jjares reviewed Exploring the Roots of Religion (Great Courses)(Complete Set) on + 3270 more book reviews
Dr. Hale starts about 45,000 years ago with the Neanderthals and their concept of religion. An interesting point about this Great Courses series of lectures (36 lessons) is that he is looking at religion through the lens of archaeology. In other words, Dr. Hale will be proving his points from archaeological digs (he and others have conducted). Generally, religious beginnings are studied from an anthropological standpoint. That means that man is studied through the social and cultural development of humans. What I take away from the difference is that we will only be looking at proofs that have been dug up, seen on cave walls, or found in the depths of bodies of water.
This has turned out to be even more interesting than I'd expected. Religion began as Neanderthals buried their dead with rituals and buried them close at hand (often under their feet) as a form of ancestor worship. Later, this changed to animism (belief in the spirits that inhabit natural objects). This is a fairly exhaustive discussion of the early spiritual practices around the world. I learned the real story of the Aten of Egypt (in Lesson 20) and it was fascinating.
Fortunately, Dr. Hale often referred back to similarities with previous cultures, and this helped cement ideas and events in the listener's mind. Until taking this course, I wasn't aware that there were massive, man-made mountains near the Mississippi River. Since Dr. Hale did some of his research in Ohio, he had some amazing insights into ancient life in North America, as well as other locales in the world. This series has been well worth my time (about 18 hours).
All Lectures:
1. The Roots of Religious Experience
2. Neanderthal Burials at Shanidar
3. Hunting Magic in Sacred Caves
4. Myths of the Shaman
5. Realm of the Mother Goddess
6. Mysteries of the Megaliths
7. Towers and Tombs of Sumeria
8. Tomb of the First Emperor of China
9. Feasting with the Dead at Petra
10. Druid Sacrifice at Lindow Moss?
11. Honoring Ancestors in Ancient Ohio
12. A Viking Queen Sails to Eternity
13. Dancing with Bulls at Knossos
14. Oracle Bones in Ancient China
15. Sun and Sexuality in Early Scandinavia
16. Apollo Speaks at Klaros
17. Chalice of Blood in Ancient Peru
18. Decoding Rituals at Palenque
19. Temple of the Goddess on Malta
20. The Aten - Monotheism in Egypt
21. Deities of the Acropolis
22. Gods and Pyramids at Teotihuacan
23. Sacred City on the Mississippi
24. Sun and Shadow at Machu Picchu
25. Celestial Gateway at Giza
26. Cosmic Hub at Stonehenge
27. Desert Lines at Nazca
28. Skywatchers at Chaco Canyon
29. Mountain of the Gods at Angkor
30. The Stone Heads of Easter Island
31. Tending Zoroaster's Sacred Fire in Iran
32. Writing the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran
33. Taking Religions Underground at Rome
34. Forging Iron at Jenne-jeno on the Niger
35. Carving Monasteries at Ajanta in India
36. Faiths Lost and Found
This has turned out to be even more interesting than I'd expected. Religion began as Neanderthals buried their dead with rituals and buried them close at hand (often under their feet) as a form of ancestor worship. Later, this changed to animism (belief in the spirits that inhabit natural objects). This is a fairly exhaustive discussion of the early spiritual practices around the world. I learned the real story of the Aten of Egypt (in Lesson 20) and it was fascinating.
Fortunately, Dr. Hale often referred back to similarities with previous cultures, and this helped cement ideas and events in the listener's mind. Until taking this course, I wasn't aware that there were massive, man-made mountains near the Mississippi River. Since Dr. Hale did some of his research in Ohio, he had some amazing insights into ancient life in North America, as well as other locales in the world. This series has been well worth my time (about 18 hours).
All Lectures:
1. The Roots of Religious Experience
2. Neanderthal Burials at Shanidar
3. Hunting Magic in Sacred Caves
4. Myths of the Shaman
5. Realm of the Mother Goddess
6. Mysteries of the Megaliths
7. Towers and Tombs of Sumeria
8. Tomb of the First Emperor of China
9. Feasting with the Dead at Petra
10. Druid Sacrifice at Lindow Moss?
11. Honoring Ancestors in Ancient Ohio
12. A Viking Queen Sails to Eternity
13. Dancing with Bulls at Knossos
14. Oracle Bones in Ancient China
15. Sun and Sexuality in Early Scandinavia
16. Apollo Speaks at Klaros
17. Chalice of Blood in Ancient Peru
18. Decoding Rituals at Palenque
19. Temple of the Goddess on Malta
20. The Aten - Monotheism in Egypt
21. Deities of the Acropolis
22. Gods and Pyramids at Teotihuacan
23. Sacred City on the Mississippi
24. Sun and Shadow at Machu Picchu
25. Celestial Gateway at Giza
26. Cosmic Hub at Stonehenge
27. Desert Lines at Nazca
28. Skywatchers at Chaco Canyon
29. Mountain of the Gods at Angkor
30. The Stone Heads of Easter Island
31. Tending Zoroaster's Sacred Fire in Iran
32. Writing the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran
33. Taking Religions Underground at Rome
34. Forging Iron at Jenne-jeno on the Niger
35. Carving Monasteries at Ajanta in India
36. Faiths Lost and Found
