Harvard: World Religions Through Their Scriptures

Program: Self Placed

Program Detail

The study of religion is a rich and fascinating dimension of human experience that includes, but goes well beyond, an exploration of beliefs and ritual practices. Through the lens of scriptures, this Religion XSeries will explore how religions are internally diverse, and how they evolve and change as living traditions that impact, and are impacted, by the cultural, historical, and political contexts of adherents. We will explore issues of interpretation through themes such as gender and sexuality, the arts, violence and peace, science, and power and authority. In addition to learning with and from world-renowned scholars, learners will have the opportunity to interact with peers from around the world representing diverse backgrounds, affiliations, and perspectives.

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• How to understand religion in general, and scriptures in particular, with an emphasis on social and historical context.
• How “scripture” is defined within each tradition and how those understandings have evolved through time and in differing social and historical locations.
• The diverse ways that “scriptures” are interpreted within each tradition and how the authority to interpret is determined and negotiated.
• Diverse manifestations of scripture that include but are not restricted to texts.