Religions assert that our laws are not the

„Religions assert that our laws are not the result of human caprice, but are ordained by an absolute and supreme authority…religion can thus be defined as a system of human norms and values that is founded on a belief in a superhuman order…in order to unite under its aegis a large expanse of territory inhabited by disparate groups of human beings, a religion must possess two further qualities. First, it must espouse a universal superhuman order that is true always and everywhere. ” –Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens

Religions address: --What is the purpose of life? --Does law, chance, or „God” rule the world? --What is the right way to live? --What are the origins of the universe, and how did life begin? --What happens when we die? --What are the sources of knowledge? --What is good and bad and right and wrong? --What is human nature? --Why do we exist just to die? --How do we determine „truth”? --What is our responsibility to other people? * *Samovar, et al. Communication Between Cultures

„The answers to these kinds of worldview questions can impact a culture’s social, economic, and educational systems; destiny; degree of competition; work ethic; risk propensity; gender relationships; level of innovation; perception of authority; and political life. ” --L. E. Harrison, Jews, Confucians, and Protestants: Cultural Capital and the End of Multiculturalism

„The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one’s tradition with reverence for different traditions. ” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

„Most of the forms and constructs of worldviews can be classified into three categories: 1) atheism, 2) spirituality, and 3) long-established religious traditions” * *Samovar, et al.

„By the end of the first millenium AD, most people in Europe, West Asia and North Africa were monotheists, and empires from the Atlantic Ocean to the Himalayas claimed to be ordained by the single great God…today most people outside East Asia adhere to one monotheist religion or another, and the global political order is built on monotheistic foundations. ” –Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens

Questions about Malala --What is one of the most important parts of the Pashtunwali code? ---How were men’s and women’s roles defined? --What are purdah and niqah? --How does Malala feel about the way women are treated in her culture? --What influence did her father have upon her?

Questions about Passover video --What is a Seder? What does the word mean? --What is a Haggadah? --What is the Kiddish? --Why do guests take four sips of wine? --What do the herbs and salt water represent? --What does the youngest person do? --What are maror, chazeret and chasoret? --What does the egg dipped in salt water mean? --What do children look for? --Who is the extra cup of wine for? --Why do Jews hope to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem?

§ Common elements of religion --Speculation --Sacred Writings --Religious rituals --Ethics

2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Bujagali Falls, Uganda, source of the Nile River at Lake Victoria

Sikh believer carrying Guru Granth

Hindu Temple in Malibu, California

Questions about John Barton’s class on Scripture --What are primary religions? --Why is scripture not important to them? --Why does he say we should talk about Hinduism(s)? --Why do Hindu view multiplicity as a positive thing? --How do they view scripture? --What metaphor do they use for divinity? --What is the last guru for Sikhs? --How does Islam view the Koran? --How does this compare with the Christian view of scripture?