Course Documents and Additional Resources
1: Introduction to the study of religions
Texts (pdf):
Links:
Calendar of World Religion Sacred Times
BBC's interfaith calendar (organized by faith)
Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents
Jungian interpretation of religion (wikipedia)
Women As Theological Figures (wikipedia)
Post-structuralism (wikipedia)
Radiolab: Blisshooms (on the nature of mystical religious experience)
Videos:
Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth: The Hero
Joseph Campbell - Sukhavati (symbol, role of nature, etc)
Joseph Campbell: Sun, Moon, Serpent, and Bull (on symbols and ritual)
Joseph Campbell: Psyche and Symbol (full lecture)
2: Indigenous Religions
Texts (pdf):
Links:
List of Native American Churches
Oklevueha (Native American churches)
Hopi time controversy (wikipedia)
Navajo Taboos for Nature, Domestic and Wild Animals
Art, Land and the Dreaming (Australian Aboriginal art)
When World's Collide: Lady of Guadalupe (PBS)
Tonantzin Guadalupe — ‘Our Mother’
Defining Paganism: Paleo-, Meso-, and Neo-
"The Navajo Enemy Way Ceremony" from Manataka American Indian Council
Videos:
"Meshkanu: The Long Walk of Elizabeth Penashue
"Spirit of the Mask" (excerpt)
Native American Church: Sacred Peyote
White Shamans & Plastic Medicine Men
Joseph Campbell: Mythology of the Trickster
Local resources:
3: Hinduism
Texts (pdf):
Upanishads (translated by Swami Paramananda)
Links:
For Hindus and Vegetarians, Surprise in McDonald's Fries, NY Times
"Shrinking Numbers and Growing Persecution Threaten Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan", NY Times
"The Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and the Sacredness of All Cows" by Jagannath Das
"Promoting Hinduism? Parents Demand Removal Of School Yoga Class" (from NPR)
"To Some Hindus, Modern Yoga Has Lost Its Way" (from NPR)
Videos:
Myths of Mankind: The Mahabharata
Darshan of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Local resources:
4: Buddhism
Texts (pdf):
"Song of the Taste" by Gary Snyder
"The Zen of Japanese Nationalism" from History of Religions, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Aug., 1993),1-43.
Links:
Tipitaka: The Pali Canon (Theravada Buddhist texts)
Bhavacakra (wheel of Samsara, Wikipedia)
Bhikkhunī (female monk, Wikipedia)
Videos:
The Mindful Way - Buddhist Monks of the Forest Tradition in Thailand with Ajahn Chah
Sacred Tibetan Sand Mandala Time Lapse
Compassion In Exile trailer (the Story of the 14th Dalai Lama)
Carl Sagan interviews the Dalai Lama on God & science
Local resources:
Oregon Buddhist Temple - Rev. Gregory Gibbs: sensei@oregonbuddhisttemple.com
6: Judaism
Texts (pdf):
Links:
Modern Orthodox Judaism Will Not Survive if It Keeps Alienating Women (slate.com)
"Out of Enclaves, a Pressure to Accommodate Traditions", NY Times (Hasidic Jews in NY)
Jewish concept of the Mashiach: "the Messiah" (jewfaq.org)
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Ask the Rabbi: Is It OK For American Jews to Celebrate Halloween?
"The Israel Taboo" (from The Walrus)
Cantillation: ritual chanting/reading from Hebrew Bible (wikipedia)
New photography show offers an alternative side of Israel and Palestine
Videos:
Promises (documentary about Israeli and Palestinian children)
"Israeli Jews: Do you feel connected to Jews in the Diaspora?"
Local resources:
Congregation Beth Israel (contact: Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana - rabbicahana@bethisrael-pdx.org)
7: Christianity
Texts (pdf):
King James New Testament (pdf)
Links:
Overview of the Four Gospels of the New Testament (PBS.org)
Christians and Climate (Evangelical Climate Initiative)
'Heretics' The Crisis of American Christianity (NPR)
Churches Remain At The Heart Of Dispersed Black Communities (Portland, see also OPB story)
Interpretation of Timothy 2:11-12 (Christian Feminism)
When World's Collide: Lady of Guadalupe (PBS)
Tonantzin Guadalupe — ‘Our Mother’
"The Next Round?" (article about the declining popularity of mega-churches)
"In Francis' First Year, A 'Radical Pope' Seeks To Save His Church" (NPR)
"Pope Francis, The People’s Pope", (Time Magazine, Person of the Year)
Videos:
The House of God Church - "Always Praise God!" Philadelphia Praise Break
Coptic Christian Church in Cairo, Egypt (mass)
Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham (creationism vs evolution)
Local resources:
Navigator's Club at MHCC (navigators@mhcc.edu)
8: Islam
Texts (pdf):
Links:
The Holy Quran Arabic text with Translation in English text and search engine
How to pray in Islam: 12 steps with pictures
The 99 Names of God (wikipedia)
The Many Reasons Middle Eastern Women Wear Hijabs (Vice)
New photography show offers an alternative side of Israel and Palestine
"The Muslim Feminist: I speak for myself"
How Being Muslim In America Has Changed Since 9/11 (NPR)
"The Truth About Islam and Female Circumcision" (from Inside Islam: Dialogues and Debates)
"How the Rise of Islamic Banking is Changing Turkey" (The Atlantic)
Videos:
Inside: Mecca (National Geographic)
Islamic architecture (wkipedia)
Promises (documentary about Israeli and Palestinian children)
Hajj: the significance of the fifth pillar of Islam (Al Arabiya News)
World's Largest Pilgrimage - Hajj Documentary
Why Muslim Women Wear Hijab by Aminah Assilmi
Local resources:
Islamic Community Center of Portland
Islamic Social Services of Oregon State
MHCC Muslim Student Union
Misc:
Texts (pdf):
Links:
"Greek and Egyptian Religious Parallels" by Lucas Livingston
"Shrinking Numbers and Growing Persecution Threaten Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan", NY Times
The Beard and The Turban (Sikh fashion)
Videos:
Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham (evolution vs. creationism)
Carl Sagan interviews the Dalai Lama on God & science
A Universe Not Made For Us: Carl Sagan on religion, geocentricism
Local resources:
