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REL 203 Religions of the Middle East

REL 203 Religions of the Middle East. Fall 2016. Getting Started. Login to Moodle at classes.lanecc.edu or by following the Quicklink on lower right corner of the LCC home page. Getting Started.

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REL 203 Religions of the Middle East

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  1. REL 203Religions of the Middle East Fall 2016

  2. Getting Started • Login to Moodle at classes.lanecc.edu or by following the Quicklink on lower right corner of the LCC home page

  3. Getting Started • Post to the Personal Introductions forum by THURSDAY 3PM to avoid being dropped on Friday • Read the syllabus • Pick up the text at the LCC Bookstore, Religions of the Middle East, 6th Edition

  4. Course Delivery • Live in the studio • 2-way video connection to Cottage Grove • Live Streaming on the internet • Live Cable-TV • Video archives on YouTube (links mailed out a few hours after class) • Reading and exam schedule in Moodle

  5. Course Requirements • Three multiple choice, true/false exams (30% each) • Faith Interview/Religious Service Report (10%) • Read the syllabus for important details!

  6. Methodology • Scholarly vs. devotional • Secular vs. sectarian • Historical • Anthropological (including archeology) • Sociological • Comparative • Understanding vs. Truth (though some Truth issues discussed)

  7. Methodology • Hermeneutical • Hermeneutics = the science of textual interpretation • Exegesis vs. Eisegesis • Exegesis = bring the meaning out of the text • Eisegesis = read meaning into the text

  8. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Judaism • Christianity • Islam Eastern Religion • Hinduism, Sikhism, Bah’ai • Buddhism • Taoism • Confucianism, Shinto

  9. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • God is personal (Father, King, Judge, He) • Yahweh • Christ, The Holy Spirit • Allah Eastern Religion • God is impersonal (Force, Principle, It) • The Brahman • Dharma • The Tao

  10. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Monotheism Eastern Religion • Pantheism (all-godism) • Monism (one-ism)

  11. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Worship • Prayer Eastern Religion • Harmony or union with the Divine • Meditation

  12. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • God is describable, knowable through revelation • Focus on scripture, doctrinal beliefs Eastern Religion • God ineffable, knowable through experience • Focus on meditation, spiritual experiences

  13. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Human problem = sin • Solution = sacrifice, forgiveness, obedience Eastern Religion • Human problem = ignorance, attachment • Solution = enlightenment, detachment

  14. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Persons are real, important • Persons will be judged, forgiven or punished Eastern Religion • Persons are unreal, unimportant • The ego is an illusion, false self • The Truth Self is God

  15. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • Death and Judgment • Heaven or Hell Eastern Religion • Reincarnation • Moksha, Union with God • Nirvana

  16. Western vs. Eastern Religion Western Religion • History is linear • It ends in the Apocalypse, Day of Doom, Judgment Day Eastern Religion • History is cyclical • No ending, endless repeating

  17. The Bible • Not one, book 66 • Written by different authors over centuries • Old and New Testaments • Written in Hebrew, a little Aramaic (OT) and Greek (NT) • “The Bible has been translated and retranslated.” • The Dead Sea Scrolls - Book of Isaiah – no changes! • Over 5k NT manuscripts to check against one another • Much better textual evidence than other ancient mss

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