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Education
**Let’s Talk Religion**

This podcast aims to educate on the subject of religion from an academic perspective and to open up for informed discussions on the subject. You will find episodes discussing the big religions of the world and historical overviews of important figures from different religious traditions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

The Origins of Arabic Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we explore the history and development of the Arabic language, as well as its connection to religion.

Check out this excellent lecture by Ahmad al-Jallad on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHRbuu8c8nw&t=2836s

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Al-Jallad, Ahmad (2019). "Safaitic". Article.
Al-Jallad, Ahmad (?). "The Earliest Stages of Arabic and its Linguitic Classification". Article.
Al-Jallad, Ahmad (2019). "The Linguistic Landscape of Pre-Islamic Arabia: Context for the Qur'an". Article, first proof.
Macdonald, Michael C.A. (2004). "Ancient North Arabian". In "the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages". Cambridge University Press.
Macdonald, Michael C.A. (2010). "The Development of Arabic as a Written Language". Seminar for Arabian Studies, v. 40. Archaeopress, Oxford.
Macdonald, Michael C.A. (2003). "Languages, Scripts, and the uses of Language among the Nabataeans". In "Petra Rediscovered" (Edited by Elaine M. Stainton). Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers.

#Arabic #Arabia #Language

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What is Hesychasm? Aug 16, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we talk about the mystical tradition called "Hesychasm" in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Lossky, Vladimir (1944). "The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church". James Clarke & Co.
Ware, Timothy (2015). "The Orthodox Church: An introduction to Eastern Christianity". New Edition. Penguin Books.
"Gregory Palamas: The Triads". Translated by Nicholas Gendle. In the "Classics of Western Spirituality Series". 1982.

#Hesychasm #Mysticism #Christianity

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Marguerite Porete & The Mirror of Simple Souls Aug 09, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we talk about the fascinating writer & possibly beguine Marguerite Porete (d. 1310).

Sources/Suggested Reading:

"The Mirror of Simple Souls (From the 15th century translation of the French manuscript)". Edited by C. Kirchberger. First printed in 1927. Soul Care Publishing, Vancover, Canada.
(This is the primary source I used for the quotes in the video, it is a very old translation so I edited the quotes myself to make more sense in modern english).

For a more modern translation I suggest:

"Marguerite Porete: The Mirror of Simple Souls". In the "Classics of Western Spirituality Series. Paulist Press.
McGinn, Bernard (2001). "The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart". The Crossroad Publishing Company.
Tobin, Frank (Tranlsated & edited by) (1989). "Henry Suso: The Exemplar, with two German Sermons". In the "Classics of Western Spirituality Series". Paulist Press.

#Mysticism #Christianity #Religion

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Tayyibi Isma'ilis: Heirs to the Fatimids Aug 05, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we discuss the Tayyibi Isma'ilis, including the Dawwodi Bohras, Alavi Bohras & Sulaymanis and their history.

Don't forget to check out Hikma History: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsaViv1SDQy2FcRFHrf_Dkw

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Daftary, Farhad (2007). "The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines". Cambridge University.
Daftary, Farhad & Shainool Jiwa (ed.) (2017). "The Fatimid Caliphate: Diversity of Traditions". I.B. Tauris.

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Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia Aug 02, 2022

Show notes

Sources/Suggested Reading:

al-Jallad, Ahmad (forthcoming) "The Religion and Rituals of the Nomads of Pre-Islamic Arabia: A reconstruction based on the Safaitic Inscriptions". Pre-Print Darft (Version 2: April 3, 2021).
al-Jallad, Ahmad (2019). "The 'One' God in a Safaitic Inscription". Draft. The Ohio State University.
al-Jallad, Ahmad (2020). "The pre-Islamic basmala: reflections on its first epigraphic attestation and its original significance". Draft. The Ohio State University.
Bowersock, G.W. (2017) "The Crucible of Islam". Harvard University Press.
Hoyland, Robert G. (2001). "Arabia and the Arabs: From the Bronze Age to the Coming of Islam". Routledge.

Also check out these two great resources for ancient Arabic inscriptions:

DASI: http://dasi.cnr.it/
Ociana: http://krcfm.orient.ox.ac.uk/fmi/webd/OCIANA

#Arabia #Religion #Paganism

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How is Sufism related to Islam? Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

Today we talk about an often asked question - what is the relatioship between Sufism and Islam? Are they the same thing or is there some difference?

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Karamustafa, Ahmet T. (2007). "Sufism: The Formative Period". Edinburgh University Press.
Knysh, Alexander (2017). "Sufism : A New History of Islamic Mysticism". Princeton University Press.
Malik, Jamal & John Hinnells (ed.) (2006). "Sufism in the West". Routledge.
Ridgeon, Lloyd (ed.) (2014). "The Cambridge Companion to Sufism". Cambridge University Press.
Van Bruinessen, Martin & Julia Day Howell (ed). (2007). "Sufism and the Modern in Islam". I.B. Tauris.

#Sufism #Islam #Mysticism

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What is Spinoza's God? Jul 26, 2022

Show notes

Spinoza is one of the most controversial and debated philosophers in the last few centuries. This episode attempts to give a very general overview of his perspective on God as well as some ways that it can be interpreted.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Garrett, Don (1996). "The Cambridge Companion to Spinoza". Cambridge University Press.
Nadler, Steven (2018). "Spinoza: A Life". Cambridge University Press.
Wolfson, Harry Austryn (2014). "The Philosophy of Spinoza: Unfolding the Latent Processes of His Reasoning". Harvard University Press.

#Spinoza #Pantheism #Philosophy

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The Real Assassin's Creed? - The Nizari Isma'ilis at Alamut Jul 23, 2022

Show notes

This episode explores the historical and religious context of the first Assassin's Creed Game.

The episode uses sound taken from gameplay footage from No Copyrightgfg Gameplaykj.

Link to their video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3k2CfOK74c&list=UUMcIQ4ZIKaYC6YescDoyw2w&index=663

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Daftary, Farhad (2007). "The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines". Cambridge University Press.

#AssassinsCreed #Islam #History

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Abraham Abulafia & Ecstatic Kabbalah Jul 19, 2022

Show notes

Abraham Abulafia (d. 1291) is one of the most fascinating jewish mystics of all time, who is credited with founding the "Ecstatic/Prophetic Kabbalah".

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Hames, Harvey J. (2007). “Like Angels on Jacob’s Ladder”. State University of New York Press.
Ide, Moshe (1988). “The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia”. Translated from the Hebrew by Jonathan Chipman. State University of New York Press.
Idel, Moshe (1988). “Studies in Ecstatic Kabbalah”. State University of New York Press.
Wolfson, Eliot R. (2011). “Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia and the Prophetic Kabbalah”. In Jewish Mysticism & Kabbalah (ed. Frederick E. Greenspahn). New York University Press.

#Abulafia #Kabbalah #Mysticism

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Did Jesus Exist? Jul 15, 2022

Show notes

In this episode we talk about Jesus, who is was and if he even existed.

Sources/Suggested Reading:

Chilton, Bruce & Craig A. Evans (ed.) (1998). Studying the historical Jesus: Evaluations of the state of Current Research. Brill.
Ehrman, Bart D. (2013). Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth. HarperOne.
Holmén, Tom & Stanley E. Porter (ed.) (2011). Handbook for the study of the historical Jesus. Volume 1. Brill.
Levine, Amy-Jill; Dale C. Allison Jr. & John Dominic Crossan (2006). The Historical Jesus in Context. Princeton University Press.

#Jesus #History #ProjectHistoricity

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