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The Open University

Why not ‘World Religions’?

The Open University via OpenLearn

Overview

The idea that there are five or six ‘major’ or ‘world’ religions is so common that it seems natural to us today. What makes something a ‘World Religion’? Why do we group some religions in this way? You’ll explore these questions in this free course. You’ll also look at the potential issues with classifying religions like this and why scholars are increasingly moving away from talking about ‘World Religions’.Interested in taking your learning further? You might find it helpful to explore the Open University’s Religious Studies courses and qualifications.

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 What are World Religions?
  • 1 What are World Religions?
  • 2 Some examples
  • 2 Some examples
  • 3 What do we do instead?
  • 3 What do we do instead?
  • Conclusion
  • What next?
  • Further reading
  • Acknowledgements

Reviews

4.4 rating at OpenLearn based on 5 ratings

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