Comparative Religious Philosophy
Deep analysis of how traditions address universal spiritual questions
This intermediate course dives deep into comparative study, examining how different traditions address universal questions about truth, meaning, suffering, morality, and transcendence. Ideal for those with basic knowledge seeking sophisticated understanding.
Course Details
Duration: 10 weeks
Level: Intermediate
Format: Live + Recorded
Time Commitment: 5-7 hours/week
Cost: $199 (or free with Patron)
Course Overview
Rather than studying traditions in isolation, this course examines universal spiritual questions and explores how different traditions answer them. Through rigorous comparative analysis, we discover both unique contributions and surprising convergences.
Thematic Units
Unit 1: What is the Nature of Reality?
How different traditions answer fundamental metaphysical questions about the nature of existence, matter vs. consciousness, and ultimate reality.
Unit 2: What Causes Suffering & How Do We End It?
The problem of suffering in Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Islamic, and other traditions. Different paths to liberation and transformation.
Unit 3: Divine Reality - God, Brahman, and the Absolute
Conceptions of ultimate reality across traditions. Monotheism, pantheism, non-dualism, and apophatic theology compared.
Unit 4: Ethics, Morality & Right Living
How different traditions ground ethics. Dharma, the Five Precepts, the Golden Rule, Islamic principles, and the path of virtue.
Unit 5: The Purpose of Human Life
Different visions of human purpose. Enlightenment, salvation, serving others, harmony with nature, and union with the divine.
Unit 6: How Do We Access Truth & Ultimate Reality?
Epistemology in traditions. Revelation, reason, intuition, direct experience, faith, scripture, and contemplative practice.
Unit 7: Love, Devotion & the Heart Path
Devotional spirituality across traditions. Bhakti yoga, Sufi love mysticism, Christian contemplative love, and the role of the heart.
Unit 8: Knowledge, Wisdom & Intellectual Understanding
The role of wisdom and knowledge. Jnana yoga, philosophical inquiry, contemplative knowing, and integrated understanding.
Unit 9: Community & the Sacred Dimension of Life
Role of sangha, church, ummah, and spiritual community. Rituals, sacred spaces, and the embodied dimension of spirituality.
Unit 10: Integration & Synthesis
Bringing it together. Universal spiritual insights, the limits of comparison, and creating an integrated personal spirituality.
Course Instructor
Prof. David Goldstein
Professor Goldstein teaches comparative religion at a leading university and has published three books on comparative theology. He brings scholarly precision with deep respect for lived traditions.