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Dates: Wednesdays ( 6 sessions), March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 23, (skip April 16)
Time: 1:30-3:30 pm
Place: OUUC
Facilitator: Billie Williams
Costs: No special costs
Our exploration of the world’s religions continues with a study of Hinduism, the world’s oldest living religious tradition, with roots deep in the early cultures of India. “Hinduism,” “religion,” and “ India” are really Western notions that for most of history did not accurately reflect the thinking of those who practiced the faith. In fact, one of the primary themes of the course will be the difficulty of studying Hinduism without imposing Western perceptions on it. It is one of the most diverse of all religions, worships more gods and goddesses than any other, and rejects the notion that there is only one path to the divine. The course includes a study of the Indus Valley civilization, the variety of Hindu gods and goddesses, the sacred writings in the Vedas, the Bhagavad-Gita and the Upanishads, ritual purity rites, caste and culture, the Aryan language of Sanskrit, whose roots can be seen in English words such as “divine,” video,” and “ignite”—and more.
Our core information on the complex history of Hinduism will come from The Teaching Company’s DVD lectures given by Mark W. Muesse, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Rhodes College. Dr. Muesse earned a Ph.D. in the Study of Religion from Harvard University and has taught at Harvard Divinity School and the University of Southern Maine. In addition to the DVD lectures, we will invite guest speakers as available from local Hindu groups to join class participants in discussing their religious beliefs and thoughts on Hinduism.
Billie Williams is a member of the OUUC and the Adult Education Committee.
Back to OUUC Adult Education Page
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