Comparative Religion

This course reaffirmed for me many long-held beliefs in the commonality of man, as well as helped me discover new connections across traditions and times that I had never known of before but always felt must exist.  I am much more confident in discussing various traditions with others than I was before taking this course, as I was at a loss for the words to describe my ideas. We are all wrapped in God's everlasting grace, though in our limited human vision we can only seem to embrace one of God's infinite versions at a time.  Imagine my surprise, learning in my 40's what I thought was true since I was a child: we are all children of God, by whatever names and forms we envision for our Higher Power.  Newly-empowered with the right terms and a thirst to learn about my human brothers and sisters, I have reached out to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists.  My rewards are immeasurable, and the friendships I've made are strong and true and based on shared love of the spirit of God that lives within us all.  In the case of my atheist friend, it is the love of humanity that we share. I found nothing in the Comparative Religion course that needed improvement.  I'm pleased with the content and I refer to my printed discourses often for information and refreshers.  Occasionally I would run into a broken or outdated link, but not to be dismayed, I'd google my way to alternate sites for related information and allow the journey to circle me back to Kythera Ann's material for the week.  Her writing style and presentation is exceptionally beautiful, professional, and of the quality that one finds in a hard bound book.  My expectations were not only met but exceeded and made me want to delve further into each subject when I was finished reading the discourse.  I'm definitely going to continue learning with ULC courses as the format is perfect for me.  Living with MS (multiple sclerosis) means having to be flexible and always be prepared to go with Plan B should my true ambitions fall through for the day.  The unpredictable nature of the disease means rigid classroom schedules are an insurmountable obstacle.  ULC gives me back my Plan A and allows me to read and research on my time as my situation allows.  That translates for me into a fuller learning experience and not just an exercise in stressful deadlines and commutes.  My gratitude is immeasurable.  Finishing this course, my first course at ULC and the first class I've been able to finish since MS, means something incredibly special to me.  I am looking forward to working my way through another course and then another.  Thank you for your time and consideration.  Peace be yours! Joy Lynn Zen Rosenberg ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

Final Essay Comparative Religion Course by Rev. Terry Glenn Rempel  What a wonderful and interesting course to say the least. The pictures and graphics were incredible. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words and I learned and awful lot just from the pictures alone. My knowledge about other religions has been greatly enhanced and will help me in my ministry I have no doubt.  Being a Christian Minister I've read the Bible off and on most of my life. The more I read the Bible the more I realize how incredibly deep this book is. The Bible can be read at a surface or literal level and there is some benefit to the reader, but from my experience I'm far better off if I read between the lines and look behind the letters. I call this reading deep and find this to be a more spiritual and sacred reading experience. Actually according to Rev. Kythera most of the worlds sacred texts have multiple layers and is what makes them sacred to the various religions. She goes on to say that, " they constantly grow and can be redefined according to the consciousness of the individual working with them." After taking this course I realized that mankind will always need the worlds sacred texts for direction and guidance no matter how high tech or advanced we become.  I really enjoyed how Rev. Kythera begins discourse 3 by quoting The Bhagavad-Gita " Mankind comes to me along many roads, and on whatever road a man approaches me,on that do I welcome him, for all roads are mine." What wisdom, what beautiful tolerance. Speaking of wisdom, in this discourse I also learned that there are similar teachings throughout the world religions. She lists them as: 1 (The Golden Rule) 2 ( Peace) and 3 ( Seek within). What follows than is a lot of quotations from the sacred scriptures of the world that talk about , The Golden Rule, Peace, and Seek within. This certainly made for interesting reading and I came away with the feeling why all the fighting? Don't we all share at the core within all the major religions the things that truly matter, like the Golden Rule for example.  In another discourse Rev. Kythera talks about similar stories throughout religions. For example in the Jesus story and Krishna story there are really a lot of similarities. I learned that in these two comparisons there was a warning send by a non human of upcoming danger. The Ruler or Governor in both these stories was hostile towards the mission of Jesus and Krishna. A decree was issued to kill them. Finally the parents of Krishna and Jesus flee the scene. It's human nature I suppose to think that we all have the perfect religion sent from God, but this course really challenges that notion. It certainly makes you think.  As I journeyed through this course lesson after lesson I would sometimes get this feeling of how interconnected all the major world religions are. We are not as unique as we all like to think we are. At the beginning of my essay I professed to being Christian, but even years before I ever became a Christian I had this gut feeling or intuition that all the major world religions were valid. Jesus in the New Testament says " that I am the way, the truth and the life nobody comes unto the Father but by Me." I believe this to be true, but what you have to ask yourself is what was that way? At this stage in my spiritual growth I can honestly say that Jesus's way was the way of Love. All the world religions are valid if they follow the way of Love and they are on the way to the Father. With the power of Love we are all interconnected we are all part of the family of God.  ******************** As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials. Many have been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and can attest to its ongoing growth and change.

Comparative Religion

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

By Rev. Nick Federspiel

This is one of the FINEST distant learning courses I have undertaken from any source – information, information - give me more - and it was given unto me. This course examines the predominant religions of both the East and West and provides ample summary information on many religious topics relative to philosophy, theology, animism, polytheism, monotheism, sacred texts, sacred space, ecumenicalism, inter-religious dialogue, liturgical calendars, symbolism, ceremonies, and on and on….. about Buddhism:, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism: Islam, Judaism, Jainism, Taoism, Native American, Shintoism, Wiccan and others including what caught my eye and mind the most Zoroastrian.  Get BIG comparative picture?!

Lesson one's introduction states:

" … A firm grounding in comparative religion allows an individual to perceive the truth that is within all traditions. We, as human beings, have a tendency to address everything from our own perspective and assume that those we talk to understand our words as we mean them.  We all have had experiences where this has backfired.  It is imperative that as ministers, we make every effort to communicate from the perspective of those we serve. …"

Lesson three states:     

Differences between various religions and philosophies need not divide and separate, but can instead enrich our lives and deepen our capacity to love.  Any minister can do their part to eliminate religious intolerance and fear by helping those they interface with to find understanding, respect, and a common ground to interact.

Most comparative religion courses I have taken including college institutions emphasize how similar religions are. But to the credit of this course there is a clear statement that religions are not the same, but they share innumerable components differentiated by doctrine, symbolism, ceremony and legacy. On occasion the course offers food for thought conclusions such as in lesson four:

" … As can be seen, cultural and religious flood stories around the world are very similar.  Because of the consistency of this story, and current scientific geological data, the idea of a worldwide flood actually happening is very likely.  …"

Fact or not, it is my observation that today we have entered an age of instant international and cultural information communication. But 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and even 6,000 years ago this was simply not the case considering the limited literacy and embryonic language tools.  THEN when something "similar" was reported from disassociated cultures then there either is an innate philosophical and sociological underlying human need for such a "story" or the story is not a story at all but a  REPORT!  We interpret and filter and analyze as best we can today – right or wrong as the case may be. Did we need religion?   Do we still need religion?  Science has no moment zero creation solution.  It never will.  So religion is with us and deep inside us we know that.  Is a fundamental need for divinity created by divinity why religion is functional in almost all cultures worldwide?  Is that why religion is the target of errant thinking politicians, despots and tyrants?  

This course presents many facts and thus points of view.  However, be it East or West their religious doctrines teach us that throughout history the word is mightier than the sword and the meek inherit the earth.  Who has more followers: Hitler and Stalin or Jesus Christ? Who will have more respect hereafter, Ahmedinejad or Gandhi and Mother Teresa or the atheists or the devoted?  Who were the tormentors and who were the healers? What makes a better organized institutional leader – a historian, a minister or a lawyer?  What does it mean when a word leader fails to participate in his or her fundamental cultural religious practices?   Is this course for aspiring and practicing ministers or for agnostics and atheists or for leaders and well – or everyone?  Knowledge is power this easy to read course delivers both in force.

Lesson five discusses esoteric and exoteric (ex- made available to the public) components of religion – what we should all know or what only a few of us know or are informed of.  I think this is one of the failures of the Christian religion allowing too much agnosticism and atheism to invade it worldwide as we should all have access to the same core religious information.  Today this is more possible than ever. One only needs to be motivated to learn.  This course, available to any ULC Seminary participant, significantly helps mitigate the esoteric - exoteric knowledge gap.

How about some interesting theories – consider this excerpt from lesson six: 

" … The rabbis represented this aspect of the tablets (Ten Commandments)by assuming a square shape, with the ten commandments graven in normal Hebrew right to left order, but also left to right; in normal top to bottom order, but also bottom to top. Because the commandments were carved completely through the stone, they could be read both by Moses and those facing him. …    In Tiferet Yisrael, (Chapter 35, pp. 101-102 in standard editions) R. Judah Loew, the Maharal " !!!!!  I (Ed Codish) am going to suggest a way to read Jewish sacred texts, including Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, Mishna, Gemmara, Midrash, and rabbinical commentaries on these. …"

Lesson eight and nine are a mini encyclopedia of numerous religious symbols. Lesson ten is about prayer:

 " … Although meditation, contemplation and prayer are all methods used to interact with the Divine, each has nuances of discrete differences in methodology, purpose …"  

Lesson eleven discusses eschatology and the puzzle of the ages; why do bad things happen to righteous people? Does bad beget a condemned hereafter or does one recycle and is offered a second, third fourth … chance to get it right?

" … For most religions, suffering is the result of human failing or the lack of human understanding.  In monotheistic religions, suffering is wrapped up in the concept of sin and human failing.  In the Eastern religions, suffering is the result of humankind's lack of understanding, or enlightenment. … What makes a sin depends on the religion.

Does this sound familiar – from lesson eleven:

Purification through a ritualistic baptism was required of all faithful, who took part in a ceremony in which they drank wine and ate bread to symbolize the body and blood of God…".

The above commentary is of Persian mythology of Mithras! 

Lesson twelve is of ceremonies. Lesson thirteen about sacred space and lesson fourteen is about reverent and lay titles. These are great summaries and if you can download the captive pictures within the text there are excellent descriptive graphics. (With my Vista browsers integrated graphic downloading was sadly hit and miss.) Lesson fifteen is a brief on the sacred texts. Like the Prajnaparamita and Diamond Sutra(s), Isalm's Hadith, the Dasam Granth and Zen-Avesta!  When one discuses 'Holy' scripture one inevitably has to explain this:

 " … insistence on … "inerrancy" raises all sorts of practical problems for interpreters, who sometimes find themselves scrambling to explain away blatant inconsistencies in factual data such as chronology or geography. …  Some religions make written texts widely and freely available, while others hold that sacred secrets must remain hidden from all but the loyal and the initiate …" ( i.e esoteric vs. exoteric knowledge).

Lesson sixteen is about those divine messengers like angles, daevas, kachinas, hunmanits, and of course human prophets.  One has to ponder the effects one ancient religion had on another. By example this statement about Zoroastrian angels:

 " … It is believed, that the Guardian Angel takes a person in an ecstatic embrace at the moment of death. 

Zoroastrians also believe that corresponding to the Lord of Light there is also a Lord of Darkness, with complementary demons and evil spirits, and it is felt that in the battle between light and darkness the forces of light will eventually win. …"

Well, there is more, but why should I give the ending away and ruin the whole movie for everyone!  I lament the course is not YET available in printed media (thus with all the graphics!) as it deserves to be complete and on my reference shelf vs. being tucked away on my flash drive – not a fitting place for such a fine effort from the ULC Seminary catalog of courses -  this one " … created by Rev. Kythera Ann."   My congratulations!

********************

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

This seminary course was invaluable as well as extremely interesting. I never knew so many different religious practices existed. I was also surprised to find how similar they can be, and to reaffirm there is only one God. Some of the information challenged my own belief system. I was able to find a deep appreciation with not only my own chosen religion, but the ability to accept other forms of religion, as a means of providing ministry, to people from a variety of backgrounds. The information about Masons was interesting since my Grandfather belonged to the Masonic Lodge, and spent the remaining days of his life in care of the Masonic Lodge in Northern California. The information provided such a background in different areas of religion, that I felt like I had a front row seat, around the world. The pictures were a big favorite of mine. I'm a very visual person, and find it easier to retain information, if I can relate it to pictures. I feel I gained a broader appreciation, and understanding of other religious practices. I'm sure I will feel pulled in a certain direction, based on my own religion. I will ultimately be able to realize that worship, comes in many forms. I especially appreciated the beautiful pictures. The illustrations were great, and even though I took this class via internet, the pictures printed out beautifully. Praise be to ink jet color! I also found the summarizing at the end of some of the lessons invaluable. So much information was presented, it was great to re cap the important areas. I've acquired a great library, due to the suggested reading. I have found some very interesting books, which build on the information I now have. I've been able to share some of the books with my brother, and gained a better relationship in the process. The Lord truly works in mysterious ways. I feel truly blessed, as I shared with my brother, he noticed a peace, and a difference in me. I can't think of anything I liked the least. Any information that makes you think, as well as challenges your soul, is great. I truly am thirsty, and can't wait to take more courses. If you had to improve any of the content, or maybe its just my perception. Some of the information went so deep, I found myself getting lost in it. This of course is my first attempted study in a seminary class. I have taken classes as a child, and took classes as an adult, while teaching preschool at St. Angela De Merici in Brea, Ca. I sincerely want to take more classes in my endeavor to minister, to many in need. I definitely feel the Lords pull on a daily basis. I also hope to one day soon, visit ULC and make new friends. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I hope to take more classes with Rev. Kythera Ann. I like the way her information was presented. I also found some of the books she suggested, were great. I now subscribe to Sojourners magazine, and find the articles interesting. Bless all of you! Rev. Patricia A. Vallett ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free  and lasts for life, so use the button. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH SEMINARY Comparative Religion Course Rev.  Kythera  Ann FINAL ESSAY This course was a bargain for the price.   Despite the fact I already had college credits from a similar class, there was quite a bit of new information presented - and presented in a unique format making it quite worthwhile. The graphics were valuable and kept the rote and mundane information more interesting. I was particularly impressed with the flow chart which provides an overview of the timeline/overlaps regarding the development of major religions.  In one snapshot there is a considerable amount of information.   The lesson of the virgin-birth-of-the-one-true-savior offered new insights and was particularly interesting.   I was well aware of the commonality of the many creation stories,  and i knew more than one religion held beliefs in a virgin-birth-of-a-savior story - making the neat, efficient one-page summary particularly helpful. The large number of definitions will allow the text from this course to remain a valuable asset for years to come.  It serves as a reference book that combines the width of an encyclopedia with the detail of a dictionary.   I did not gain that much new insight from  this course but I most definitely gained a confirmation that much of what I believe is more easily substantiated now.    I also gained additional web-links and additional resources for all topics discussed in the course. The presentation of the course regarding the vocabulary of all world religions.....the commonality of terms used.....the sensitivity paid in discussing things sacred, and the professional and neutral tone is worth noting as well.   There is an even tone throughout the entire course and a gentle, nonjudgmental statement of facts. The lovely graphics did present a bit of a problem of me to download as I am on an ancient and rural phone line and a (31) page document (loaded with graphics) was a source of some "crashes".   However, I realize I am a minority with that situation as most students will be connected to high speed access.   The other situation is that of the cumbersome result of all this great information and the fabulous graphics.    Truly the valuable and artistic graphics are great - in fact so great I wanted to put them in plastic pages.   However the weekly addition of (20 +) pages  makes the end result a bit unwieldy.    As a reference item on a desk it takes up a good deal of space with a 3 - 4 inch binder that weighs a hefty amount.   If there would have been an option to  BUY a traditional text to accompany this class I certainly would have opted to do so.  The time (and frustration) of downloading, using up reams of paper and ink cartridges would have been better served to just purchase a traditional book-but that is a very minor issue. My only other frustration was that some weeks it was far more like a classroom of terms (dictionary-like) than a comparative study.   There were some weeks when  the lesson compared specific similarities between religions and contrasted those with differences between specific religions, however, for my interest there was not enough of that information. Again, this is a minor observation and only one person's preference.   It in no way should be taken as a criticism of the value of the course.     It is, again, a bargain for the price charged.    I paid far more at the university and was not treated to half as much interesting information.   Nor did we receive the enriching and highly artistic graphics. I would be VERY interested in taking another course from Rev. Kythera Ann as this course offered a chance to move forward ...and allowed a path of new question for me to explore. Rev. Elizabeth ******************************* Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

Comparative Religion

Final Essay on Comparative Religion

            Sadly, it been months since I last read, and then reread, the material for the course but I didn't really know what I was going to write.  I'm not sure I do now except that I have a pressing desire to write something.  So here goes. 

            I'd like to start by saying how easy this course was to read and therefore become interested in.  Previous readings I have had on the topic or comparative religion went in depth on the similarities and differences of the various faiths but never really followed any set format.  They also tried to compare religions in general as a whole, never breaking them into further groups that would allow them to be fairly explained and compared.  Its fair, for example, to compare Judeo-Christian religions to each other and possibly to even include Islam into the mix.  These religions are largely if not completely based on the same mythology and therefore lend themselves to comparison.  Comparing Catholicism to say Asatru or Druidry becomes extremely difficult based on the drastically different goals of the faith let alone the vast differences in the cultures that spawned them.  This course begins by breaking the different world faiths into the groups of exoteric and esoteric allowing for a better comparison.  Thats not to say that faiths don't contain both, they certainly do, and I would be hard pressed to call one purely one or the other, but if still gives us a starting point. 

            It may have been beneficial to go a little more in depth on that line as well since in todays world people are more individualistic and therefore tend to be leaning towards a certain direction, mainly the esoteric one.  People want to understand the inner workings of their faith and are no longer willing to be outside the circle of initiates.  People want to be in control of their own spiritual life just as they want to control their mundane life and the religions that control their spiritual existence through the requirements of a clergy and initiations into the faith are falling by the way side.

            In the process of explaining the different faiths the writer also took it upon herself to try to explain why people seek faith and why different society sought certain faiths.  It makes sense, to some extent, as you go though the processes described as to why humans need faith.  Put simply they need a way to explain the unexplainable and they need to find the peace that faith in something can bring to the inner self. 

            In the end this course, while not providing me with what I expected, which was a greater understanding of the world religions, did provide me with a tool kit with which to analyze the faiths of the world on my own time in my own way.  This course allows me to better understand what people are seeking from their faith and possibly makes me better able to "tend my flock."  I would like to thank Rev. Kythera Ann for her excellent work on this topic and I hope that she continues to write Comparative Religion 2 and so on until the topic has been fully developed in text.

Rev. Justin Oles

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion Final Essay Rev. Ira J. Potter Although I have casually studied various religions over the course of my life, Kythera Ann's course offered so much more information than I could've found on my own. The courses themselves were very well written and I am still enjoying the suggested activities, as there are many and some require planning in order to participate. Overall, this course was everything I hoped it would be and more than I have a right to ask for. Through this course I gained a better understanding of my own beliefs and where they come from. I have fashioned my own beliefs by learning and living. I was surprised by how much I have unconsciously taken from eastern beliefs, such as meditation and reincarnation. I was also able to confirm my belief that there is a universal truth within most religions, a cosmic connection that binds people of faith. Religious morals are also universal, i.e.: respect your elders, don't steal, don't kill people, etc. Where beliefs may differ, morals are almost always the same in any given religion. The best thing about this course is that it is unbiased. One of the worst possible beliefs I have encountered in my life is that there is only one "right" religion and the rest are imposters or inferior. It was very refreshing to learn so much about so many different religions without that bias in place. I even appreciated the respect given to those of Jewish faith with the references to G_d, although I am not Jewish. I believe that only G_d can tell us how He wants us to live, not popes, clerics, or any other figure on a power trip. There are so many different belief systems in the world that it is impossible to declare there is only one that is right. My only complaint about this course is that I cannot follow it up with part 2! Other than that, if I had to pick something I suppose that I would have liked a little more in-depth information about the less popular religions like Jainism and Bal'ai. For the most part, though, this course is about as flawless as you could make it. The only way this course could be improved is by having a part 2 to take afterward. This was the first course I've taken through the seminary, and I must say that I hope other classes can compare intellectually to this course. Rev. Kythera Ann wrote the next course I am taking as well, although I did not know that when I chose to take it. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, I know beyond doubt that it will be just as informative and riveting as Comparative Religion was. The sample course for Comparative Religion made me decide to take it, and the intelligence, information and presentation kept me interested for all 20 weeks of this course. I very highly recommend this course to everybody that decides to attend seminary with the ULC. I look forward to my next course with Rev. Kythera Ann! Rev. Ira Potter ********************** The  ULC, run by Rev. Amy Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

    This course provided a more balanced, impartial perspective of several religions.  I was raised in strict, rather fundamental, Baptist/Christian environment, at home and in school.  It simply never struck me as being unquestionably true, but questioning was highly discouraged, so I never received the answers I needed to resolve my beliefs.  Once I was an adult, I walk away from religion altogether.  

    During my six years in the US Army and eight years working as a US Department of Defense civilian, I have worked with people from many faiths, and those with none.  It was a pleasure to be in a tolerant and accepting environment, though not all groups were equally equal.  All varieties of Judeo-Christian religions are openly accepted, and are well accommodated with on-post religious support; Wiccans, however, are largely misunderstood and rejected.  Today's security and political environments have also created a Muslim-hostile undertone, though they are publicly welcomed, and one base even offered a joint Jewish/Muslim prayer area in the chapel.

    Several months ago, I was ordained primarily as a joke.  I've found my opinions of religion turning increasingly anti-theistic over the last several years, and I started this course in an attempt to temper that perspective.  I believe that mission has been accomplished, or at least begun.  I now have a greater understanding of why the Christians I work with inappropriately proselytize in the workplace, improperly referring to me as heathen, and telling me I would burn in hell for being ordained.  I understand the motivation and perspective of the many Wiccans I have the pleasure of calling some of my closest friends.  I understand why my fundamental-Christian second-ex-wife, who grew up on an Indian reservation, thought she had shamanic powers of healing.  Primarily, I better understand my own religious attitudes and perspectives as a secular humanist.  

    What did I like best in this course?  The historical perspectives of religious evolution.  I was intrigued as my spotty self-educated theories of religion's lineage resolved into the clear picture presented, much of the fog clearing and the pieces falling into the bigger picture.  Closely related, it was revealing to see how religion is a fundamental piece of the human psyche and sociological landscape.  Coincident to this course, I took a management course including the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI).  How could this piece of the average psyche be so lacking in emphasis within me?  It is largely do to my natural de-emphasis of religious/emotional aspects.  It is good to know where I fit in and why.

    What did I like least?  The sections on mysticism and spirits.  These concepts are a bit too far from the measurable, tactile world for my tastes.  However, they were clearly and informatively discussed in the text.

    I think these courses could be improved by shortening the lessons and lengthening the course by a few weeks.  I found them to be a bit longer than I could consume in a sitting due to numerous other demands on my time.

    This course was very well written, the HTML emails were generally well coded, and the topics were approached impartially and with respect.  They were easy to understand, and the topics built logically from basics to more advanced concepts.  I would love to take additional courses written by Rev. Kythera Ann, and will be looking for Comparative Religion Parts II and beyond.

Rev. Charles Morris

********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have enjoyed watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Comparative Religion

                                                         Essay On Comparative Religion

Sheila A Shaffer

In this course I have gained more insight into other religions than I have had before.I have gained as a result of this course more respect for other religions along with a better understanding of how and why others choose to follow the religion that they do.I learned that  each religion has their own unique practices, their own unique beliefs, but with these differences comes similarities.For example The Golden Rule, Peace,and Seek Within. I have learned that  religion has always been a controversial subject.People are always fighting the differences than they are accepting the similarities.It seems that man will always need some sort of religion to guide them and to help them.I have learned a bit more what I can do as a person to help stop the hate and the fear by helping to educate others. I learned alot on how religion has affected our lives. I have learned  how religion based on geographical location has led to different conflicts.I have learned how media and superstition has affected religion. I have learned how religion regulates and controls society.I have learned just how complex the bible really is. I am a wiccan and didn't really consider all of that but the course has put a lot of things in perspective for me .I have also learned the difference between Esoteric and Mystical. And for me I think that was the most interesting part of the course.I learned the difference between prayer and meditation and contemplation and how each play its own part.I learned about the use of symbols in religion and how important they are and the various types and meanings of each.

What I liked about the course was all the suggested reading and activities included I love to read anything to do with religion as I find it all very interesting and there is a treasure of information to be found if you follow the suggested reading .Another of my favorite parts of the lesson was the little bit that was there on Confucius . "Zilu (an impetuous disciple of Confucius) asked how one should serve ghosts and spirits. The Master said, "Till you have learned to serve men, how can you serve ghosts?" Zilu then ventured upon a question about the dead. The Master said, "Till you know about the living, how are you to know about the dead?" To me that rings true even to this day.I liked the use of pictures in this course it brings it to life not just straight text but adding visual to it breaking it up a bit making it more interesting and easier to look at all together as a whole.I like the fact the course is fairly simple to follow and is very well laid out.

I think maybe a glossary of terms could have been added more as a reference point than anything else, but I honestly can not think of anything that could have been added to improve upon this course.

I would gladly take any other course done by Rev Kythera, she has made this a very enjoyable course and very informative.

*******************************

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Comparative Religion

Gaining a Global Perspective

Final Essay for the Master of Comparative Religion Course

By Rev. Daniel L. Moore

            The world is changing.  The United States is becoming less and less a "Christian" nation.  Neighborhoods that used to be predominantly Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish are now receiving those who are Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu.  Further, there has been an increase in interest in older religions such as Wiccan and various types of paganism.

            As a minister, I believe we must be able to work with those of other faiths.  We can easily go into our own religious or denomination corner with the idea of separation for "purity" sake or we can actively engage all we come into contact with.  Religions that emphasize conversion require its followers to "go into the world and make disciples of all nations."  But to do so does require some knowledge of the other religions. 

This course is an absolute necessity for any minister of any faith.  As the communities and work places become more mixed, we need to be aware of the differences and similarities between the various religions.  Further, as a part-time Protestant chaplain I encounter people seeking guidance who are not Christian.  So this course comes to me as a welcome addition to my education.

            One of the strengths of this course was the wealth of resources I was directed to.  I was able to find many of the various sacred texts needed to study.  I have been studying these other texts in between lessons to help me gain a broader understanding of the world's religions.

            This course was very in-depth in content.  I realize that this was a very challenging task for the course developer to take on.  The material and the scope of this subject are such that it is possible to make two courses to cover a total of 40 weeks between the two.  I must congratulate Rev. Kythera Ann for her ability to put together such comprehensive course and avoid the temptation of just skimming a topic here and there.

            The illustrations given in each lesson were very helpful.  They added "flavor" to the lessons.  Along with the illustrations were the many scholarly quotes and footnotes that I found useful as well.  The charts were all helpful.  For me, I like to see things as part of my learning style.  Having a chart gives me something to evaluation in a simple, direct fashion.  The chart in lesson 20 was real illuminating to me.

            One criticism I have of this course is the occasional website links provided were broken.  This is not the fault of the course developer.  The Internet is dynamic place with new sights being posted, old ones being updated, and some being deleted.  The one recommendation I would have is that this course's links be reviewed quarterly.  Also, I would recommend the first lesson include some administrative instructions about notifying ULC about links that are broken or no longer active.  This is the only criticism I have.

            I highly recommend this course to any minister of any religion.  I would also encourage Rev. Kythera Ann to develop other courses and would be happy to study the material.  Blessings to all who take this course.

           

**********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Looking for the Spirit

Looking for the Spirit
(One mans journey)

The well integrated person might be defined as the person who has brought the spiritual, the emotional and the physical into harmony. The person who stands on their own two feet is a person in whom the spiritual hold reins over the emotional and physical levels with complete freedom to direct them for the total good of their personality. To dream your life away is not the same thing as to live it.

There are many religions in this world, each have their own beliefs and traditions, however each of them teach one thing, a person must open themselves to their own  inner spirit and let the divine spirit take over and guide them. In Christianity, in the words of Jesus Christ “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or lo there! For, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21).

If you open your inner spirit to the divine spirit and to your kingdom within you, you will be strong with divine strength and you will hold both your emotional and physical life in your hands. If you reject your inner spirit you will find you are only half a person because the whole of a person in the eternal design of the Divine is a person standing on their own two feet and made divine. A human worthy of the name is a human who can stand on their own two feet and face reality.
They are a person who has allowed their God experience to transform their life at the deepest levels of their personality. If humans are to live a truly human life the divine spirit must dominate and order the instinctual and sentient levels of existence, where the instinct holds primacy, life is reduced to a mere animal existence, this is what makes humans different from the animal kingdom, we call it Choice and we make choices throughout our whole life, to have Love, Hate, Compassion, Kindness, Envy, Jealousy, Fear, Anger, Prejudices and many more. It is the choices we make that define us as human beings, and it is how our fellow human sees us through their eyes and what they see, is our personality.

As in all things universal there is a forward and backward movement and it is through choices and living experience that we either regress or progress and through these our way is either towards our inner spirit or away from it.

If we can embrace and accept our inner spirit we can embrace the Divine spirit and it can guide us through our lives as fully human beings and hopefully lead to better choices and quality of life. Divine guidance draws together into harmony all our levels of knowledge and intuition, and leads to a quiet confidence, far from the stubbornness and contentiousness of a human who is merely opinionated.

Therefore it is up to each human being to make the choice to seek their inner spirit in order to find the Divine spirit, to find a better life for themselves, to let the Divine guide them in their life, to find that connection to their own inner Kingdom of God. We are all born with an inner spirit no matter what we believe in and it is up to us alone to take that journey, that path, that road, that leads us to our own kingdom of God. That inner sanctum of Peace, Kindness, Forgiveness, Understanding and Compassion. Our own truths of life and love.

Love, what does this word mean? , for such a world re-noun word so many humans fail or have forgotten throughout life, throughout the ages its true meaning, it comes in so many shapes and forms and we use it to define so many things, objects, nature, experiences. But do we really understand it? Is it universal? if so, why do we fail to use it for the betterment of our humanity and inner self. Is it a life force of its own alive and waiting to be invited into our lives, is it supernatural? Where does it come from? How far does it reach? .So many questions have been asked and will always be asked about this phenomenon.

But it seems that love is the centre of human life. In Buddhism, in the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “Love and compassion ... are the source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being”.

Most humans have their own personal and individual understanding of what they call love a human love and this from what we know comes from the moment we are born into this world, the bonding between parents and child. A child through its early years will always crave love from its parents and as the child grows they become self-conscious, a love of self, then as the child attains adulthood they become other-conscious, a love of others. It seems from the moment we are born love is there.

Most humans feel the need for love we find it enriches our personalities and it can guide some of the choices we make through our life. It gives us emotional feelings when we interact with other humans or see something beautiful that takes our breath away. So love must be something we choose to accept into our life, yet as an infant how do we make that conscious choice to love. The first thing an infant receives from its parents is their conscious choice and will to love the child they have given life to, therefore their love emanates from them to their child. As the child reaches adolescent they become more self-conscious and use the love they have received to gain their own experiences of love, in themselves, in relationships, in nature, in objects, they begin to find their own way through life. At the reaching of adulthood we find we become more other-conscious, we see how others perceive us, our personalities, our choices, our actions, the life we lead, we tend to love other things of less importance, our homes, cars, jobs, wealth, outer appearance. It seems we have a tendency to stop loving ourselves in order to gain approval from others.

Love is a good thing, it is an unseen force which grows when given unconditionally, it tolerates, it helps, it is always willing to demonstrate its good will, it brings many wonderful experiences into our lives and to do this we seem to need to start to love ourselves again, to accept and respect the love that is in us already, to accept and respect ourselves and when we do this we become more accepting of others, more loving of others , when we love unconditionally we are freed from hate, fear, anger, prejudices , we give love without looking for it in return, we give wantonly, willingly, wastefully, for we cannot love others without loving our-self first, if we have no love for our-self, how can we offer love to others. Therefore love emanates from us again and is passed on from one human to another and this is done by choice, we have to choose to love and when we choose to love, we change and when we change our life changes with us.
Many religions believe that unconditional love is linked to the spiritual realm, that it is not just a mere feeling or emotional reaction, if so, then, it seems we make a spiritual choice every time we give or accept unconditional love, therefore this spiritual choice would have an effect on us at our deepest levels of our inner spirit.
It is not easy to bring love, harmony and unity into modern life; one must take control on one’s self, to keep one’s self in the present, not in the past, nor in the future, but in the now.
The goal of a human being is not death but life. Human emotions are hard to control, however it is better not to repress them as they can give the basis for an enrich life, they offer the privilege of being deeply moved at the sight of beauty or the suffering of another, the pleasure of a work of art, the joy of a friendship, appreciating the situations in life which places you and others with you come in contact with, personal experiences and generosity prompted by affection.
Emotional reactions are not a weakness you just have to see the cause and take care of it, if someone hurts you emotionally or if you fail at something don’t be embarrassed by the emotional reaction you have, it’s nothing to be ashamed of and don’t just put it aside either because it’s not without significance.
Try to be honest with yourself, try to discover why you reacted that way, only then will you be able to do something about it, so every surge of emotion can lead to a deeper self knowledge and self possession if you recognise and accept it for what it is. The authentic spiritual life is not one devoid of all emotion, it’s one where the emotion has been given its proper place by the spirit self so it no longer opposes its self to a divine life in a person.
Blinded by self deception we have forgotten that dignity does not depend on the quantity of what we have or posses, but on the quality of interior life, it does not depend on what we do but rather who we are, it’s the depth of our spiritual life that reaches out to embrace the divine and others, the abundance of material goods won’t add anything to our personality, it might make you appear well off but it won’t actually make you so, wealth and power are themselves not bad, however when they become an indispensable condition of human worth that’s when they corrupt, they will stifle the inner life if they are valued more than the riches of the spiritual life, so we should stop for a few moments and have a look at our lives to appreciate the beautiful things in life and learn to love freely and wastefully. The spirit life will gradually transform our life from within, if we let it.
If we refuse to accept ourselves as we are we will never build a full life for ourselves because we will spend most of our time wishing we had the tools that others have to build their life, without recognising what we all ready have at our disposal, however we should not refuse to acknowledge our limitations as it would be damaging to deny their existence as they will not go away, we should accept them as they are neither exaggerating or minimizing them, realize, accept your limitations as well as your possibilities for development. A genuinely humble person fears nothing not even them -selves, they are not afraid of acknowledging their good works or limitations, of others or their environment. Always accept yourself but in reflection to others.
There is a hunger for happiness which is planted in the depths of the human heart, it is a reality of the spirit self. We should gratefully accept the pleasures which are a gift of the divine to help us through our life journey and should always seek to lift ourselves above ourselves in order to lift others. Some -times we must forget ourselves, to become self forget full in order to find true joy.
If we want to have a better communication with the deeper parts of ourselves, we have to learn to stop for a moment and with complete honesty, reflect, evaluate and decide on the course of action that our life is in, does not mean living differently to everyone else, for every aspect in life can enrich your life if you reflect on it and make it your own. The path of spiritual and personal reflection will lead to a fuller awareness of one’s life and to do this one must concentrate. Concentration is not a mode of doing but a way of being. When problems arise one needs to concentrate on one problem at a time and then move on to the next one , not problems of the past for what’s done is done, not problems of the future for that has not come, but problems of the now, the present, also the good things we do today make tomorrows history. We tend not to take notice of the present as it is of short duration, yet it alone counts the most because it alone is in our hands. Don’t neglect a single moment in life for each moment is very important in the weaving web of life.
There seems to be only one place to find your inner spiritual self in order to reach the divine creative powers that surround all things and that is through your heart and mind, through prayer and meditation we find peace and solace, we can cleanse ourselves of fear, envy, jealousy, malice, despair and sorts of additions and yet there is no set way to pray or meditate, it seems there is no need to go to church or to need a man made altar or what position or words should be used or what day it is, we are all unique individuals, but as long as we all use our hearts and minds to find our own true path there should be no reason why we can’t reach the divine creative powers around us. One needs to have faith in oneself before having faith in the divine powers, faith to hear the truth when it is spoken, faith to listen to your heart to find the answers we seek when they come to our mind, faith to find our inner spiritual self.
I have come to believe that every thought that comes to my mind is a prayer, I have started to learn to use the altar that is in my heart and therefore I try to think of only good thoughts.
 I was born into the RC(roman catholic)faith, but from my teens onwards I had lost all faith in the church, I didn’t even know if there was a Divine power, however as I progressed through life I began to wonder what if there is. I am no different from the next human, I have made some bad choices in life and I have made good choices too, but only recently have I begun to stop and think about those choices and now I do this all the time, not only has it lead me to a better understanding of myself but of others as well and so once again I progress forward. Through this progression I have found some of my inner spiritual self and it has lead me to wonderful things, like true love or appreciating the important parts of life, like friendship, nature, words, music, peace, stillness, healthy emotions, goodness.

If to me this is what is meant by a well integrated spiritual person then my journey continues and what a journey it will be. So if I can get this far, why can’t we all get that far. It would be a new beginning and a wonderful journey together and a journey of love.

“The more we choose to love the more love spreads, the more spiritual we become”.




*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.

 

Comparative Religion

Final Essay……Comparative Religion (course by Kythera Ann)

 

 

It has been some weeks since I finished reading and re-reading the materials that comprised the Comparative Religion course and now feel that I am ready to write the final essay. 

Initially, I would like to express gratitude to the Reverend Kythera Ann for putting together an excellent course on Comparative Religions, Part One.  The format of the course and the fact that it was an in depth overview and introduction to the study of Comparative Religions was truly refreshing.  Usually, courses on Comparative Religion end up presenting an extensive look into various religions with sidebars that attempt to explain  how they are similar or dissimilar. Because of this introductory format, it was relatively easy to establish a foundation on which a study of the various religious traditions could be started. 

I enjoyed the sections that explained the difference between exoteric and esoteric aspects of the religious experience and how that expresses itself in society among various cultures.  As ministers, we certainly should be aspiring to enter the inner courts of that temple and as such should be familiar with the various initiations that are required. 

Although the esoteric tradition was adequately represented , it might be interesting to expand the section on the mystical tradition, a tradition that pervades every religion  and in addition explain the difference between esotericism and mysticism.  

The pursuit of these "isms" have been accelerated  in modern society as people search for a new way to delve into their own spirituality.  The old is quickly passing away as those so inclined turn to alternate expressions and find that they can go directly to their inner selves and find the strength and solace that the exoteric religion traditions have failed to provide. 

In an attempt to protect the "truth" or their version of it, traditional religions have thrown the baby out with the bath water.  Centuries of greedily guarding the message from those who were not prepared for it unfortunately crystallized this stance in a system that became rigid and dogmatic. It has never recovered …nor can it…To this day, traditional religion devotees adhere to the exoteric rites and rituals of their tradition and have no interest in pursuing further.  That is left to the meanderings of the select few (saints and mystics).  

Ironically, we all possess the faculty to delve deeper and to understand.  After all, did not the Master Jesus tell us that we would do all that he did  and even better.  Matthew records that  the people were astonished at what he said and taught as if one having authority and not as their teachers who mouthed  meaningless doctrines and laws. As exhibited in the example of Jesus, we too are able to speak with authority as masters of our own lives. We are searching for their own individual truths separate from the dogmatic "truths" of  established institutions. When faced with this pursuit, it is easy to follow a path of esoteric and mystical experiences unhampered by rigid rituals and established doctrine.   

I am not sure where I read or heard this but it seems to express what I am attempting to convey…..  

Esoteric thinking is concerned about a sincere interest in investigating different levels of consciousness and viewing them as "way stations" and not as obstacles in your search for God/Truth.  

Mysticism, on the other hand, focuses on reaching God/Truth in the most direct manner as possible and as such is an intensely personal journey that cannot be expressed in ordinary terms.  

In short, the mystic wants to reach the destination as quickly as possible and the esotericist wants to learn  about the landscape on the way.  

While I was reading the weekly lessons, I was also reading a self selected text that presented all religious traditions and belief systems written under current scholarship.    Michael Molloy's, Experiencing the World Religions  Tradition, Challenge and Change provided  an excellent backdrop for the course.

Hopefully, this course will be the first of a series examining the various aspects of the study of Comparative Religions. I anxiously wait……

  

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 
 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.  
 

 I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.    

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

   What you gained from this course.
I discovered that all roads lead to God. One type of religion or culture is no better than another one. There is really no "true" "exclusive" way to worship or church or group to join. God has created various religions and practices to match the culture of the people, there historical and cultural background. There are so many similarities between religions and this makes sense, because they all try to worship God in the best way possible. God is the central universal truth here and these various religions all have that as a basis. No wonder there are similarities of history and concept of God and worship.
    What you liked best in this course.

Comparing the various religions and culture and history. I loved the discourses on the makeup and history of each culture and how they evolved into their present day religion and worship. This author gave a detailed and thorough history and background, showing both the similarities and differences of each. This was the best in my opinion aspect of the course.

ULC Seminary

Comparative Religion Lesson 4 - Similar Stories Throughout Religion

Comparative Religion Lesson 3 - Similarities

best chapters in the course!!!!!
    What you liked least about this course.

sometimes too much info packed into a lesson, a lot to comprehend in one sitting.maybe add a few more lessons???
    How you think these discourses could be improved.
Shorten some of the lessons and add more weekly lessons. This way you don't have to sit there for hours reading about each and every aspect of a religion and can take this kind of presentation in small doses. I believe this would be more effective.
   Any other comments

Overall, a wonderful course, I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in dealing with the public as a minister, you get a wonder background on all the cultures and there religions and worship. You get a good understanding of why they think and act and worship the way they do. A wonderful background for a chaplain who has to deal with all cultures and religions. This course teaches you religious tolerance and acceptance.


   Would you be interested in taking other courses from Rev. Kythera Ann?

Yes I would!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Rev. Andy

*******************************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Comparative Religion

Final Essay for Comparative Religion Masters Rev. Katherine MacDowell The Comparative Religion Masters course distilled a complex topic in a coherent and well-designed format with super adjunctive reading recommendations and website options.  One of the critical elements I gained through exploring the material of the course is not only an appreciation of the shared elements of faiths, but also their unique differences.  As I read through the opening lesson's discussion of the philosophical interpretations of the nature of God, I could not help but also ask what is the nature of the differences between these faiths and how do these differences ultimately shape how we find our religion.  As a psychologist, I am deeply embedded in questions associated with how individuals come to make their choices, as well as issues of cultural difference.  Recently, I finished reading Chet Raymo's When God Is Gone, Everything Is Holy and he emphasizes the role of parents and our primary cultures determining our religious affiliation—in his own bias (he is largely against religion as something that is counterintuitive to the revelations of our contemporary sciences, but that is for another discussion all together!) he holds that such determination cannot truly reflect the development of an authentic religious self, which must be engaged with and consciously chosen.  I would hazard a guess that many faiths would take issue with the notion that one should "choose" their faith, as many hold that God "chooses" you.  Nevertheless, as I read through the lesson material, I wondered at the process unique to our contemporary time and increasing global culture of how we come to choose our faiths.  What are the subtle differences that draw our focus?  I asked myself, having grown up an Episcopalian and traversing through many religious paths before settling on religious naturalism and shamanism, what invites me in to these paths?  When I consider the elements of Catholicism that I feel drawn to—what stops me from considering myself a Catholic?  I found it amusing that the author of our material found a website that allows you to input answers to find which faith resonates most closely with you!  This of course added to my own questioning of how has our access to the Internet changed how we relate to religion and are we really the first generation who has choice and thus can embody a new kind of fervor in our faith?  I know that these are more questions than specific facts learned, but this is how I engage with material and likely is a reflection of my own background in the sciences.  I find more is gained when I retain an openness to being deepened by questions than by answers. There were specific elements of the course that I thoroughly enjoyed, such as the ongoing use of recommended reading at the end of each lesson, thus allowing me to deepen my knowledge of a topic that struck me.  I thoroughly enjoyed discourse 19's discussion of religious archetypes and found this a superb way of exploring the shared elements of religious roles in an organized fashion.  This also appeals to my psychological background in the possibility of how might individuals, not attaining a more professional role in a religion, engage with these roles on a personal level either through embodying them or through relating to others in these roles.  I also found discourse 11's exploration of the fundamental questions religion seeks to answer (afterlife, painful experiences, suffering,  etc.) to be well organized and providing some areas for fascinating further examination.   I loved the definition of sacrament: "It has at its core the belief that taking into the body something that is divinely charged will unify the microcosm and the macrocosm" (Discourse 12).  I found this to be a profound statement that explores an underlying philosophical position of what is above, so it is below.  As such it highlights the notion of union with the Divine and speaks to our hopes of bringing this energy and the associated conceptions of the afterlife or the personality of the Divine into everyday human existence.  It does also suggest that human also hold a fundamental conception of themselves as somehow lacking and their surrounding world as that which is filled with suffering.  Indeed, the sacrament appears to be the solution to the issue of suffering and may provide a fascinating psychological benefit to allow individuals to experience a sense of resiliency and power through their capacity to engage in this specific behavior (likewise underlying ritual/ceremonial behavior whereby individuals provide an offering to a deity in the hopes of securing a different outcome in their physical, every-day life).  I absolutely loved the flow chart in the concluding chapter about the interconnective development of religion, although I would disagree with the notion that a Goddess tradition underlay all others—more on this in a moment. I think what I least liked was the two discourses on hermeticism, alchemy, and secret societies.  I would not consider these religions per se as systems of magic or perhaps philosophy as they lack real theological clarity and other elements that define religion.  I think a chapter on philosophical influences would have been enough to explore hermeticism.  I would have liked to have seen greater exploration of the philosophical elements of religion that are introduced in discourse one and how religions seek to answer these philosophical positions.  I do think Neopaganism and its religious children (Wicca, Druidism, etc.) should have been more widely visible in the entirety of the lesson alongside older faiths. My main point of contention with the course is the author's supposition that a Goddess faith underlay all other traditions in the last discourse.  There is substantial archeological dispute about this view largely asserted first by Robert Graves in The White Goddess and later by Marja Gimbutas and a handful of feminist scholars—none of whom other than Gimbutas are in fact archaeologists.  All of which has been argued against by mainstream archaeology, including women within this field.  I would direct the author to Lotte Motz's The Faces of the Goddess, which provides counter arguments to the underlying beliefs that God was initially a woman.  It's worth the read to ensure that one's assertions are accurately and not presented as "fact".  What would be a more historical accuracy would be to discuss the Goddess traditions within the contemporary context, where they have a powerful life of their own as explored by Starhawk, Z Budapest, and Carol Christ for example.   Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Katherine MacDowell ********************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.   Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar