Research On Religion | 2012

Archive for March, 2012

Christian Novetzke on Kung Fu Fighting & Eastern Religions

Tags: Bruce Lee, Buddhism, Carl Douglas, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jesuits, jujitsu, karate, kung fu, Lao Tzu, Mark Driscoll, martial arts, mixed martial arts, Orietntalism, Pat Miletich, samurai, self-actualization, stereotypes, Tai Chi, Taoism, yoga, Zen

Get into the octagon with Prof. Christian Novetzke as we spar intellectally about the relationship between the martial arts and Eastern religions. Karate, jujitsu, tai chi, tae kwon do, and even yoga are discussed in our fascinating interview that also explores Buddhism, Zen, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism and the connection between Christianity and the mixed martial arts (i.e., cage fighting). We discover the importance of self-actualization that connects all these different philosophies and martial activities.

Stay connected with our podcast by becoming our friend on Facebook. Click the Facebook logo on the right hand column of this webpage.

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Timothy Shah on the Case for Religious Liberty

What case can be made for promoting religious freedom worldwide? Prof. Timothy Shah discusses the moral, political, and strategic reasons why religious liberty is a crucial human right and why it is often called “the first freedom.” He reviews the justifications for religious freedom from three different faith traditions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — as well as the ontological reasons why religion should be considered for special consideration in debates about human rights. Tony even uses the word ontology in the discussion, but don’t let that scare you off since he didn’t know what it meant until very recently and our conversation is both enlightening and extremely accessible.

Click the Facebook logo on the right hand column to receive weekly updates on future podcasts!

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Rodney Stark on the Triumph of Christianity, Part II

Rod Stark rejoins our podcast to discuss the second portion of his book, “The Triumph of Christianity.” We survey the epoch from the Edict of Milan up until the start of the Protestant Reformation, covering topics such as the relationship between Christianity and economic growth, the Church’s role in promoting science, religious opposition to slavery, the supposed demise of paganism, the religiosity of the common folk, and the various “reformations” that were taking place within the Christian Church throughout this era, eventually leading to Luther’s Reformation.

We are a free educational podcast series designed to bring quality scholarship to a wider audience. Please tell your friends about us, and become our “friend” on Facebook.

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Richard Flory on Why We Go to Church (and other stuff)

Why do people bother to go to church when a recent Barna Group survey revealed that 60% of all regular attendees could not recall any new insight from their most recent church service? Prof. Richard Flory discusses this finding and several others and speculates on the role the churches play in our lives, arguing that the communal aspect of gathering may be highly underrated when compared with the spiritual education aspect of churches. We also discuss the role that churches can play in the community and whether or not such engagement will help to make church more relevant for youth.

Subscribe to us on iTunes for free and never miss an episode!

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]