also not heard of anyone objecting that the Chi-Rho, one of the earliest forms of Christogram, is an attempt to remove anything from the church, despite the exact same usage of "X." This abbreviation for "Christ" has been in use by Christians and the Church since at least the Middle Ages.

 

When I encounter offense, it tells me that there are churches out there who are not doing an adequate job of educating their congregants on either the history of their religion or the meanings of the symbols they are using, which is a shame.

 

I don't disagree, but there is still offense caused, so best to avoid it when you are asking for help.

 

Some of it is no doubt just a cultural vocabulary thing. For instance in your post you use the word congregants. In many protestant churches, that word would at best feel archaic, at worst not be understood. It wouldn't cause offense but maybe confusion. Some of that is unavoidable.

[klmama]

I haven't viewed it, but there is a video course at Hippocampus: http://www.hippocampus.org/HippoCampus/Religion;jsessionid=C1E146347171E614ECC6EEF5F6119954

 

 

[KarenNC]

I don't disagree, but there is still offense caused, so best to avoid it when you are asking for help.

 

Some of it is no doubt just a cultural vocabulary thing. For instance in your post you use the word congregants. In many protestant churches, that word would at best feel archaic, at worst not be understood. It wouldn't cause offense but maybe confusion. Some of that is unavoidable.

 

Fair enough. Although I haven't encountered many Protestant churches that don't refer to themselves as congregations at least at times, members is probably more common. It's also good to use wording that doesn't raise barriers in conversation.

 

I don't agree that this case is a cultural, scholarly, or class issue, however. That symbol is already being widely used by those people in that culture to mean exactly the same thing ("X" for "Christ"). In our area, my experience is that the usage of the fish symbol is much more prominent (and more likely to include the Greek phrase) by the members of non-denominational or evangelical churches than it is by members of more liturgical churches. Those are also the people who are most vocal against the use of the abbreviation "Xmas." Churches are doing a grave disservice to their members to not explain the meanings behind the symbols they are being encouraged to use. If one doesn't understand the meaning behind a symbol, it's probably better not to use it (ie the fish). If one is going to use it, it seems odd to then protest the appropriate use of that same symbol to mean exactly the same thing in another application.

 

[Candid]

Fair enough. Although I haven't encountered many Protestant churches that don't refer to themselves as congregations at least at times, members is probably more common. It's also good to use wording that doesn't raise barriers in conversation.

 

I don't agree that this case is a cultural, scholarly, or class issue, however. That symbol is already being widely used by those people in that culture to mean exactly the same thing ("X" for "Christ"). In our area, my experience is that the usage of the fish symbol is much more prominent (and more likely to include the Greek phrase) by the members of non-denominational or evangelical churches than it is by members of more liturgical churches. Those are also the people who are most vocal against the use of the abbreviation "Xmas." Churches are doing a grave disservice to their members to not explain the meanings behind the symbols they are being encouraged to use. If one doesn't understand the meaning behind a symbol, it's probably better not to use it (ie the fish). If one is going to use it, it seems odd to then protest the appropriate use of that same symbol to mean exactly the same thing in another application.

 

 

Yeah, I know, but the congregant variation is not ever used that I can think of.

 

And I do agree with your second paragraph, but it is still the case that I have seen folks totally ballistic over "X-ing" out "Christ." 

[Candid]

I've started a spin off of my own ruminations. Take a look, feel free to give recommendations:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/479235-so-christan-works-of-devotion-or-belief-that-shouldnt-be-missed/

[PachiSusan]

Yeah, I know, but the congregant variation is not ever used that I can think of.

 

And I do agree with your second paragraph, but it is still the case that I have seen folks totally bullistic over "X-ing" out "Christ."

 

And on another note, I have known a few atheists who DO use it purposely to "x Christ out" whether they know the true meaning of it or not. 

[Rosie_0801]

And on another note, I have known a few atheists who DO use it purposely to "x Christ out" whether they know the true meaning of it or not.

Well then, you're entitled to laugh at them for being ignoramuses!

[PachiSusan]

Well then, you're entitled to laugh at them for being ignoramuses!

 

 

Nah, I just correct them. ;)

[jhschool]

The Teaching Company, in addition to having separate courses on various

religions, as PP posted, has a Comparative Religions course.  It was about $70

last month...but prices vary a lot, so wait for a good one.