Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Help or Hindrance

Dominican University's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is a membership-driven program designed to provide intellectually stimulating opportunities for adults in our community who are 50 years or older. The OLLI Institute brings an exciting variety of courses from topics such as film, art history, politics, and literature to its summer session, one of which is the Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Help or Hindrance course, taking place on Wednesdays from September 15, through October 20, 2010. 

The three historic, monotheistic, revealed religions of the West - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are either part of the solution or part of the problem. This class will familiarize students with the key texts and rituals, theological and cultural imperatives that drive these religions and their followers. The course will be guided by the approach and principles of comparative religion - including analytical text analysis, tracing the evolution of similar practices, and the application of principles of sociology and comparative myth and literature. These religions at their best are close relatives that provide similar guidelines and structures that assure ethical and productive lives, despite ritual and theological differences. These religions at their worst produce tension, misunderstanding, competition and dissension in Western history and culture. Through reading and discussing sacred texts we will explore the triumphs and triumphalism of these religions - which worldwide serve over 3.2 billion people and represent possibly 51% of all religiously affiliated people. For more information contact the OLLI Institute.