http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Sat, 25 May 2013 15:53:27 PDT Sat, 25 May 2013 15:53:27 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=345008 "This course examines the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) as an expression of the religious life and thought of ancient Israel, and a foundational document of Western civilization. A wide range of methodologies, including source criticism and the historical-critical school, tradition criticism, redaction criticism, and literary and canonical approaches are applied to the study and interpretation of the Bible. Special emphasis is placed on the Bible against the backdrop of its historical and cultural setting in the Ancient Near East." http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=474988 This course provides a historical study of the origins of Christianity by analyzing the literature of the earliest Christian movements in historical context, concentrating on the New Testament. Although theological themes will occupy much of our attention, the course does not attempt a theological appropriation of the New Testament as scripture. Rather, the importance of the New Testament and other early Christian documents as ancient literature and as sources for historical study will be emphasized. A central organizing theme of the course will focus on the differences within early Christianity (-ies). http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=413532 This course is an anthropological exploration of religions in diverse cultural and historical contexts. Our focus will be on relations of power, social order, social change, gender, and the role that religion plays in modernity, transnationalism, and globalization. We will investigate the performance of rites and rituals, and the cultural expressions of religious beliefs and practices. Through comparative and critical strategies, we will look at how religion interacts with, and is embedded in other aspects of society. In doing so, we will find religious elements in unexpected places. We will study anthropological theories of culture and religion from the classical canon, in addition to contemporary approaches, and apply them to a variety of topics. While respecting the efficacy of all systems of belief, we will think about how religions orient people to their social worlds in ways that are systematically related to historical and cultural change. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555275 This course provides a rigorous and critical introduction to the foundation, structure and operation of the international human rights movement. It includes leading theoretical and institutional issues and the functioning of the international human rights mechanisms including non-governmental and inter-governmental ones. It covers cutting-edge human rights issues including gender and race discrimination, religion and state, national security and terrorism, globalization and human rights, and technology and human rights. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=656569 Academic Earth offers free in-depth Online classes and courses from the world's leading scholars to encourage worldwide distance learning without any physical boundardies. 1500+ Video-based lectures in a variety of subjects from 30+ universities. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=663912 ״Who was the historical Jesus of Nazareth? What did he actually say and do, as contrasted with what early Christians (e.g., Paul and the Gospel writers) believed that he said and did? What did the man Jesus actually think of himself and of his mission, as contrasted with the messianic and even divine claims that the New Testament makes about him? In short, what are the differences—and continuities—between the Jesus who lived and died in history and the Christ who lives on in believers’ faith? Over the last four decades historical scholarship on Jesus and his times—whether conducted by Jews, Christians, or non-believers—has arrived at a strong consensus about what this undeniably historical figure (born ca. 4 BCE, died ca. 30 CE) said and did, and how he presented himself and his message to his Jewish audience. Often that historical evidence about Jesus does not easily dovetail with the traditional doctrines of Christianity. How then might one adjudicate those conflicting claims? This is a course about history, not about faith or theology. It will examine the best available literary and historical evidence about Jesus and his times and will discuss methodologies for interpreting that evidence, in order to help participants make their own judgments and draw their own conclusions.״ http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555269 This course on “Islamic Ethics of War and Peace” will provide students with such an opportunity. It examines the major principles of Islamic ethics and the key theories of classical and contemporary Muslim ethicists. These principles and theories will be applied to analyze contemporary Muslim perspectives on war and peace. Cognizant of the various contexts within which ethical questions are debated, students will be encouraged to explore the impact of modernity, post-modernity, globalization and liberalism on Muslim ethical discourses. Students will also be encouraged to compare the ethical principles and theories of Islam on war and peace with that of other philosophical and religious theories to discover points of difference as well as convergence. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=665638 'Professor Courtenay Raia lectures on science and religion as historical phenomena that have evolved over time. Examines the earlier mind-set before 1700 when into science fitted elements that came eventually to be seen as magical. The course also question how Western cosmologies became "disenchanted." Magical tradition transformed into modern mysticisms is also examined as well as the political implications of these movements. Includes discussion concerning science in totalitarian settings as well as "big science" during the Cold War.' http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555173 This course will examine the development of Latino religion and theology in the United States and how U.S. Latina and Latino theologians have articulated the meaning and implications for Christian living of core theological topics such as Christology, worship, evangelization, and social justice. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=555390 This course provides a historical, theoretical and practical overview of the principles and themes of the Roman Catholic social encyclical tradition. It explores views on Christian social responsibility through classic texts and contemporary problems. [This course was originally an e-course, conducted entirely on-line.]