Comparative Religion

Final Exam Essay

Comparative Religion

Rev. Elizabeth King

This has been a most interesting and informative course. I have learned a great deal about so many of the world's religions, their background, their leaders, and their tenets of beliefs. When I first began the course, since I have already taken a course in the World's Religions while attending college, I didn't think I would actually learn much more than what I already thought I knew. How delightful to find out I was wrong and that Kythera Ann is very knowledgeable about a subject that would be beneficial for all people to take at some time in their lives. Her presentation of the material has a spirit and a love that I found missing from the course that I took at CCSN so many years ago.

By helping us to understand the basics of these various religions, the one thing that stands out is how much more similarities than dissimilarities are to be found in the world's religions. True, they have different rituals, approaches, and cultural ideation than we in the west have, but in the areas that are most important, they basically are teaching the same things and love, acceptance, decency of behavior, and respect for the Gods and for all people as well as our home world, which shows that the Deity Creators, by whatever name we choose to call them, are of one mind, and the teachings are universal to all.

While there are some rituals that are perhaps very foreign to western minds and beliefs, such as Goddess worship or in gender related differences in religious dogma, yet we have to admit that there are certain elements that ring true for all of us. It is when man begins to exert his/her influence over the religious and spiritual tenets of the founders and the deities that inspire them that trouble rears its head in religious dogma, and this presents us with the lessons of what can happen when the beginning ideals are neglected or cast aside in favor of man-made rules and regulations.

I so enjoyed learning about all these different religious beliefs, and with that comes a new appreciation and understanding of the human species as we all strive to return to our Makers, by whatever name we call them, and to find spiritual dignity and beauty within ourselves and others. It also shows us the depths of the struggle that all people go through as they deal with figuring out their place in the scheme of the Universe and what their spiritual missions truly are. This kind of course can only help people to understand and thus to gain an appreciation and an open-mindedness to the beautiful diversity that is inherent in the human race.

I honestly cannot think how Kythera Ann could improve the course as it covers all the basics and then much more. She is thorough, and very knowledgeable of her subject. Her writing style is fascinating and contains an 'aliveness' that is very often missing from the majority of textbooks that deal with what should be a fascinating and enjoyable experience as it educates.

I would be interested in taking other courses in the future from Kythera, and I hope to see another course by her in the Seminary soon. Thanks to her, I've gained a deeper appreciation of the religious and spiritual searching that mankind has been engaged in from the very inception of the human race on this earth, and I will be able to take this information and use it to assist the many different religious beliefs I come into contact with through my own ministry, which is non-sectarian. The one area that she has helped me to gain the most compassion and sympathy with are the religions of the Near East, religious teachings that I have always had a difficult time even beginning to understand. I am thankful to her for expertise in explaining their teachings in such a easy to understand format.

I would recommend this course to all ULC ministers and ministerial students as an important part of our training as spiritual leaders, regardless of our religious preferences. It is in gaining understanding of all religious teachings that we become more compassionate and understanding of others, and thus more capable of functioning as a true embassador not so much of religious dogma, but of spiritual growth and development.

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