<p>24 Lectures    1Religion-Its Meaning and Importance    2Facets of Religion-Divinity and Devotion    3Hinduism-Foundational Texts and Teachings    4Hindu Gods and Devotional Practices    5Gita to Gandhi-Yogas and Modern Hinduism    6Waking Up-The Buddha and His Teachings    7Vehicles to Nirvana-The Schools of Buddhism    8Chinese Religion and Cosmology    9Confucianism-Rituals and Relationships    10Daoism-Harmony, Nature, and the Way    11Kami and Spirits-Shinto and Shamanism    12East Asian Buddhism-Zen and Pure Land    13Judaism-God, Torah, and Covenant    14Varieties of Jewish Thought and Practice    15Living a Jewish Life    16The Life and Commemoration of Jesus    17Catholic and Orthodox Christianity    18Protestantism and Christianity Today    19Muhammad, Qur'an, and Islamic Civilization    20Unity in Islam-The Five Pillars    21Forms of Islam-Diversity among Muslims    22Jains, Sikhs, and Baha'is    23Religion and Law in America    24Religion Today-Trends, Challenges, and Hope</p>

Cultural Literacy for Religion: Everything the Well-Educated Person Should Know

Mark Berkson

teaching company the great courses

Death, Dying, and the Afterlife: Lessons from World Cultures

<p>After thousands of years of pondering it, we still find death one of life's most perplexing mysteries. Many cultures view death as a window into the true meaning of life.These 24 lectures looking at this often feared subject are an uplifting, meaningful, and multidisciplinary exploration of life's only certainty. Bringing together theology, philosophy, biology, anthropology, literature, psychology, sociology, and other fields, they are a brilliant compendium of how human beings have struggled to come to terms with mortality. You'll encounter everything from ancient burial practices, traditional views of the afterlife, and the five stages of grief to the question of killing during wartime, the phenomenon of near-death experiences, and even 21st-century theories about transcending death itself.With personal and cultural enlightenment as the overarching goal, Professor Berkson provides you with eye-opening answers to several major questions surrounding death, including: How do we think about death? How do religions approach death? When (if ever) is it justified to take a life? You'll also hear a chorus of voices from multiple disciplines, cultures, and ages as they offer sometimes shocking and sometimes refreshing perspectives on death. These voices include the Buddha, St. Paul, Albert Camus, Dylan Thomas, and Elizabeth Kübler-Ross."Many religious traditions teach that a form of regular death reflection can deepen one's appreciation for life," Professor Berkson notes. "And in some traditions, it can actually lead to spiritual transformation or awakening. As the poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote, 'Whoever rightly understands and celebrates death at the same time magnifies life.'"</p>

The Great Courses

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Mark Berkson. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Mark Berkson

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Mark Berkson. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Cultural Literacy for Religion: Everything the Well-Educated Person Should Know

Death, Dying, and the Afterlife: Lessons from World Cultures