Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion       

ULC Seminary Course Writer: Revd. Kythera Ann

Almost every country has its own special kinds of religion, whether new or traditional, as well as its own varieties of some of the well known religions. It is not surprising that people often ask how this variety of religions is to be regarded. What are the similarities, the differences and the relationships between them? For many people, the standpoint of their own traditional religion or personal faith will provide a starting point for thinking about these questions. Sometimes, therefore, the many religions are seen as alternatives or even rivals. Sometimes they are seen, rather, as additional options for the individual, and sometimes they are seen as variations of a single religion which is common to all humankind. Depending on the standpoint, it is quite common for people to regard religions other than their own as partial but more or less inadequate revelations or teachings. The real thing, the final truth, is then regarded as the teaching taught by one's own religion. This is often the position taken by religions which teach the unity of all religions, such as the Baha'i or the Unification Church. This understanding may be satisfactory for those who have reasons for holding one of the specific faiths mentioned, and there are quite a few other examples. The three major religions, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, all regard themselves, according to most interpretations, as offering the clearest, the most complete, or the final teaching which humankind requires. It will be better for the moment, therefore, to ask in what ways religions can be compared or classified within  the comparative study of religions. The comparative study of religions, as developed in modern times, has worked in different ways.  Let us think about some of these ways briefly here. There are three important questions to be asked. 

The first question is: Is there an outline structure which religions share, or mostly share? To put it another way, what is the "shape" of religion? What are the basic features of any  religion, and how do they fit together? These are questions about the general meaning/structure  of religion. This question is really the starting point for other questions. For example, if we can agree that one important aspect of religion is what people do, then we can go on to ask about what they do in more detail, and to make comparisons. But what are the other aspects of religion? Is there a stable picture which we can hold in our minds in this respect? 

The second question is: Can the various parts of different religions be compared with each other? For example, is prayer in one religion like prayer in another religion? Do people have the same kinds of feelings when they go to various religious buildings? What sorts of people have a special role to play in religion: monks and nuns, priests, shamans, prophets? Are these the same, or similar, in various religions? The comparison of particular parts, or elements, which seem to recur in more than one religion is called typology. To be even more clear, we may call it the typology of elements. Though it seems very attractive to see similarities in this way, we must remember that the elements compared in this case are only parts of religions which in themselves consist of many elements and are therefore altogether more complex. This leads into the third question. 

The third question is: Are there different kinds of religions? To put it another way, what happens when we compare whole religions with each other? Can we conclude that some religions are of one particular kind, and that others are of another kind? This may be called the general typology of religions. It may also be helpful to think of it as a holistic typology, that is, a typology of religions as systems complete in themselves. 

 Instead, it will be better to illustrate here in a little more detail what is meant by these questions in comparative religion.  

First then, let us consider more fully the question of the meaning of  /structure  of religion. While religions may vary in their  goals and in the way in which they conceive of and present the meaning of their activities, there is nevertheless a basic structure which can be found in every religion. This

is patterned according to four basic aspects, or dimensions, namely:

1.   the conceptual aspect (what people think, believe, or have in mind)

2.   the behavioural aspect (what people do)

3.   the social aspect (the way people are grouped with each other, or relate to others)

4.   the subjective aspect (what people feel)

These four aspects may be significant for other areas of life, such as sport, politics or business. However they are all aspects which are present in some way in every religion. If one of them is overlooked, something important will be lacking in our understanding of a religion.

From time to time people have thought that the most important thing about religion is to be found above all in just one of these aspects. For example, some older dictionaries define religion as "belief in supernatural beings", thus emphasising the conceptual aspect. Leading thinkers about religion have often assumed that its basic characteristic is the relationship between humankind and God. Clearly, this reflects the ideas of one family of religions, namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam. However, this characteristic is not typical of Jainism or Buddhism. It has often been said, for example of Hinduism or Judaism, that they are "a way of life", a statement which emphasizes the behavioral or social aspect of religion. But most religions would claim in some sense to be "a way of life". And this does not mean that the conceptual aspect of religion is unimportant. Indeed there are most important conceptions such as Torah (in Judaism) or karma (in Hinduism) without which the way of life of the people would be very different. In other discussions about religion, we hear about the importance of what people feel or experience subjectively. These may be feelings of devotion, joy, ecstasy, mystical awareness, or inward peace. But in all these cases, the careful student of religion will notice that there is also a conceptual compliment to the subjective aspect, and also in some sense a social and a behavioral aspect. To conclude, all four aspects are important in the meaning of /structure of religion.

This course was informative and inclusive in its description of religion. All created beings are interconnected seeking a deeper understanding of self in relation to God, the world and each other. In conclusion it must be said that the comparative study of religion is a rich field for study and reflection. We should not jump too hastily to conclusions! While learning about particular religions , we should also begin to think about the ways in which they are similar to each other, and the ways in which they are distinctive. They  are to be viewed as  as a gift to enrich humanity.

Bibliography

Ann, Kythera, Comparative Religion- Course Reader, (ULC Seminary)

Bouquet, AC, Sacred Books of the World, (Pelican Books, Reprinted 1967)

Burke, T. Patrick, the Major Religions,(Cambridge MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1996)

Hinnell's, John Reid, A New Dictionary of Religion,(TCambridge MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1997)

Markham, Ian S, editor, ( TCambridge MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1996)

Stanford, Peter, Religion,(Quercusbooks, 2009)

Young, William A, The World's Religions. Worldview and Contemporary Issues,( Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc,1995)

Revd. Canon Cameron Martin. Phd (hc)

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Comparative Religion

Final Essay for Comparative Religion

               I have a bachelor’s degree from a traditional university in Asian Studies with an emphasis on comparative religion and history.  I have been fortunate enough to have done field research on Buddhism and Shamanism in Korea, Japan and Okinawa.  I have also been a chaplain in the U.S. Army and so been exposed to a number of religions through classroom instruction and through direct contact as their advocate and minister.  I am happy to say that even with this background I have been very impressed with the Comparative Religion course from the ULC Seminary.

               I particularly enjoyed the way each lesson took a different component of religion as the basis for comparison.  This was much more meaningful and instructive than the usual approach of devoting a lesson to one religion and then another.  I think in many ways this course was much more truly comparative than many other courses and texts I have experienced.  The lesson on ceremonies for example allowed me to actually compare and ponder the nature of sacred ceremonies among various worshipers.  The idea that religious ceremonies among different religions can share the “sacrament” I think is insightful and allows a much deeper understanding of religious activity and experience.

               Each lesson included an impressive array of suggested readings and activities.  This supplemental information was invaluable.  It allowed me to hear and in a way participate in the experience of other traditions.  I have yet to exhaust the potential of these resources and am very grateful for this part of the lessons.  I have discovered a whole new world that is much more complete than I had previously known.  This includes in particular my appreciation and understanding of Zoroastrianism and the connections or parallels between Zoroastrianism and Taoism.

               There was so much information in this course that I will be pondering it for some time to come trying to internalize it and incorporate it into my own ministry.  I think to a certain extent this course has already helped me move beyond the “exotic other” aspect of other religions and into an awareness of the true commonalities.  

There remains the issue of how to incorporate these insights into my own personal spiritual practice and ministry.  I am not interested in picking and choosing to create a hodgepodge or “cafeteria style” religion.  But I am interested in understanding how fundamental truths can be approached through different venues and tools.  For example, it is clear that certain Western religions can benefit from the inward-looking approaches of certain Eastern religions.  

At the same time, I see that certain Eastern religions can benefit from the outward-looking service orientation of certain Western religions.  To a certain extent I can see that these various approaches – like the various types of yogas – may depend upon the individual’s personality, strengths, and preferences.  It may be that as a minister I might want to focus on contemplative approaches with one person while emphasizing activity and service with another.  Still another might benefit from an intellectual approach.  Some might benefit best from certain types of ceremonies and liturgy while others might be served best with quiet and meditation.  Clearly the more I understand, the more I will be able to assist others along their spiritual path.

Thanks for a great course.

By Rev. Robert Nelson

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Comparative Religion

ULC Comparative Religion

What I gained from this course:

The twenty-lesson course in Comparative Religion  was a validation of my beliefs. I have always thought that the various religions that developed around the world were based on the same basic belief in a higher energy, Creator, Source, Divine Bring or any other term developed by humanity's limited language skills that one would care to use to describe the underlying power of the Universe.

It has been my life long belief that all the religions of the world lead to one place, it is just a matter of how one gets there. A brief visual description may assist in understanding my point. Imagine a large mountain and the goal is the summit. Each person is located at the base. There are paths that spiral around the mountain climbing ever higher. There are some paths whose course takes them directly up the side of the mountain on a vertical ascent. These paths all start at different points at the base of the mountain, but all end at the summit. Some of these paths even travel the same course at times, some never meet. While all start at a different point, all take a varied route; all arrive at the same point in the end - the summit or to phrase it another way - reunification with Divinity.

I believe that the vast differences are there to accommodate the various level of spiritual development evident in each culture at any given point in their evolution. That is to say, an early pagan would have had a hard time comprehending the higher teachings of the Buddhist religion. Another example of this is the evolution from

Hinduism into Buddhism. This difficulty in comprehension is just as true for the modern day Christian. By that I mean that a Christian has trouble accepting that each individual is responsible for their own evolution on the wheel of life, death and rebirth. Most of the Christians that I have spoken with believe that unless one believes in Jesus salvation can never be obtained.

What I liked best and least about this course, and how to improve:

While I was pleasantly surprised to see the more obscure religions given the same basically fair treatment as the more commonly practiced ones, I would also have liked to have seen a more in depth comparison of each of the religions covered. Many times I was waiting in vain for the next religion to be explained to the extent that the last one had been discussed. This was true not only of the obscure ones, but even the common ones. The discussions (lessons 16 and 17) on Divine Messengers for example as well as the discussion on Religious Titles (lesson 18) serve to illustrate this point.

I would have preferred to see a systematic breakdown showing how each religion compared and contrasted with each other one during the course of each lesson. Using the above examples, if each religion's terms for angels had been laid out in table format and each religion's titles had been detailed side by side I believe it would

have more fully explained how they relate to one another.

Over all, this was an excellent course. I would definitely be willing to take another course from Reverend Kythera Ann; and am looking forward to Part 2 of this course. I am of course assuming there is a Part 2.

Theresa A. Bedwell

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 

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Comparative Religion

Universal Life Church Seminary

Comparative Religion Part I

Michael Babb

I was raised in Texas, right in the middle of the “Bible Belt” where tolerance for other faiths and belief systems was virtually non-existent. If the belief system did not conform to the protestant ethic following specific denominational doctrines, then they were characterized as false and those who worshiped through different religions were eternally condemned. The sad fact is that from childhood, I was frightened into believing that if I deviated from my faith’s teachings (specific religion omitted on purpose) I would face eternal damnation and possible emotional recriminations from my family. Still, at a relatively young age, I did begin to wonder why one God would single out a specific religious orientation for salvation and shun the others. For a child, this was exceptionally confusing and as I grew, it was something that I knew was not rational but I could not shake the fear. Even today with more depth and breadth to my understanding of religions and hopefully a more highly evolved respect for other religious belief systems, a small remnant of that fear still resides within.

Throughout my adult life, I have acquainted myself with the bare basics of several other belief systems and do not presume to judge another’s connection to the divine. However, until I enrolled in The Comparative Religion Part I course, I truly had no idea the depth of similarity that exists within and among the range of cultures. Certainly there are differences, some of them significant, but there are too many customs, artifacts, symbols and other interactions exemplified by the universal use of crosses and circles, to make these cross-cultural religious commonalities more than mere coincidence. The Rev. Kythera Ann has very skillfully brought these together for comparison with a depth that has left me with more than just an elementary understanding of the origins of the world’s religious belief systems. I now posses a functional understanding of how most have had influences on other developing religions and if not influence, the amazement of being able to compare religions that evolved with virtually the same message entirely independent of each other.

As a human being and minister, understanding and tolerance of others should be central to our mission. The vast amount of information and topics presented by Rev. Kythera Ann has filled a needed void, specifically the knowledge of those who worship God through practices different from my own. I claim the Christian faith as my religious foundation. But, rather than allow religious dogma to cloud my vision, I have chosen to worship with a “Christ Consciousness” that disallows the judgmental aspects some denominations feel compelled to put forward. Now I realize that what I refer to as “Christ Consciousness” is a consciousness that exists in different forms within religions throughout the planet. This has long been a personal belief of mine based on what little I knew of the world’s religious practices. The material, both in lessons and outside references, that this course has exposed me to has provided a strong foundation not only for this belief, but hard evidence of it. This was an intricate course that should be required for seminary graduation. It excelled in each and every way. I can clearly see that by understanding how another believes and worships, I am able to understand myself that much better. Thank you for a blessing and spiritual uplifting.

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As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Comparative Religion

The discipline of comparative religion is a field that studies the practice and evolution of religion. There is little emphasis placed on the personal practice of religion, nor is there any pressure to follow a particular religion. I must say that this is one of the finest courses offered by the ULC Seminary and I would very highly recommend it to anyone seeking a greater understanding of the abstract practice and the functional phenomenon of religion.

Rev. Kythera Ann takes a very mature and exceptionally delicate approach to what could be a very volatile subject and provides an exceptional amount of information in a manner that allows to student to observe and analyze not only the information about world religions, but also their how own beliefs and belief system came into being, in both an academic and personal manner, allowing for the individual to develop a greater sense of what their own beliefs really are, and how they practice their chosen religion.

I gained a much greater understanding of the active exercise of religion and how religion is practiced both historically and world-wide. The instructor’s ability to collect, analyze and connect related themes from diverse religions, times and cultures; and then present these concepts in a manner that does not offend, is quite impressive. I looked forward to the many links and other ancillary information the instructor provided for me to examine and consider and I actively studied and researched as much as possible to gain a greater understanding of both the concepts she presented in her discourses and the underlying themes that connected these sometimes disparate-seeming concepts.

Although the amount of work required is difficult to coordinate into an already overburdened schedule, it is well worth the effort – I went with less sleep, was late for work, missed meals and still felt rewarded and satisfied, knowing that I was being provided an excellent education on a topic that has been my interest for many years.

Rev. Kythera Ann’s discourses on sacred space and place were a marvelous overview of what makes a particular location important to a religion. The opportunity to examine maps, numerous images, extensive links and thoughtful descriptions really opened up the concept of ‘holy place’ for me, allowing me the opportunity to more fully develop my own sense of what is sacred space.

Regretfully, the only way I can suggest to make this course any better would be to have it occur in real-time – this would allow for students to actively engage in discussion about the finer points of the discourses. But, with the hectic schedules that many of us have, the luxury of logging on to an live e-course regularly is just not feasible. I believe that the ULC Seminary message boards will have to remain the compromise solution on this.

I would gladly take other courses from this instructor and would strongly recommend that others do so as well. I cannot state strongly enough how through, sensitive and well presented this course was. Without reservations, I would recommend this course to everyone within the ULC Seminary.

Douglas Grant

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Comparative Religion

What I gained from this course.

Comparative Religion Final Essay by Rev. Barbara Stewart

This was an interesting course. I am completing the course with a much better understanding of the history of religion. It is quite amazing how religion has evolved throughout the ages. I found that I had a great opportunity to learn religions vocabulary that I had not taken time to learn – which gives me a much more keen sense of connectability with other religions.

I also believe I have a better focus on building my ministerial relationship with others of varied religion. I hope to share this information to help build bridges between our different cultures so that we might all have humankind’s best interest at heart.

What you liked best in this course.

This course was designed very well. I believe it was written in very understandable language, even when it was dealing with complex material.

The way the different religions were detailed from their similarities to their differences was clear, interesting and enlightening. I also appreciated the additional informational resources and assignments at the end of each lesson. All of that additional material is a wonderful resource to further my studies. I plan to add many of those books and websites to my library at home, and the one I am compiling on my internet site.

I also enjoyed the activities section. My discussion group found some of the activities very insightful.

What you liked least about this course.

I live in a rural area in the middle of Kansas. Believe it or not, we are still on dial up so our internet connection is quite slow. Just opening the lesson, took sometimes up to 30 minutes. The lessons with a large number of graphics took even longer to load.

How you think these discourses could be improved.

My reference above regarding the slow download time would be my first recommendation to improve the readability and functionality of the discourses. Maybe you could consider making the main discourse with either smaller resolution graphics, or just add the graphics as an option at the bottom of the page along with the reference materials. In regards to the discourse material, I believe it was very well written as an introduction to Comparative Religion and I do not have any recommendations for improvement.

Any other comments.

I greatly appreciate the fact that you are offering this and other discourses online for us to learn from. As I mentioned earlier, being from central Kansas, can be a challenge in regards to having access to fast internet technology. It can also be a challenge to find classes and workshops in our area to learn this type of material. Online opportunities such as this, help to keep us connected to material and studies with people from around the world. Thank you!

Would you be interested in taking other courses from Rev. Kythera Ann?

Yes, I would. I would also be interested to know if I can use this material, referencing Rev. Kythera Ann as the author in small study groups in my area. I have started a ‘Circle of Intention’ Spirit Quest group and this information would be of great value to the group.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

Comparative Religion

I do not have any religious training and have not attended "churches". I have however maintained my own connection to nature and with what I call my spirituality which encompasses all of me and my work and my world. This course was my first exposure to some of this material and I really enjoyed it. I had heard many of the terms and concepts but appreciated the broader perspective and simply written language.

I gained a much broader perspective from this course on Eastern and Western religious thought. I was able to connect the truths contained in each tradition or religion and to use that in working with my clients and to continue my own learning and understanding. I can reach out to others with more confidence. The clients I work with are multicultural/religious/non-religious. I am a person who works to assist people in reclaiming their personal power and to reach for others by listening deeply.

I learned definitions and concepts in an organized way and liked the way the course was outlined and progressed. I liked the exploration of less dominant belief systems and the history of the cultures and how religion was formed. I liked the charts, photos and historical information. The graphs and illustrations added to my understanding.

I appreciated the comparing and contrasting through text, picture and stories. I remember the comparing of the Flood Stories in all the different religions. And really liked the honoring of the goddess tradition. This is perhaps the area that I have studied the most.

Some of the terminology and intellectual definitions and discussions on technical issues, although I found them necessary, I did not find that as interesting like - Esoteric vs Exoteric. I did, however, like the discussions on the Esoteric Traditions more.

I learned about differences between prayer, meditation and contemplation - which many people interchange. I liked reading information that I had only briefly read about like the word 'Amen'. I appreciated how chants and mantra's are natural and have been used to transcend religious traditions all over the world. I liked that I could click on a link and hear music. I did not know that viewing a written copy of a mantra is said to have the same effect.

I attended a chant workshop that Rabbi Shefa Gold held here in Houston. I liked the sample meditation which allows for anyone to meditate. I have not typically liked to meditate and studying the material I began to sit sometimes. I can clear my mind very quickly and think that I meditate already but not like most people.

I liked how the course bounced back and forth between modern and ancient texts, photo's, graphics. And made comparisons, like the link to the end times perspectives. I liked that each discourse compared and contrasted and gave supporting information and history.

I liked the resources and activities and found that not only did I have many of them but I was able to enlarge my library and even read a few like the Egyptian Book of the Dead which I did not have. I was able to go back and review many of the books that I already have read like Joel Goldsmith's work The Art of Mediation, one of my first books over 20 years ago and Thomas Merton's Contemplative Prayer and my very first book When God was a Woman by Merlin Stone. I liked following many of the links to broaden my perspective.

I especially liked the Jewish perspective and resources. I have been studying Jewish Renewal and appreciate leaders like Rabbi's Shefa Gold, David Cooper, Arthur Waskow, Starhawk and Sylvia Boorstein among others. Jewish Mysticism is most interesting to me as a spiritual practice and rounds out my Wiccan and Women's Spirituality studies. The discourse on Shamanic traditions clarified the existence in almost all cultures of nature spirits and angels.

I liked the whole course, found it very interesting and often wanted the course to come more often than weekly. I looked forward to Sunday's. It seemed to be well researched and I learned what the course intended - to broaden my understanding and to reach for people who might come from a different religious tradition. It has helped to be knowledgeable when listening to a person and understanding from a deeper perspective what they are speaking about. In clarifying for myself or them that I understand it assists in connecting.

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive course, well written, illustrated, documented and comprehensive. I would be interested in other courses. 

Rev. Linda Bedre

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

Final Essay

Rev. John R. Greisen

This course gives an insight to each of the major religions. Also it identifies the reasons for the sub groups or spin-off religions, and how they differ from the parent religion. I feel that it is imperative to have a strong understanding of the parent religion to understand the belief structure of the spin-off religions. Without this understanding, we can not understand why there are so many religions that feel that they are the “true” religion, or that they are the only way to achieve salvation. It is interesting how so many religions can believe in the “One True God”, but are so adamant that they are right and everyone else is wrong and could face eternal damnation for believing in their personal religion. It is also very enlightening to see how many of the “main” religions owe their traditions and beliefs to many pagan beliefs.

As stated above, the thing that I liked about this course is the knowledge and insight to religions that I had heard about but did not have a working knowledge of their belief structure. The layout flowed in a logical progression and did justice to most of the religions. (I will discuss some of the areas I feel could be improved later)

Probably one of the problems that arise is the use of titles and beliefs. Being foreign to many of the readers I feel that a glossary and explanation of the pronunciation of the words would improve the study. This could be placed at the end of the course or at the end of each chapter.

The area of this course that I feel does it a disservice is using Google to explain a religion. I am well versed in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) (Mormons). Much of the rhetoric I have read and heard before. The question of whether the LDS church is Christian or not can be answered in the true name “Church of JESUS CHRIST…”. The title “Mormon” is like a nick name and has caused much confusion. Be assured the “Mormon” church is a Christian church. The main scripture used by the church is the King James version of the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Convents. All of these state the belief in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior.

I know that the “Mormon” church is more than willing to discuss their beliefs. This would be a good source rather than Google.

The course just scratches the history of the Roman Catholic religion, I know this could be a course by itself if one delves in to the church's history. It would be of benefit to learn more of the history to understand how the church has evolved to its status today.

The chart showing the religions and how they relate to each other was helpful in understanding some of the belief structure and how it developed.

I do feel that this is a very good course for a basic understanding of several of the known and not so well known churches in today’s society.

Yes, I would be interested in taking another course from Rev. Kythera Ann. Her material flows and is easy to understand, except for the areas discussed above.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics, as well as courses in Mystical Christianity, Buddhism and Comparative Religion. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Comparative Religion

During the five months of reading Reverend Kythera Ann’s discourses, I have been confirmed in my belief that we are truly one, in keeping with the Universal Life Church Motto, and nobody has an exclusive access to God. Externally, our traditions and beliefs appear to be quite different, but at the esoteric level, we all experience the same awe when confronted by the divine. Furthermore, though our interpretations differ depending on our culture, our stories and symbols are frequently universal, and point us toward the transcendent.

Looking at the mystical experience, Kythera Ann reported in discourse seven “This paracletic dimension in Christianity is at the root of Christian theosophic thought. Theosophers strive through their practice to live in a world where the miraculous is possible, to realize the timelessness in the present moment.” Whether you are a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian, your experience of God is the same on the esoteric level. We all connect with the transcendent and share the same experience of awe. Our interpretations may vary, but our experience is the same.

Stories too transcend cultures and religious expressions. Flood stories are universal. According to the author in discourse four, “It is estimated that there are over five hundred different flood legends worldwide. All these tales are about a huge flood, a large boat, and one tiny group of people being saved.” When I was attending college I was exposed to the Epic of Gilgamesh and was impressed that the story was very close to that of the Biblical flood story. Later, as a pastor, I shared the story with my congregation as part of a small group study, and they too were impressed with the similarities in the stories. The concept of God is quite different, but the story is essentially the same. As it predates the Biblical story, I suspect that the Biblical authors borrowed the Assyrian myth and altered it to fit their concept of God. Kythera Ann also shares Greek, Hindu, Chinese, Zoroastrian, and African flood narratives. It is clear to me that we have a universal archetype in the flood stories tying all people together. There may be a universal memory or it may simply indicate that in our collective unconscious, there is a fear of floods for their destructive power. Either way, we share the same story as a part of this human family.

Symbols are also universal in human religions. As Kythera Ann stated in discourse 9, “Jung argued that symbols constitute a universal idiom. Abstract shapes, which arise directly from the unconscious without any allusion to the natural world, are indeed encountered worldwide. The ‘Christian’ symbol of the cross was used by Assyrians to represent the sky god, Anu, and the circle and the cross combination that can be seen in the Celtic Cross and the Egyptian Ankh both reflect the belief of unification of heaven and earth.” The circle is a universal symbol for perfection and wholeness. “In Zen, the circle stands for enlightenment and perfection of humanity in unity with the primal principle.” The cross is another interesting symbol which I see as very similar to the “Cosmic Tree.” Both the Buddha and the Christ achieved salvation in a sense on or under the Cosmic Tree. Jesus, on the cross, a symbol joining heaven and earth together, achieves salvation by dying. The Buddha achieves enlightenment under the tree, freeing humanity from the bondage of suffering and reincarnation. Both the cross and the tree serve as symbols, tying heaven and earth, divinity and humanity together.

At this point, I have taken or am in the process of taking four courses through the ULC Seminary. Reverend Kythera Ann’s Comparative Religion course is by far the most scholarly of the courses I have encountered to date. She clearly has a great deal of knowledge about her subject and is able to relate it to her audience, regardless of their religious background. I also appreciated the graphics in this course. There were a few instances where I had no visual to go along with the text, but generally there were plenty of examples to supplement the text.

There was nothing that I disliked about the course, but I would like to see a continuation that would go in depth into the main groupings of world religions. I suspect that if a part two exists, that would be the direction it would go in.

Upon completion of this course, I have a clear picture of the interconnectedness of all human religious thought and a deeper appreciation of different spiritual perspectives. Reverend Kythera Ann is very knowledgeable and has a great deal of insight into both eastern and western religions. I would be very interested in taking any courses she was teaching in the future.

Rev. Richard Alan Helmersen

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Comparative Religion

What I learned form this course.

Religions have aspects of similarity, and aspects of divergence. Three of what are commonly termed “the major religions” – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam -- have commonality in that they spring from the stories of the Talmud, or the five books of Moses. Abraham is seen as, religiously though not divinely, the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Jesus, after all, was a Jew. The Qur’an, provided by Muhammed, includes Jewish religious stories, as well as stories of Jesus.

It’s astounding that three religions so closely tied in scripture breed such murderous intention and action in some of their adherents. Of course, even within Islam and within Christianity (and Judaism too, though perhaps less so) there are sub-sets or “denominations” that declare themselves to be the “only true way” or the only true religion, sometimes persecuting their fellow religious brothers from other denominations to death.

Buddhism, by contrast, is widely seen as a peaceful religion. Part of Buddhist values include the idea that all life is sacred, and that no beings should suffer. The pacifism of Buddhists has perhaps led them to be easily overthrown by the Chinese authorities. On the other hand, it perhaps that very pacifism that prevented an even more violent purge from the Chinese government than has actually occurred.

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all monotheistic religions, and the Indian concept of Brahma is monotheistic. The Hindu religion reportedly has over 2 million Gods. Interestingly, many in Islam and Judaism reject Christianity’s claim that it is monotheistic; they state that the Trinity – God as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – are actually three Gods.

Buddhism does not have a God or Gods at the center of the religion, which would seem to make it more of a philosophy than a religion. But Buddhism does have supernatural components to it, in it’s assertion that when a person dies, they reincarnate again and again, into circumstances that are predicated on the life they lived in their previous incarnation.

Most traditional Christianity views reincarnation as heretical. The traditional belief is that a person is born into the world and, based on his sins and or salvation, spends eternity after life in either a paradise called Heaven, or a “lake of fire” called Hell.

What I gained from this course.

My religious history encompasses many years of Catholicism until about age 35, including extra-curricular Catholic activities such as the Knights of Columbus. After age 35, I became involved in a more modern, non-mainstream Christianity (namely, the Emissaries of Divine Light,) and more recently a connection to the Unity Church and Universal Life Church.

This course has opened my mind to other religious views. This has happened along with a natural maturing process of age, in which hard-line views that “my beliefs are the only right beliefs”, transform to a recognition that God, spirit, the All, is bigger than any one religion, and that all people are searching for oneness, peace, and connection with each other and with what is Higher.

What I liked best in this course.

The information on the various religions was broad and thorough – exceptionally good.

What I liked least about this course.

There wasn’t really anything that I didn’t like.

How I think this course could be improved.

It was a good course, and I wouldn’t want to change anything.

Rev. James D. Connor

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The Universal Life Church Seminary is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, and Paganism.  We have two courses in Metaphysics, as well as courses in Mystical Christianity, Buddhism and Comparative Religion. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion Essay

Rev. Linda Muhammad

The study of Comparative Religion was a journey in self awareness for me. It helped broaden my insight about the similarities that exist between most religious organizations. As a Minister of the Gospel, I believe it is important to have a working knowledge of the various religious ideologies. As a nondenominational minister with aspirations of missionary work I feel this course has been invaluable.

Some of the commonalities that exist are as follows:

A belief in a Creator of the Universe

To love and show compassion to our fellow man, as observed in the Golden Rule, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Respect for the Sacred Writings inspired by God, to learn, and to pass on the lessons verbally and through your individual lifestyle.

The belief in messengers or angelic beings, as well evil spiritual beings.

Enlightened individuals that bring a message to the masses, as with Jesus, Buddha, and Krishna

Structures or places of worship most with some symbolic meaning within the structures.

Ceremonies or religious practices that are observed among the adherents.

With these similarities in mind, I have come to the realization that we should meet others of differing beliefs at the point of our common interest. I have gained tolerance and understanding of various religious bodies. The irony, of course, is that I still believe the way to our Heavenly Father is through Christ. However, I have learned to respect each individual's path of truth to our Creator.

This study of Comparative Religion expanded my knowledge base to include and respectfully consider another's view point. Ignorance of another's race, creed or religious beliefs, is the breeding ground of prejudice. This course brought the knowledge I needed to fight prejudice and broaden my spiritual insight.

It was enlightening to review the origins of the major religious bodies and to analyze the different branches that have developed. Many esoteric thinkers were the organizers of these branches from the mainstreams. From this comparative study, I noted that most of the well known religions of today were branches form Hinduism or Judaism. For example, Christianity is one of the religions branching from Judaism. Buddhism is a branch from the Hindu religion. There are many stems branching into the major bases, forming a family tree, connected by deep roots to our divine creator. Usually some esoteric thinker, who had gained a new spiritual insight, broke from the major religious body, and formed a new religion. This enlightened one had a spiritual awakening that ignited a passion, which led to a break from some mainstream religion.

Most religions speak of some type of war between the forces of Good and evil. This war goes on in the spiritual realm as well as the earthly realm. The journey in life for most individuals will have its share of internal battles between good and evil as well. Religion gives us a framework to embody and employ moral choices. The sacred writings of religions are spiritual guidebooks and references for humans to make wise choices. The belief that messengers, or angelic beings, are the protectors or guides for humans, and evil beings interfering or thwarting the plans of humans, is a tenant of most religions.

The exoteric and esoteric overview was also thought provoking. There will always be some believers in a religion, which are content with enough knowledge to manage life. Then there are the profound individuals, who challenge the mainstream, and are spiritual explorers. They are the forerunners, who go against the norm, and are labeled as,”Mystical Thinkers.”

The differences between religious institutions have been the cause of many arguments, wars, and controversy. Most religious differences are incited by men, who feel their religion is the one and only true way to the Creator. Upon completing this course I have come to understand there are many paths and each person must find their own spiritual truth. As a minister, we must respect each individual's path, even if we do not agree. We, as ministers must be walking epistles filled with love and compassion for all. The lives we live speak volumes to others without a word being spoken. I also found that I connected spiritually with the saying and principals of other religions. For example, in the Sikh tradition, angels have to have these three components: faith, contentment and tolerance. These are all necessary components to a mature individual.

I would thoroughly enjoy taking another course by Kathera. The material in this course was organized and well written. This course is a great reference for future endeavors. There was really nothing in the course that I did not enjoy. My only suggestion would be that some printed material or book comes with the course. Overall, as I stated earlier this course had a profound impact on my own spiritual journey.

Linda Muhammad

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

Comparative Religion

Universal Life Church Seminary

Master of Comparative Religion

Essay by Rev. Marc D. Graham

Castle Rock, CO

THE SIGNS OF GOD

Since the dawning of consciousness, when the first person realized that she was a distinct entity within the greater natural world, religion has been a part of the human endeavor. During the long, gradual awakening—before mankind was fully conscious—the ancient ones were very much a part of nature, a part of the One, albeit unconsciously. Following this awakening—represented by the genesis legends throughout the world—humanity’s greatest quest has been to return to that unity, to re‐ligare (reconnect) and find at‐one‐ment with the Divine from which we differentiated so long ago.

Throughout history, Religion and religions have tracked the developing consciousness and social structures of the parent cultures. Sometimes leading, sometimes lagging, a direct correlation can be made between the level of a civilization’s attainment, its chief values and the style of its dominant religion. From Animism to Zoroastrianism and every ‐ism in between, countless religions exist—and have existed—sufficient to stretch the holy ligatures from the Divine to the practitioner, however near or far the individual’s understanding to the Ultimate Truth.

As part of the Divine Plan for the development of humanity, mankind’s evolution and the corollary evolution of its religions can be tracked by the astrological ages. From time immemorial, the zodiacal sign in which the sun rises at the spring equinox has determined the Age of humanity. A Platonic Year (also called Great or Equinoctial Year) is the time required for the equinoctial sunrise to cycle through each sign of the zodiac, currently estimated at 25,800 years (2,160 years for each sign). With respect to religion, the import of each age can be traced back to the time of Gemini, approximately

9000 years ago. The conditions prior to that time may be speculated upon, but are beyond the scope of this essay.

(It should be noted, that the Ages represent the condition of the mass of humanity. There have always been those who are “ahead of the curve”, with a relationship to and understanding of the Divine that outpaces the general condition of mankind’s evolution. These individuals may become the founders of the religions of a new age, or may be dismissed as madmen or heretics. It must also be stated that the dates of each Age are open to interpretation, with as much as 600 years’ difference between varying schools of thought.)

During the time of Gemini (the Twin), the duality of man—body and spirit—was celebrated, with the spirit considered a twin to the physical. The time of Taurus (the Bull) corresponds with the growth of kingly rulers and priestly religions, with the common people relegated to the status of cattle in the care of their royal/sacral herders. The struggle in the transition between Gemini and Taurus is echoed in the ancient Twin Myths from around the world, where twins (or, generically, siblings) struggle together or against each other, with one becoming dominant. Examples include Cain and Abel (Semitic), Seth and Osiris (Egyptian), and Hunapuh and Xbalanque (Maya).

The rise of Aries ( the Ram) around 2000BCE—coupled with its opposite sign, Libra (the Scale)—represents the transition to religions of propitiatory sacrifice balanced on the scale of Law. This change is most prominently remembered in Abraham’s sacrificial substitution of a ram for Isaac (Torah) or Ishmael (Koran), and in the giving of the Law to Moses. The difficulty in adapting to this new mode of religion is remembered in the story of the Israelites and the golden calf.

Following Aries, the Age of Pisces (the Fishes) was initiated during the ministry of Jesus the Nazarean. Along with its corollary sign of Virgo (the Virgin or Young Woman), the polity of this Age has been mostly defined within and by Christianity. In this Age, sacrifice is no longer required, but mankind must still have an intercessor to facilitate communion with God. Such intercession may take the form of Baptism (pure, or virgin, rebirth), Communion (originally styled with loaves and fishes) or simply by the ministry or priesthood (the Pontificate, from the Latin for bridge‐builders). Whatever the outward symbols, during the Age of Pisces, humanity requires intercession between the individual and the Divine. The intercession may take the form of gods, priests, saints, angels, Sons or Mothers of God, holy writings or even narcotics; but to partake of the stream of wisdom and knowledge of the Divine, one must rely upon the fish that swims in that stream.

The Age of Aquarius (the Water Bearer) has been presented to the popular imagination in various ways since at least the 1960s. Frequently styled a touchstone of the Hippie Counterculture or New Age movements, astronomically speaking, the Aquarian Age has yet to begin. The author equates the beginning of Aquarius with 2012CE, while other philosophies place the start as late as 2638CE. Regardless, Aquarius, along with its countersign Leo ( the Lion), has already begun to influence humanity. During this Age, the individual will gain access to the Divine directly, without the need of instruction, sacrifice or intercession. In this continued evolution, each person will become his own water‐bearer, king (lion) of his own destiny as he drinks directly from the Stream.

The true religions of all ages and all cultures have at their core the aim of reconnecting mankind with the Divine. Since the Fall—the “descent” of humanity from the unconscious spiritual state to the state of spiritualized physical consciousness—we have struggled to find our way back to that original state, consciously and willfully to reunite with God. Every religion shares this aim, however different the parent societies may seem.

Sadly, our current condition makes it nearly impossible for religion to remain untainted by the cultural and political systems it is intended to illuminate. The religious differences and strife that have ever existed between peoples are simply the manifestation of mean political striving. Strip away the trappings, and all religions are—at their core—merely different faces of the same Truth. It may be hoped that, in the Age to come, unifying Truth may overcome divisive Error. 

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Comparative Religion

This was the first time I took an online discourse with the ULC Seminary. I have been a practicing Witch/Pagan for the past 10 years and am at a place in my learning and working where I am ready to take my spiritual development to the next level. Since starting this discourse back in July 2007, I have received my Mastership in Usui Reiki, plus have taken a few spiritual development classes. In my own personal opinion, in order to know spirituality in its entirety, it is very important to have a broad view of spirituality and religion. In college, I had taken a Philosophy course in comparative religions and the philosophy of faith. When I saw the ULC Comparative Religion class, I was quick to sign up for the discourses based on my own views that knowing about many religions and faiths can broaden your own personal faith and spirituality.

I really enjoy that the discourses are very “do it yourself.” I could read at my own pace, supplement some of the suggested readings and other activities where I needed to, but I liked that I wasn’t required to do so, because I have already read a few of the suggested readings mentioned and have done similar activities that were described.

I really enjoyed that this class was more about the theory of faith and religion. It wasn’t so much – This is Hinduism. These are the tenants of the Hindu faith system. This is Buddhism. These are the tenants of the Buddhist faith. I liked that it was more generic – this is what defines a sacred or holy text and these are examples of such. These are some theories about death, dying and the afterlife. I enjoyed the broadness and generalities. After All, this is a comparative religion course, and many times faith is easier to compare from a general perspective, instead of putting each piece of the belief structure under a microscope.

Specifically, I think that the actual discourses I enjoyed the most were the Sacred Space and Architecture. I was happy that someone finally put it out there that sacred space is more than just a place where you light incense or a candle or pray. There are specifics that most sacred space is picked for – celestial alignment, feng shui principals, etc. I also enjoyed the discussion of the significance of certain parts of architecture such as spirals, pillars, etc. I also think that the discourse on religious titles was very informative and interesting. I also particularly liked the flow chart of the structure of the development of religions and faiths. This reminded me a lot of a previous model that I like to use of a tree – where the oldest religions are the first branches off of the trunk and also the thickest. All of the offshoots of the faiths are depicted as sticks and twigs. I liked seeing this pictured in a different way.

Because I took this class for spiritual enrichment, I don’t really have any negative comments. I took this class to gain further knowledge and clarification on a wider variety of faiths groups. I feel that I have done this, and also have gained new examples and explanations to use to help others understand the wide spectrum of religions in the world. I am the facility director for a New Age/Holistic store in Maryland and I feel that I have a better knowledge base to answer customer questions on a multitude of different topics. I have already signed up for another Masters discourse through ULC Seminary because I really enjoyed the format and structure of this one. I would be willing to take a class from Rev. Kythera again, depending on what the class was on.

Rev. Jacob Perdue

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar