Philosophy Course: The Philosophy of World Religions

Learn philosophical concepts of world religions with our philosophy short courses online & in Sydney.

This Philosophy course will give you an understanding of the major World Religions from a philosophical perspective. You will examine the fundamental ideas of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. This course is unique in that it focuses on the similarities between the major religions not just the differences, as well as the misconceptions society has developed throughout history about each of them. The aim of this philosophy course is to give students a comprehensive and rational account of the major world religions and compare their respective answers to the fundamental questions of human existence.

There will be an examination of the works of major figures such as Buddha, Brahman, Mohammed, Moses, and Jesus Christ and comparisons will be drawn between the major world religions in how they think about the nature of the spiritual realm, the human mind in relation to the body, God and the universal consciousness, life after death, heaven, hell and nirvana, karma and reincarnation, of free will and fate, of human suffering and spiritual awakening and illumination.

Please note this philosophy course is taught online via Zoom.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this philosophy course, you should be able to:

• Consider and evaluate the views of the most influential religious philosophical ideas in relation to the nature of the spiritual realm, the human mind & God and the universal consciousness
• Use and apply key philosophical concepts, especially in the areas of life after death, heaven, hell and nirvana, karma and reincarnation, free will and fate, of human suffering and spiritual awakening and illumination
• Think about the importance of religious philosophy in assessing answers to the fundamental questions of human existence.

Course content

What will be covered in this philosophy course?

Week 1: Judaism - Jehovah God and the Old Testament

• Key ideas in orthodox Judaism
• The nature of God in orthodox Judaism
• Adam & Eve and creation in orthodox Judaism
• Ethics in orthodox Judaism
• Reformist Judaism

Week 2: Christianity - The foundations of early christian philosophy

• The council of Nicaea and the holy trinity
• Introduction to Gnostics and the Patristic Fathers
• The concept of christ as the logos
• Christ as divine and eternal
• The creation of humanity

Week 3: Christianity - Philosophical analysis of the basic ideas

• Revised Christianity after 325AD
• The idea of the trinity
• The dogmatic doctrine of heaven & hell
• The doctrine of salvation

Week 4: Islam - The Philosophical teachings of Islam

• The holy Quran
• The Hadith & the other holy scriptures
• The prophet Muhammad
• The five pillars
• The key metaphysical ideas of Islam

Week 5: Hinduism - The Brahman, karma and the cycle of reincarnation

• The key doctrines of Hinduism
• Reincarnation in Hinduism
• The supreme being, creates the universe
• Human beings, self, soul, mind and the body

Week 6: Buddhism - Free will, human suffering, compassion and nirvana

• The main schools of Buddhism
• The key role of suffering in Buddhism
• Reincarnation in relation to karma
• The ten laws and the five precepts of morality
• Comparison of ethical teachings of Buddha & Jesus
• The self and consciousness in Buddhism

Week 7: Buddhism - Part II & course conclusion

• The seven realms of the phenomenal universe
• Views on Karmic consequences
• The nature of Nirvana
• The similarities in the metaphysical schemas of Buddhism and early Christianity.
• General conclusion to the course

Intended audience

Who is this philosophy of world religions course for?

This course is for anyone interested in using critical thinking and logical analysis to understand the figures and ideas of the major world religions.