Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 11
Language
English
Description
Within Judaism, two central texts form the basis for devotion to God through study. Grasp the nature of the Mishnah, a body of legal judgments and maxims teaching students how to think critically. Then encounter the Talmud, a vast analysis and commentary on the Mishnah and Jewish life - a marvel of world literature.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 13
Language
English
Description
This lecture introduces the huge library of Buddhist scriptures. Study the origins and contents of the three major Buddhist canons - the Pali canon, the Chinese canon, and the Tibetan canon. Learn about the devoted efforts through Buddhist history to preserve these texts, and the nature of their significance to Buddhists.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
Through the Prophets, chart the unfolding of the political and religious history of ancient Israel. Then explore the rich spectrum of the Writings, containing stories, proverbs, poetry, psalms, and theological explorations. Contemplate the core themes of these texts, from ethical monotheism and the destiny of Israel to the nature of God and humanity.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 27
Language
English
Description
Letters, as exemplified in the New Testament writings, were an important means of instruction in the early church. Study seven key letters written by Paul, speaking to theological understanding, challenges faced by early Christians, and essential doctrine. Conclude with Revelation and its dramatic vision of the coming kingdom of God.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 36
Language
English
Description
Conclude with Professor Hardy's recommendations, from each of the major religious traditions, of specific texts with which to begin your own reading of sacred writings. Finally, contemplate the question of what difference the comparative study of sacred texts might make in our lives when we read them with empathy and understanding.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
The Islamic Hadith recounts the actions and sayings of Muhammad. Study the sources and composition of this revered body of texts, and observe how they provide guidance on essential matters of Muslim life. Also encounter the superlative poetry of Sufism, Islam's mystical tradition, which employs refined spiritual practices to reach direct union with God.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 28
Language
English
Description
Alongside the four canonical Gospels, competing accounts of Jesus's life emerged, which we now call "apocryphal." Here, discover the Gospel of Peter, which directly portrays the Resurrection, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which recounts events of Jesus's childhood. Finally, encounter Gnostic Christianity in the Gospel of Thomas, containing mystical sayings of Jesus.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 24
Language
English
Description
Explore the customs and rituals of the Japanese Shinto religion, aimed at harmonizing the human and natural worlds. Study excerpts from its revered texts, comprising histories of Japan and ritual prayers, and learn about its integral role in Japanese life. Also encounter the Tenrikyo faith and its three distinctive books of scripture.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 19
Language
English
Description
Jainism, a sister religion to Buddhism, maintains an unusual relationship to scripture. Explore the principles and ascetic customs of the faith's two groups, the Shvetambara and Digambara, which reject each other's scriptures as forgeries. Study excerpts from each group's sacred texts, revered yet never held as the heart of the faith.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
Grasp the nature and roles of sacred writings within Hinduism, as contrasted with the Judeo-Christian tradition. Learn about the structure of the Vedas, comprising collections of hymns and commentaries, and their meaning and function in Hindu ritual. Read compelling excerpts from the Vedas, and learn how Western religious scholars have approached them.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 17
Language
English
Description
Two distinctive forms of Buddhism took root in Japan. Learn first about the Pure Land School, which directs spiritual efforts toward entering a celestial realm where seekers can learn the dharma. Through Zen scriptures and koans (paradoxical sayings used in teaching), contemplate the tradition's direct, experiential approach to enlightenment.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
A second body of Hindu sacred writings encompasses literature, texts that explore the nature of dharma, the eternal laws and principles that give meaning and shape to life. Here, discover two great Indian epics: the Ramayana, a mythic narrative of kingship; and the Mahabharata, a complex story of familial bonds and discord.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
Here, confront the intriguing question of whether Confucianism is a religion or a philosophy. Learn about the Confucian canon and how it became the foundation of Chinese state ideology. Sample texts encompassing poetry, history, ritual, rules for living, and explorations of morality, and consider why we refer to them as "classics" rather than "scripture."
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 25
Language
English
Description
In approaching Christian scripture, trace the complex origins of the New Testament, beginning with the letters of Paul and the Gospels. Follow the proliferation of later Christian texts and how they were categorized, and study the composition of the first complete Christian Bibles in comparison with more recent versions and translations.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
Study the contents of the Torah - the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Then consider two kinds of responses to the text - the religious perspective that regards it as a repository of eternal truths, and the historical-critical perspective that approaches the text with the tools of the scholar.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 12
Language
English
Description
Zoroastrianism envisions the universe as ruled by good and evil beings of equal status. Study its principal sacred text, the Avesta, comprising books of hymns, myths, and religious regulations promoting holiness. Sample the Gathas, dialogues between the priest Zoroaster and the creator god, Ahura Mazda, and trace Zoroastrianism's influence on the monotheistic faiths.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
Among textual riches of the Theravada tradition of Buddhism is the Buddha's teaching on the origins of suffering. Contemplate the Therigatha, poems of women's enlightenment; the Dhammapada, verses of advice and inspiration; and the Discourse to the Kalamas, where the Buddha outlines a spiritual path of direct experience and observation.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 6
Language
English
Description
Trace the evolution of the Sikh religion, and the lineage of gurus that produced the faith's sacred text, the Adi Granth. Study the composition of the Adi Granth; sample its beautiful hymns, poems, and prayers; and learn how the book is treated by Sikhs as a living guru.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 33
Language
English
Description
Trace the 19th-century emergence of Baha'i, a distinctive faith with origins in Iran. Learn about the tenets of the religion and the huge canon of scriptures written by the faith's founders. Read from foundational Baha'i texts as they speak to the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity, and the unity of religions.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 14
Language
English
Description
Here, investigate two prominent types of Buddhist scriptures and how they are used. Delve into the Vinaya, regulations and stories comprising rules for living for monks and nuns. Then sample excerpts from the Jataka, the large body of stories concerning the Buddha's past lives, used for teaching Buddhist morality.
In Interlibrary Loans
Didn't find what you need? Items not owned by Coastline Library Network can be requested from other Interlibrary Loans libraries to be delivered to your local library for pickup.
Didn't find it?
Can't find what you are looking for? Try our Materials Request Service. Submit Request