HONR 228N Curious Ancient Religions: Their Influences and Implications For Modernity
Tuesday/Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Dr. Balaji Hebbar, Lecturer in University Honors

The course will look into four less-known religions. These are: Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Shintoism.

Did you know that Zoroastrianism might have become the principal religion of the Western World had the Persians won the crucial battles of Marathon and Salamis instead of the Greeks? Plato wanted to study Zoroastrianism but couldn't go to Persia on account of the Greco-Persian Wars. Mithraism, an offshoot of Zoroastrianism, was popular in Ancient Rome and was in stiff competition with Christianity till 321 AD. Manichaeism, another offshoot of Zoroastrianism was the religion of Augustine, the founding father of Western Christianity.

Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King followed the non-violent teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. But where did he get his inspiration from? It was Jainism, a non-violent religion, whose symbol is the Swastika, founded 2500 years ago in India. It's founder was a contemporary of the Buddha.

Sikhism was a religion founded some 500 years ago to reconcile Hinduism and Islam. Its followers are often mistaken for Muslims but are a distinct religion of their own.

Shintoism is intensely nationalistic and distinctly Japanese. It opposed Buddhism and took Japan down the road of militancy culminating in WWII. It's three jewels were the Emperor (who was considered a living god), Japan and its people. After 1945, General MacArthur banned State Shinto, divinity of the Emperor and ritual suicide (harakiri), but allowed other wholesome aspects of the religion to flourish. A nation was reformed and the Japanese are a very peace-loving people today.

All the above religions have relevance in terms of current events and it is important to investigate parallels and learn from them.

CORE: Humanities [HO]

Comments and questions may be directed to dhebert@deans.umd.edu