We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Course image
Karen L. King, Sarah Griffis, Diane L. Moore, Anna Mudd, Charles Hallisey, Alexis Bader, Neelima Shukla-Bhatt, Jason Smith, Ali Asani, Shaye Cohen, Matthew Hass, Harpreet Singh, Ravinder Singh, and Damanpreet Singh

The study of religion is rich and fascinating — and goes well beyond beliefs and ritual practices. In this series, learners explore the diversity and evolution of the religions around the world. Through scripture, learners will explore themes such as gender and sexuality, art and science, violence and peace, and power and authority.

Read more

The study of religion is rich and fascinating — and goes well beyond beliefs and ritual practices. In this series, learners explore the diversity and evolution of the religions around the world. Through scripture, learners will explore themes such as gender and sexuality, art and science, violence and peace, and power and authority.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are global religions with diversity in language, culture, history, and creed, but the sacred scriptures of the Tanakh, the Bible, and the Quran give followers a shared language. How do Jews draw inspiration and guidance from traditional texts? How have Christians lived out their stories and teachings? What is the relationship between the Quran and the prophet Mohammed? This series will answer these questions and introduce you to these scriptures.

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism present a rich array of religious texts from across the Indian subcontinent. How do these texts influence the lives of adherents? What challenges do multiple collections of scriptures present for practitioners? Why is Sikhism, the fifth largest religion, relatively unknown in the Western world? Learners will explore the tenets, beliefs, and history of these followers by analyzing scripture, literature, and contemporary media relevant to these religions.

Both the faithful and the questioning are invited to join us as we traverse the globe to explore the power of the written word and its relevance to contemporary public life and the spiritual lives of all who encounter it.

Share

Help others find XSeries from edX by sharing it with your friends and followers:

What's inside

Seven courses

Religious Literacy: Traditions and Scriptures

(30 hours)
The study of religion explores a multifaceted aspect of human experience. This course examines how religions are diverse, evolve, and shape human cultures. We'll analyze scriptures and explore themes such as gender, art, and power.

Buddhism Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
Whether you are new to Buddhism or have been studying it for years, this course will provide you with the opportunity to become acquainted with a variety of Buddhist teachings while guiding you to think about them, and yourself, in new ways.

Christianity Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
Christianity is a global religion with a shared collection of sacred scripture called the Bible. This course introduces you to the Bible and its scripture, exploring its contents, languages, and forms, as well as how Christians have lived out its stories and teachings throughout history.

Hinduism Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
Ever wondered about the sacred scriptures that have sustained one of the oldest and most diverse religions of the world - Hinduism? This religion course introduces the rich and diverse textual sources from which millions of Hindus have drawn religious inspiration for millennia.

Islam Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
How can you improve your understanding of Islam and its most important holy text, the Quran? This religion course provides tools and perspectives for understanding the role of the Quran in the Islamic tradition.

Judaism Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
For over two millennia, Jews have dedicated themselves to reading, interpreting, and living their scriptures. This course introduces students to the diversity of the Jewish canon and the ways of reading it. It will examine how Jews, ancient and modern, drew inspiration and guidance from the traditional texts while reinterpreting their contents in light of new circumstances.

Sikhism Through Its Scriptures

(30 hours)
Sikhi, commonly known as Sikhism, is a monotheistic religious tradition that was founded by Guru Nanak in late fifteenth-century Panjab in South Asia. This course examines the Sikh scripture from a doctrinal and historical perspective by providing an overview of Sikh teachings as well as the historical context within which the scripture evolved and became canonized.

Learning objectives

  • Interpret the roles world religions to play in today and throughout history.
  • Appreciate the internal diversity and evolution of world religions and their scriptures.
  • Understand the strengths and limitations of learning about world religions through their sacred texts.
  • Explore how scriptures are interpreted to diverse ends in different historical and cultural contexts.
  • Engage in nuanced readings of world scriptures.

Save this collection

Save World Religions Through Their Scriptures to your list so you can find it easily later:
Save
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2024 OpenCourser