PS-7003 Studying World Religions

Understand the world's great religions as their followers understand them, and learn to serve and witness with respect among neighbours of other faiths.

The course follows Irving Hexham's Understanding World Religions, with Winfried Corduan's short guide as a companion. You learn how scholars study religion and how bias can shape what is written about it, then explore African traditions, the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Hexham treats each tradition in its own way, often ending with the life of one key person, and you apply what you learn to Christian ministry in a world of many faiths.

What you will study

• How scholars define and study religion, and how to recognize bias
• African traditional religions: the Ancestors, spiritual power, witchcraft and healing
• African Independent Churches and the prophet Isaiah Shembe
• The Hindu tradition: its origins, scriptures, gods, philosophy and reformers
• Buddhism, and the Jain, Parsee, Confucian, Taoist and Sikh traditions
• Judaism, Christianity and Islam: their history, faith and practice
• Gandhi, Edward Conze, Martin Buber, Abraham Kuyper and Sayyid Qutb
• Applying what you learn to witness and ministry among people of other faiths

Course materials

• Understanding World Religions (Irving Hexham), a textbook you obtain
• Pocket Guide to World Religions (Winfried Corduan), a textbook you obtain
• The Bible