Beliefs and Believers

This course provides a comprehensive look at the nature and function of the religions and secular beliefs that comprise today’s major “world views”. Established beliefs covered in the course include Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Also included are belief systems outside the scope of mainstream religious institutions, such as “New Age” religion, neo-paganism, and “Civil Religion”. These world views are explored in-depth using six dimensions of study: mythical, experiential, doctrinal, ritual, ethical and social. Students in this course receive an introduction to diverse belief systems and gain a balanced perspective on how differing belief systems affect us on a global scale and in our own backyards.