Thinking About Religion and Violence
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Thinking About Religion and Violence
Buy for $33.90
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Professor Jason C. Bivins PhD
About this listen
In a world where violence in the name of religion can impact so many other people's lives, it's critical to understand the intersection between religion and violence. What's required is not to see religion as inherently violent but to recognize that the violence associated with religious groups and communities is worth exploring and interrogating.
In these 24 lectures, embark on a global, multidisciplinary investigation of religious violence. Delivered with honesty and sensitivity to the diversity of spiritual beliefs, these lectures examine the roots of this phenomenon and guide you toward more informed ways of thinking about it.
You'll consider how faiths like Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism view concepts like human sacrifice, martyrdom, and penitence; the ways religious violence can be directed toward specific races and genders; concepts like heresy, witch hunting, and demonology; and more. You'll probe complex ideas and concepts that will help you fashion your own interpretations, such as "religion", "Other-ing", and "cult." And you'll burrow deep into both current issues relating to religious violence - as well as their historical and conceptual sources.
Professor Bivins doesn't take a clinical or pessimistic approach to the material. Rather, he's an engaging on-screen presence with a fierce open-mindedness to the varieties of religious experience. He's also optimistic about what we can learn from a comprehensive study of religious violence. And at the individual level, it starts with approaching the topic in a way that's immersive, insightful, thorough, and important for our times.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLC
Related to this topic
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,112
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 889
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 882
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,433
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,676
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,656
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- By: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,624
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,918
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,893
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Content and narration reduced me to tears
- By Lauriesland on 01-11-16
By: Eknath Easwaran
-
The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim
- With Extensive Commentary
- By: Joseph Lumpkin
- Narrated by: Dennis Logan
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 601
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 506
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 495
The well-known and acclaimed work of Dr. Joseph Lumpkin has been enlarged to include new research on the Books of Enoch, Fallen Angels, the Watchers, and the Nephilim. After presenting extensive historical backgrounds and brilliant translations of The First, Second, and Third Books of Enoch, Lumpkin takes time to piece together a historical narrative of Fallen Angels, the Watcher, and the Nephilim, using his extensive knowledge of ancient texts.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Lose the echo effect
- By Mark Medbery on 10-29-17
By: Joseph Lumpkin
-
The Book of Enoch
- From the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
- By: Robert Bagley III
- Narrated by: Steve Cook
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,587
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,348
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,344
Why is The Book of Enoch so important to anyone interested in Biblical history? The answer is simple: It is directly quoted in the New Testament by Jude (vv.14-15). Themes of the book referenced in 2 Peter 2:1. Jesus also used content from The Book of Enoch in many of his sermons in Matthew and Luke. In this text, you will hear the word of God through this amazing document. We will take this amazing journey together and learn why this text is not an official book of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing and disturbingly accurate celestial calc.
- By Susan I Carter on 12-05-17
-
The Book of Enoch
- By: Unknown
- Narrated by: Christopher Glyn
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 113
The book of Enoch was thought to be lost for over 2,000 years until, in 1773, a traveller brought three copies back from Ethiopia. Whether or not this ancient book was actually authored by Enoch, the father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah, is an ongoing debate among historians and theologians. But all recognise the book of Enoch as one of the most important apocalyptic works outside of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Further Information
- By Timothy on 01-11-20
By: Unknown
-
The Holy Bible: King James Version
- The Old and New Testaments
- By: King James Bible
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Prentice Onayemi, Ellen Archer, and others
- Length: 82 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,112
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 889
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 882
This newer edition of the King James Bible published in 1769 is usually preferred by most that read it over the older 1611 version. This 1769 edition is highly sought after due to being more reader/listener friendly than the 1611 since many typos were fixed.... We hope your new audio bible will go everywhere with you and be a blessing for years to come.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very Good
- By José de Ribera on 12-17-20
By: King James Bible
-
The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,433
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,676
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,656
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
-
The Bhagavad Gita
- By: Eknath Easwaran
- Narrated by: Paul Bazely
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,624
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,918
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,893
The Bhagavad Gita, "The Song of the Lord", is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Easwaran's reliable and accessible version has consistently been the best-selling translation. Easwaran's introduction places the Gita in its historical setting and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions give clear explanations of key concepts in that chapter.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Content and narration reduced me to tears
- By Lauriesland on 01-11-16
By: Eknath Easwaran
-
The Books of Enoch: The Angels, The Watchers and The Nephilim
- With Extensive Commentary
- By: Joseph Lumpkin
- Narrated by: Dennis Logan
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 601
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 506
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 495
The well-known and acclaimed work of Dr. Joseph Lumpkin has been enlarged to include new research on the Books of Enoch, Fallen Angels, the Watchers, and the Nephilim. After presenting extensive historical backgrounds and brilliant translations of The First, Second, and Third Books of Enoch, Lumpkin takes time to piece together a historical narrative of Fallen Angels, the Watcher, and the Nephilim, using his extensive knowledge of ancient texts.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Lose the echo effect
- By Mark Medbery on 10-29-17
By: Joseph Lumpkin
-
The Book of Enoch
- From the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament
- By: Robert Bagley III
- Narrated by: Steve Cook
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,587
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,348
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,344
Why is The Book of Enoch so important to anyone interested in Biblical history? The answer is simple: It is directly quoted in the New Testament by Jude (vv.14-15). Themes of the book referenced in 2 Peter 2:1. Jesus also used content from The Book of Enoch in many of his sermons in Matthew and Luke. In this text, you will hear the word of God through this amazing document. We will take this amazing journey together and learn why this text is not an official book of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing and disturbingly accurate celestial calc.
- By Susan I Carter on 12-05-17
-
The Book of Enoch
- By: Unknown
- Narrated by: Christopher Glyn
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 113
The book of Enoch was thought to be lost for over 2,000 years until, in 1773, a traveller brought three copies back from Ethiopia. Whether or not this ancient book was actually authored by Enoch, the father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah, is an ongoing debate among historians and theologians. But all recognise the book of Enoch as one of the most important apocalyptic works outside of the Bible.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Further Information
- By Timothy on 01-11-20
By: Unknown
-
Paranormal Activity
- True Tales of Possession
- By: Paramount Pictures
- Narrated by: Micah Sloat, Katie Featherston
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 159
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 154
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 154
You may know Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat from Paranormal Activity, the 2007 found-footage horror film that launched a blockbuster franchise. Now, inspired by the fictional haunting that brought them together, the friends and former co-stars are examining real-life stories of demonic possession, tracing the phenomenon from its earliest known accounts to its modern-day headlines.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great stories, great hosts!
- By AmandaJM on 08-02-24
-
Super Attractor
- Methods for Manifesting a Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
- By: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Bernstein
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,917
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,786
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,736
Ready to turn what you want into the life that you live? The number-one New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back shows you how. In Super Attractor, Gabrielle Bernstein lays out the essential methods for manifesting a life beyond your wildest dreams. This book is a journey of remembering where your true power lies. You'll learn how to co-create the life you want. You'll accept that life can flow, that attracting is fun, and that you don't have to work so hard to get what you want.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Not a huge fan
- By Pamela H on 09-30-19
-
Medieval Myths & Mysteries
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,804
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,249
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,223
The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting, but centered on Britain
- By Ximena on 04-10-20
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
-
Neville Goddard: The Complete Reader
- By: Neville Goddard
- Narrated by: Barry J. Peterson
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,531
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,311
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,309
Neville Goddard: The Complete Reader, Includes all 10 of Neville Goddard's Spiritual Classics: At Your Command, Awakened Imagination & the Search, Feeling is the Secret, Freedom For All, Out of This World, Prayer, The Art of Believing, Seedtime and Harvest, The Law and The Promise, The Power of Awareness, and Your Faith Is Your Fortune. If you are familiar with the great American mystic, this will be a goldmine of wisdom in one book. If you are new to his work, you are in for a spiritual journey.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Hidden Gem
- By TrauntsiePants on 05-22-18
By: Neville Goddard
-
The Sophia Code
- A Living Transmission from the Sophia Dragon Tribe
- By: Kaia Ra
- Narrated by: Kaia Ra
- Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 913
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 785
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 774
A declaration of your sovereign divinity, The Sophia Code is a visionary, sacred text for the Divine Feminine Christ movement sweeping the planet now. This book is a living transmission encoded with direct revelations to activate your important role as a revolutionary wayshower for humanity's awakening.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
It’s not the complete book.
- By Kevin Swanstrom on 12-02-18
By: Kaia Ra
-
Buddhism for Beginners
- By: Thubten Chodron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,212
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,887
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,867
This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing introduction to Buddhism
- By chad d on 07-02-15
By: Thubten Chodron, and others
What listeners say about Thinking About Religion and Violence
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- BROWSER OF MUSIC
- 08-25-22
Huh
Nice book for adults and family ages and adults are not looking at the same as a family
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carlos
- 02-15-23
Amazing
A great truth journey into history. I am looking forward to more of his lectures.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Betsy Vixie
- 06-08-22
Violence in Islam
I would like to address some of the criticism I’ve seen in these reviews. In particular, the criticism that the speaker doesn’t talk enough about or harshly enough about violence in Islam. This seems to me to be not at all accurate. In fact, the speaker spends just as much time talking about Islam as they do about Christianity. They do not make excuses for Islamic violence. However, they do try to combat the misconception that Islam is inherently more violent that other religions, positing that Islam has the capacity for both peace and violence, just like every other religion they discuss throughout the lectures. Overall this was a very interesting and informative lecture series.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- pinkie taylo
- 11-10-18
Intriguing
I loved this course, learned so much! I plan on listening again soon & sharing with my friends.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- steve
- 09-06-21
I Gave it A Five With Reservations
I love Great Courses and enjoyed this one also.
Reservations:
1. Skip chapter 19…author talks about Islam and leaves out quite a bit.
2. The professor considers himself privileged male …chapter 24… discounting the decisions he made to better himself…decisions everyone can make in America.
3. Lastly, the professor never discusses what abrogation means in Islam
Other than that, well worth your time
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rebecca T.
- 01-15-20
Fantastic Course But Possible Bias
I rate this course 5/5 on all counts despite what I'm about to say. Religion, history, and culture are very nearly impossible to discuss in an entirely unbiased way (though the bias may be unintended). Frankly whether one interprets something as biased depends heavily on one's own beliefs and what one holds near and dear.
This is not a course on Islam and Violence. If you are looking for an in depth analysis of contemporary Islamic terror organizations or a deep look into religiously motivated violence in the 21st century Middle East, this course will disappoint you. It does mention violence related to Islam and Islamic terror groups, but it is contained to a lecture or two and a mention here and there. I personally enjoyed the broad scope of these lectures specifically because they did not spend too much time dissecting the current situation in the Middle East. I was looking for a broad overview that included many different religions and time periods and I got it.
A few points in the lectures, such as when Gush Emunim and the Kach Party were lumped together with Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda as some of the more influential terror groups in modern times, did leave me with raised eyebrows. My first thoughts were that, while it is important to point out that there have been terror groups in modern times from non-Islamic traditions, comparing GE and the Kach Party to Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda in scale seemed a bit much. However, I'm guessing this is an area where my opinion as a 20-something American might differ from that of a 60-something Palestinian. Regardless of whether my raised eyebrows were due to my own biases or another reason, the points Prof. Bivins brought up in relation to the Jewish terrorist organizations were interesting and relevant, and I learned from it.
Overall, I felt these lectures were informative, thought-provoking, and fairly unbiased given the sensitive nature of the topics discussed.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- L
- 02-02-20
Intro. level wisdom
Dr. Bivins calmly and carefully threads together many types of “violence” and religious bases for them across centuries and spanning the globe. If there is a particular conflict or type of violence you want to delve into this won’t be the course for you, but I appreciated the broad swath of conflicts covered and the overarching message that attempting to better understand ourselves and each other can only help us move forward.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- ancientreader
- 11-22-21
smart and fair-minded
A really stellar course -- lots of information that was new to me even though this is a subject I've done some reading in, and a thorough and fair-minded analysis. Bivins is a most engaging prof whom I'd love to invite to dinner with some of my brainier friends, and then sit back while they all talk.
I pretty much binge-listened.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 04-28-18
A brave and unflinching set of lectures
Professor Bivins offers a calm, well-informed and thoroughly rational analysis of the nexus between religion and violence. Unlike some other Great Courses lecturers, he engages his audience in a mature and open discussion of this sensitive, politically freighted topic. Most important of all, Professor Bivins provides a compelling moral rationale for the course: we cannot address the problem of religiously inspired violence unless we first understand its antecedents and the mindset of the actors involved. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
49 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- P. K. Bellville
- 07-26-19
Heaven help us!
Bivins does a good job staying dispassionate and disconnected from this minefield of a topic. He stays fair, evenhanded and non critical. He stresses egalitarianism but Islam was a very hard sell. I disagreed with a couple scripture interpretations but consensus is nearly impossible anyway. Overall a great job.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful