Welcome to Religion 105: Comparative Religion. Started in 2008, Religion 105: Comparative Religion is one of Essex County College's newest courses. In this course we will explore the major world religions--Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Friedrich Max Muller, who is considered to be the father of comparative religion, said that religion "enables man to apprehend the Infinite under different names."[2] In every culture around the world, people have some kind of religion or some way to explain the mysteries of life. The historian Will Durant said that "The great majority of mankind feels compelled to ascribe mysterious entities or events to supernatural beings . . . [Religion] arises spontaneously and repeatedly from the needs and hopes of men."[1]
The study and comparison of religions has come a long way since 1856 when Max Muller wrote his Comparative Mythology. An example of one of the changes that has taken place in the study of religions is the move away from viewing religions through Western eyes. Previous anthropologists from Europe and the United States tended to explain non-Christian religions through Christian ideas; today however, scholars are more familiar with other cultures and religions, and more importantly, now that scholars from within these religions are writing about their religion from their own perspective, we can better understand them from a less biased position.
Religion is a fascinating topic of inquiry, and in our class we will see the beautiful variety and the profound similarities of our world's religions. We will explore possible explanations for these differences and similarities. In our class discussion we will have opportunity to hear lectures and take part in lively, yet respectful, discussion. We will share our own personal journeys into religion and learn about some of the contemporary issues being discussed by today's religious leaders. We will think about and attempt to answer the question about the meaning of faith, mysticism, and spirituality.
Footnotes
1 Will Durant, The Power of Religion [web-page], available at: http://www.willdurant.com/religion.htm. The Center for the Advancement of the Writings and Teaching of Will and Ariel Durant. 2004, John Little and the Estate of Will Durant. Internet accessed on October 12, 2008.
2 Douglas Davies, "The Study of Religion," in Eerdmans' Handbook to the World's Religions, (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), 18.
Contact professor Lorenz at slinjersey@msn.com