Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Religious Studies

As Fr. Ciorra demonstrates, we are called not to be extraordinary mystics but extraordinary human beings who experience God in ordinary ways. We often think of mystics as superhuman persons who have paranormal experiences such as visions, ecstasy, and stigmata. When you look closely at such saints as Thérèse of Lisieux, however, you will see that to be a mystic is to occupy the core of human experience. As you explore the mystical writings of such inspiring figures, you will discover that there are both common threads and clear differences.

In this course you will encounter seven powerful schools of spirituality, discovering what makes each school special and transformative. Your professor is celebrated spirituality expert Fr. Anthony Ciorra, PhD, who will guide you through the development of insights and charisms through the centuries. Throughout this course you are invited to deepen your personal relationship with God.

Join one of the country's leading spirituality professors in exploring more than 2,000 years of our spiritual history. In The History of Christian Spirituality, you will discover the marvelous gifts bestowed by our spiritual ancestors. These 36 lively, enlightening lectures will take you on a journey from the age of the apostles to our current day.

Modern life is dominated by mass communication, social media, and technology. While these outlets give us new ways to interact, they also distract us from the voice of God. Join two retreat masters in rediscovering God in your daily life through this innovative program based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

This series will examine the marvelous gifts of grace and divine help that are given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. From the beginning of time, God has provided humanity with every means necessary to seek, to find, and to love him. By his Paschal Mystery, Jesus Christ pours out abundant gifts to enable those who believe in him to live as children of God.

Led by gifted professor, author, and contemplative retreat leader Fr. Donald Goergen, O.P., this life-changing series will capture your spiritual imagination and deepen your life with Christ. As Prof. Lawrence Cunningham writes, “Thomas Merton could easily be called the greatest spiritual writer and spiritual master of the 20th century in English-speaking America.” He was a monk and seeker - restless, deeply contemplative, and socially conscious.

While science and religion have often been seen as contradictory forces, in reality they complement each other. Indeed, Catholics have often been at the forefront of scientific discovery. Now you can join a leading Catholic scientist in examining the most vital questions about the universe. Your guide, Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, deals with big things - stars, galaxies, and unfathomable distances - but that's not the kind of "bigness" that you will explore here. Instead you will tackle the hows and whys of the universe.

In these 12 captivating lectures, you'll explore the life of the Prophet of Islam as well as the Quran's five pillars, which govern the beliefs and behavior of Muslims everywhere. You'll learn how the incredible legacies of the great Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires still influence the Arab world, Iran, and South Asia. You'll also look at Islam in other parts of the world. The current Muslim struggle to preserve tradition in an age of globalization and ethnic and religious strife are examined in detail.

Explore the prayers that have come to define the Catholic Church with celebrated Notre Dame professor Father Nicholas Ayo. Now you can embark on a remarkable spiritual journey with the author of The Creed as Symbol, The Lord’s Prayer, The Hail Mary: A Verbal Icon, and Gloria Patri: The History and Theology of the Lesser Doxology.

Whether you’re a devoted believer, a staunch atheist, or a wavering skeptic, you likely have unanswered questions about religion. If you adhere to a certain religion, you may wonder how the tenets of a different faith may intersect or conflict with yours. If you are a nonbeliever or agnostic, you may wonder how others can have such unwavering faith. In this riveting audio series, Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn welcomes 13 esteemed guest experts to help him tackle religion’s most confounding questions.

This 21-lecture course uses the shared heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as a springboard for interfaith dialogue. As you progress through the course, you’ll explore the ways in which this conceptual framework promotes peace and understanding while recognizing difference. Reframing an old idea, the concept of “Abrahamic religions” endeavors to improve Christian--Muslim relations by patterning them after 20th-century Jewish--Christian dialogues.

America’s first settlements, founding documents, and most important traditions are replete with religious sentiment. Today, religion continues to play an important role in the lives of American people - nearly 80 percent are religiously affiliated - and institutions. These audio lectures bring you face to face with the fascinating people, movements, groups, beliefs, and practices that have made the US one of the most religiously diverse nations in the history of the world.

Until recently, the world’s religious traditions existed in different spheres, separated by barriers of culture and geography. Now, Wisdom from the World’s Religions folds the teachings of the great faith traditions into one easy and illuminating educational experience. Grounded in a comparative religionist approach, this audio series introduces you to the principles and practices of 11 major religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Shinto, Taoism, and Bahá'í.

Why has science - religion dialogue gotten so heated? What do the world’s leading experts see as the path forward? For some, science and religion occupy separate, irreconcilable spheres. For others, they share a common goal: to explore big questions and synthesize knowledge. Now, in this series of 17 one-on-one interviews, you have the privilege of hearing from leading voices in the debate. Most of the featured experts are professional scientists. While some consider religion irrelevant to science, many more find fulfillment in harmonizing their work with their beliefs.

Have you ever wondered what’s “new” about New Atheism? Coined in 2006, the term New Atheism has been used to describe the shared sentiments of prominent 21st-century atheists - perhaps most notably the “Four Horsemen” and talk-show host Bill Maher. In popular perception, the term has also garnered a negative connotation - implying hostility towards religion at large. Now, in this series of 14 one-on-one interviews, you have the rare opportunity to listen in on conversations with some of the leading actors in New Atheism.

Whether you’re a believer or nonbeliever, you’ve undoubtedly struggled to understand the existence of evil in our world. Now, in light of huge strides in psychology and neuroscience, this compelling series invites you to reconsider the problem of evil with today’s leading minds. In simplest terms, the “problem of evil” questions whether an almighty, all-knowing, and benevolent God can coexist with the evil we witness in the world.

Does God exist? How do you justify your belief or unbelief to others? This special series invites you to join some of the world’s leading thinkers in the serious civil conversation you crave. Daring to ask the big questions, your host, Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, holds 18 riveting one-on-one interviews with the leading figures of our day. A gifted moderator, Dr. Kuhn creates equilibrium through his even-handed questions and eagerness to give everyone a seat at the table. You’ll hear from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim philosophers as well as prominent atheists.

Finally! A clear, concise, and informative overview of the beliefs and practices of the world’s great world religions. As both a wellspring of hope and an author of tragedy, religion has profoundly shaped the great civilizations of human history. An unequivocal force in the ancient world, religion continues to fire the imagination of millions in our own time and remains a fascinating index of human aspiration and creativity.

Explore the great minds who tackled the universe's big questions with Fr. Harry J. Gensler, SJ (PhD, University of Michigan), a leading authority on Catholic philosophy and an award-winning professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago. From antiquity to the Information Age, humankind has grappled with the reality of God, the existence of the soul, and the nature of creation. To ponder these questions is what makes us human. Explore how the greatest thinkers of the Catholic tradition approached these questions.