Final Exam
What I gained from this course was a more complete understanding of world religions and the persons whose beliefs were taught. I learned about different culture’s ideas of religion, deities, traditions and mores. The evolution of religion of various traditions in a historical and even geographical sense was taught in great detail in a concise and understandable manner. I learned that there was a sense of truth in all traditions. I also learned that a person’s age, location and societal traditions will have a great effect upon their own particular religious beliefs.
Many traditions share similar core beliefs and mythology. Many such religions will have a good/evil stand point or a trickster/hero perspective such as God/Jesus/Angels and Satan/Devil/Demon. Many of these stories were based upon proven historical events and were instrumental in social changes. Other unproven or not historical events were used to inspire and teach people. All religions seem to want to give their populace inspiration and a hero worthy of emulation.
I learned that to be an effective minister that I should learn to have a greater understanding a person’s religious traditions. To learn and understand about various religious perspectives helps me tremendously in understanding that person and helping to create an ecumenical atmosphere and to help eliminate bias or bigotry based upon misconceptions or misunderstanding.
The best part of this course for me was learning of little known religions. Here in West Texas or other parts of the deep South where I have lived we have little religious variety. It was very interesting to learn about American Indian, Indian, Asian and other traditions. It was especially nice to find some of the recommended reading. The books and web sites were very well done and usually led to an even greater curiosity.
The course itself was outlined well. There was a general overview usually followed by a more in-depth explanation in later discourses. There were beautiful and colorful pictorial illustrations included within the lessons. There were always interesting websites listed in the recommended activities for the week. The graphs and tables shown were well drawn, well thought out and in simple yet effective terms.
Many lessons were about religious terminology. Kythera Ann was very methodical about her definitions and illumination of these terms. Her tremendous grasp of vocabulary and terminology shows in her ability to explain these terms to a layman in an easy to understand and very interesting format. She was instrumental in doubling the size of my religious vocabulary as well as my personal religious library. She explained such formerly abstract terms such as esoteric and exoteric, theology, theosophy, Angelophany, Hermeticism, Alchemy, symbolism, religion, and religious titles. Due to her vivid explanations I became interested in Gnosis and was able to hear one of the leading Gnostics of our time, Dr. Stephen Hoeller, on a recording. Her explanation of the Jewish faith, rabbinical translations and the explanation of “What is Sacred Text” led me to study the Interlinear Greek Translation of the Bible as well as learn more about Kabala.
Because of her inspiring descriptions and sensitive explanations of various traditions I was inspired to broaden not only my mind but my horizons as well. I was able to ask a number of foreign students about their own religious traditions. Due to this I learned a great deal about the Hindu religion, Rastafarianism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Gnosis, and a few various fundamental Christian sects. By doing so I was able to begin a few new meaningful and interesting friendships.
After every lesson there were recommended web pages. By reading these pages I was fueled to read other similar pages. It was doing this after her lesson on interfaith that led me to The Dance of Universal Peace and from there to learn about Inayat Khan, whose teaching remains with me until today. He said “Baga is the original state of God. At this state every being must arrive someday, consciously or unconsciously, before or after death. The beginning and end of all beings is the same, difference only being in the journey”. This must surely sum up the study of comparative religion. That is to say, as I understand it, we are all going toward the same place, on different roads, together.
What I liked least about these courses was that some of the listed links were dead and I was unable to find them elsewhere. I also was saddened a bit when the course was over. It is a truly enlightening experience.
I believe that although it has been said there is always room for improvement, that Kythera Ann has done such a marvelous job on these discourses, that perhaps perfection is best left as is. I am looking forward to a possible second part (CR201) with great anticipation.
Thank you for this enlightening and illuminating discourse. Thank you Amy for offering it and for the patience required in helping me with lost lessons. Thank you to Kythera Ann for the mind expansion. Special thanks to my new friends at ULC seminary online discussion for the endless encouragement and support.
Rev. Nannette Mathews, ULC Minister
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