Having meaning in one's life is vital to a person's mental process.

Music: Purple Planet - Hope, A Fresh Start
Graphics: Shutterstock.com

This course provides an introduction to major political, social, cultural and intellectual changes in Europe from the beginnings of the Renaissance in Italy around 1300 to the outbreak of the French Revolution at the end of the 1700s. It focuses on the porous boundaries between categories of theology, magic and science, as well as print. It examines how developments in these areas altered European political institutions, social structures, and cultural practices. It also studies men and women, nobles and commoners, as well as Europeans and some non-Europeans with whom they came into contact.

Short Description:
This is a series of 4 lessons based on an interview with social anthropologist Maria Tendriakova. The topics of the lessons are: Women in Russia, Problems of equality, The Russian Orthodox Church, Nationalities in Russia.

Long Description:
This is a series of 4 lessons based on an interview with social anthropologist Maria Tendriakova. The topics of the lessons are: Women in Russia, Problems of equality, The Russian Orthodox Church, Nationalities in Russia.

Authors: Shannon Donnally Quinn, Victoria Thorstensson, Darya Vassina, Nina Familiant, Benjamin Rifkin, Dianna Murphy

New version created by: Shannon Donnally Quinn and Isabella Palange with help from Lidia Gault

Word Count: 11074

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Edited by Caitlin Finlayson, Ph.D.

Word Count: 60227

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Selection from the "Bhagavad Gita," inThe MahabharataSelection from the Teachings of BuddhaSelection from the "Book of Psalms;" The Holy BibleSelection from the "Book of John;" The Holy BibleSelection of surahs from The Holy Koran

Le rôle médiateur du Judaïsme Messianique

Short Description:
Selon Actes 3, 21, après avoir instauré son Royaume et subi sa Passion, le Christ demeure au ciel "jusqu'au temps de la restauration ('apocatastase') de tout ce que Dieu a énoncé par la bouche de ses saints prophètes...". L'intuition maîtresse du présent ouvrage est que ce processus est déjà inauguré, et que le retour du peuple juif sur la terre à lui promise en Abraham, en est le signe incarné. C’est donc qu’est ouvert le temps de la metanoïa, ou conversion radicale, que doivent opérer les fidèles, pour « veiller sans cesse », afin de ne pas être « trouvés nus » (2 Co 5, 3) quand le Christ viendra, ainsi qu’il a prévenu : « à l’improviste » (Mc 13, 35-36), et « comme un voleur » (Ap 16, 15).

Word Count: 67326

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Students discuss and learn about the nature of scientific knowledge in the context of scientific and non-scientific debates about climate change. This 50-minute module can be taught in a small- to very large-size introductory religion, philosophy or ethics class.

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An introduction to Shinto, one of Japan's earliest belief systems. Created by Asian Art Museum.

The book proposes the hypothesis that six generic ways of being religious may be found in any large-scale religious tradition such as Christianity or Buddhism or Islam or Hinduism: sacred rite, right action, devotion, shamanic mediation, mystical quest, and reasoned inquiry. These are recurrent ways in which, socially and individually, devout members of these traditions take up and appropriate their stories and symbols in order to draw near to, and come into right relationship with, what the traditions attest to be the ultimate reality.

Stories from Buddhist Traditions is a resource for use by school teachers that has been developed as part of Dr Naomi Appleton and Dr Alison Jack’s project Approaching Religion Through Story at the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity.

Structured to meet Education Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence standard for Religious Moral Education (RME), the resource is divided according to the three structuring principles of the experiences and outcomes for RME in Scotland: Beliefs, Values and Issues, and Practices and Traditions. Keywords are also provided to indicate the particular relevance of the story.

The resource contains six stories in PDF format, sorted by the principles stated above, and an introduction to Jakatas. The ‘What’s It Tree’ and the ‘Prince Vessantara’ stories both have accompanying PowerPoint Presentations for illustrative purposes. Resources provided as part of the project ‘Approaching Religion Through Story’ are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence.

Studying the Bible: The Tanakh and Early Christian Writings is a university-level, textbook introduction to the study of the Bible, its literary forms, and historical and cultural contexts. This textbook is a companion to the Bible courses taught in the English Department at Kansas State University, in particular ENGL 470 The Bible, though it is available for use in other courses and contexts. This textbook examines the Hebrew Bible (also known as the Tanakh) and the early Christian writings of the New Testament. It is an introduction to the analysis of biblical texts, their histories, and their interpretations. The emphasis throughout this textbook is on the literary qualities of these biblical texts as well as their cultural and historical contexts.

This is a sample syllabus for a moral reasoning course that will explore the historical life of Jesus of Nazareth, analyzing his role, influence, and teachings. We will look at examples of his impact on the lives of other famous historical figures and consider how his moral philosophy can apply to our contemporary life.The course is designed for students of all traditions, backgrounds, and lifestyles. All faith views will be invited and encouraged to share in civil interfaith dialogue.

The purpose of these basic foundational doctrines is to introduce new believers to the evangelical Christian Faith. The studies are interdenominational in nature and brief in content. The theology is conservative and evangelical, reflecting those core teachings held dear by the Bible believing church through the centuries. Denominational distinctives have been avoided. 

This introductory course surveys the introductory matters of the New Testament, its historical and cultural context, and a brief summary of each book of the New Testament.

This introductory course covers the basic concepts of the communication process, including cross-cultural communication. It also brings focus on how to interpret the Bible, prepare and deliver Bible messages, speeches and lesson plans. Also covered are teaching principles, and how to conduct small groups.

Theological Questions is an Open Educational Resource (free textbook) that originates from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and was created with funding form the Atla OER Grant Program. This open textbook was used at St. Mary's in the first of two required core theology courses. It is designed to give a broad historical overview of theological questions from the perspective of the Catholic tradition. It seeks to represent fairly a variety of questions and answers within and beyond the Catholic tradition. This OER is a foundation for other teachers of introductory courses in theology who may wish to adapt it for their purposes.

Following the trail of the Blood Covenant in the Bible

Short Description:
"Blood is thicker than milk..."The same God who created the world, created us to be in relationship with him. When we choose rebellion over the instructions of God, the kinship between us breaks. The loss is immeasurable. Everything God has to offer is forfeited: a personal bond with him, perfect peace, health, harmony with each other and the earth around us. Blood covenant, is defined by the statement "all I have is yours, all you have is mine." The age-old saying blood is thicker than milk, declares that covenants born out of love and sealed with blood are stronger than sharing milk at the same mother’s breast.Rebellion against God’s precepts brings death. The only answer for death is life-giving blood. Jesus, the sinless Son of God shed his blood so that our relationship with God could be restored.

Long Description:
The same God who created the world, created human beings in order to be in relationship with them. When we choose rebellion over the instructions of God, the kinship between us is severed. The loss is immeasurable. Everything God has to offer is forfeited: a personal relationship with him, perfect peace, health, harmony with each other and the earth around us. Long before current generations, God began and finally completed the process of restoration so that once more, we could be in a perfect bond with God.

Defined by the statement “all I have is yours, all you have is mine”, a relationship sealed with blood is more sacred than those who share the same mother’s milk. Thus the age-old saying: “blood is thicker than milk.” Known as “blood-brothers” many expressions of this special bond surface across centuries throughout all cultures.

Uncovered in these pages is a synopsis of one very special blood covenant. This crimson thread runs through the Judeo-Christian Bible. When we rebel against the precepts of God we experience death. The only solution for death is a transfusion of life. Jesus, the sinless Son of God shed his blood so that our lives with God could be restored.

Word Count: 32369

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This video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly features Timbuktu, one of the most remote and inaccessible places on the planet and a former thriving center of Islamic learning.