Let's Talk Religion

In this episode, we explore the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Qumran community and ask the question whether or not this group can be identified as the Essenes.Sources/Recomended Reading:Klawans, Jonathan (2016). "The Essene Hypothesis: Insights from Religion 101". Brill.Magness, Jodi (2021). "The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls". Second Edition. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.Vermes, Geza (Trans.) (2004). "The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English". Revised Edition. Penguin Books. #essenes #archeology #deadseascrolls Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating life of Apollonius of Tyana, a Neopythagorean philosopher whose life in many ways mirror that of Jesus.Sources/Suggested Reading:Dzielska, Maria (1986). "Apollonius of Tyana in Legend and History". L'Erma Di Bretschneider.Kirk, G.S., J.E. Raven & M. Schofield (1983). "The Presocratic Philosophers". Second Edition. Cambridge University Press.Huffman, Carl A. (ed.) (2017). "A History of Pythagoreanism". Cambridge University Press.#Apollonius #jesus #ancient Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This has been one of the most requested subjects, it is finally time to talk about Mulla Sadra.Sources/Recommended Reading:Adamson, Peter (ed.) (2005). “The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy”. Cambridge University Press.Chittick, William (1998). "The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn al-'Arabi's Cosmology". State University of New York Press.Kalin, Ibrahim (2005). “Knowledge in later Islamic Philosophy: Mulla Sadra on Existence, Intellect and Intuition”. Oxford University Press.Meisami, Sayeh (2013). “Mulla Sadra”. Makers of the Muslim World Series. OneWorld Academic.Sadr al-din al-Shirazi (2014). “Metaphysical Penetrations: A Parallel English-Arabic text”. Translated by Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Edited by Ibrahim Kalin. Islamic Translation Series. University of Chicago Press.Sadr al-din al-Shirazi (Mulla Sadra) (2003). “The Elixir of the Gnostics: A Parallel English-Arabic text”. Translated by William Chittick. Islamic Translation Series. University of Chicago Press.Sadr al-din al-Shirazi (Mulla Sadra) (1981). “The Wisdom of the Throne: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mulla Sadra”. Translated by James W. Morris. Princeton University Press.Rizvi, Sajjad H. (2009). “Mulla Sadra and Metaphysics: Modulation of Being”. Routledge.Rustom, Mohammed (2013). “The Triumph of Mercy: Philosophy and Scripture in Mulla Sadra”. State University of New York Press.#Philosophy #Islam #Mysicism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We continue our exploration of Sufi poetry by looking at one of the greatest poets to write in the Turkish language.Sources/Suggested Reading:Smith, Grace Martin (1993). "The Poetry of Yunus Emre: A Turkish Sufi Poet". University of California Press.Soileau, Mark (2018). "Humanist Mystics: Nationalism and the Commemoration of Saints in Turkey". The University of Utah Press.#yunusemre #sufism #poetry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The translation of this sermon is taken from:Walshe, Maurice O'C (ed.) (2009). "The Complete Mystical Works of Meister Eckhart". The Crossroad Publishing Company.For more information about Eckhart, suggested reading includes the following:McGinn, Bernard (2003). "The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart: The Man from Whom God Hid Nothing". Independent Publishers Group.McGinn, Bernard (1992). "Meister Eckhart: Teacher and Preacher". Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press International, U.S.McGinn, Bernard (1981). "Meister Eckhart: The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises and Defense". Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press International, U.S.You can also watch my previous video on the topic:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg0c32KbA-g&t=1330s#Christmas #Mysticism #Christianity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we finally explore the vast and important religious tradition of ancient Mesopotamia!Sources/Suggested Reading:Bottéro, Jean (2004). "Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia". Translated by Teresa Lavender Fagan. University of Chicago Press.Michalowski, Piotr (2012). "The Mortal Kings of Ur: Short Century of Divine Rule in Ancient Mesopotamia". In Religion and Power: Divine Kingship in the Ancient World and Beyond (ed. Nicole Brisch). Chicago: The Oriental Institute.Tzvi Abusch, I. (2020). "Mesopotamian Religion". In Essays on Babylonian and Biblical Literature and Religion, Vol. 65: 5-23. Brill. Van De Mieroop, Marc (2015). A History of the Ancient Near East, ca. 3000-323 BC. Wiley-Blackwell.#Sumeria #Mesopotamia #Religion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the history of music in Jewish mysticism, from the ancient prophets to the Hasidim of today.Sources/Suggested Reading:Idel, Moshe (1987). "The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia". State University of New York Press.Idel, Moshe (1988). "Studies in Ecstatic Kabbalah". State University of New York Press.Idel, Moshe (1988). "Kabbalah: New Perspectives". Yale University Press.Idel, Moshe (1997). "Conceptualizations of Music in Jewish Mysticism". In "Enchanting Powers: Music in the World's Religions" (ed. Lawrence E. Sullivan). Harvard University Press.Idel, Moshe (2002). "Music in Sixteenth-Century Kabbalah in Northern Africa". In "Yuval: Studies of the Jewish Music Research Centre", Vol. 2. The Hebrew University Magnes Press, Jerusalem.Kraemer, Joel L. (2010). "Maimonides: The Life and World of one of Civilization's Greatest Minds". Doubleday & Co Inc.Russ-Fishbane, Elisha (2015). "Judaism, Sufism, and the Pietists of Medieval Egypt: A study of Abraham Maimonides and his times". Oxford University PressScholem, Gershom (1995). "Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism". Schocken Books.Internet Sources:http://www.nigun.info/chassidic.html#Judaism #Kabbalah #Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the life and teachings of the Senegalese Sufi saint and social reformer Ahmadou Bamba (d. 1927), who led a movement of resistence against French colonialism through nonviolence.Thank you to Brahdamon for kindly allowing me to use his footage. Check out his channel here:https://www.youtube.com/c/BrahdamonVideos used:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ovb44sbHR8&t=221sSources/Suggested Reading:Babou, Cheikh Anta (2007). "Fighting the Greater Jihad: Amadu Bamba and the founding of the Mouridiyya of Senegal, 1853-1913". Ohio University Press.Clark, Andrew Francis (1999). "Imperialism, Independence, and Islam in Senegal and Mali". Africa Today, Volume 46, Number 3/4, Summer/Autumn. Indiana University Press.Creevey, Lucy E. (1985). "Muslim Brotherhoods and Politics in Senegal in 1985". The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 23, No. 4. Cambridge University Press.Holm, Filip (2018). "The Architecture of Pilgrimage: a study on the Ziyara Bogal and charismatic authority in the Tijaniyya". Master's Thesis. Södertörn University.Kimball, Michelle R. (2018). "Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba: A Peacemaker for Our Time". The Other Press Sdn. Bhd.Mbacké, Khadim (2005). "Sufism and Religious Brotherhoods in Senegal". Markus Weiner Publishers.McLaughlin, Fiona (1997). "Islam and popular music in Senegal: The emergence of a new tradition". Africa: Journal of the international African Institute.Van Hoven, Ed (2000). "The nation turbaned? The construction of nationalist identities in Senegal. Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol. 30, Fasc. 2. Brill.#Senegal #Sufism #Islam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A healthy level of speculation is required this time as we dive into the fascinating Eleusinian mysteries and its transformative rituals of consciousness-alteration.Sources/Suggested reading.Bowden, Hugh (2010). "Mystery cults in the Ancient World". Thames and Hudson Ltd.Burkert, William (1982). "Greek Religion". Harvard University Press.Burkert, William (1988). "Ancient Mystery Cults". Harvard University Press.Evans, Nancy A. “Sanctuaries, Sacrifices, and the Eleusinian Mysteries.” Numen, Vol. 49, No. 3 (2002): 227-254. Mylonas, George E. “Eleusis and the Eleusinian Mysteries.” The Classical Journal, Vol. 43, No. 3 (1947): 130-146. Ustinova, Yulia (2017). "Divine Mania: Alterations of Consciousness in Ancient Greece". Routledge.#Eleusinianmysteries #Greece #Mythology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're finally doing Buddhism! In this episode, we explore the teachings of the Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna and his school, known as Madhyamika, or "The Middle Way".Sources/Suggested Reading:Siderits, Mark & Shoryu Katsura (Translated by) (2013). "Nagarjuna's Middle Way: The Mulamadhyamakakarika". Classics of Indian Buddhism. Wisdom Publications.Westerhoff, Jan (2009). "Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka: A Philosophical Introduction". Oxford University Press.Ziporyn, Brook (2016). "Emptiness and Omnipresence: An essential introduction to Tiantai Buddhism". Indiana University Press.#Nagarjuna #Buddhism #Emptiness Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.