Western and African cultures collide in Haiti resulting in religious conflict between Christianity and Voodoo. Despite centuries of vigilant opposition from the Christian Church, Voodoo has flourished in Haiti and continues to be one of the strongest elements underlying Haitian culture. This film dispels Hollywood stereotypes and presents Voodoo as a belief system that has been passed down from African ancestor to slave to present day Haitian. Traveling...

Jerusalem is a holy city, not only for Jews but also for Christians and Muslims. Since time immemorial, each of the three great monotheistic religions has claimed the city as its own. Long-lasting, bloodthirsty conflicts were the result. Jerusalem, a bone of contention for over 2000 years. Now more than ever. Without its pre-eminent significance for these religions, Jerusalem would be merely one among a hundred other desert cities - interchangeable,...

[Exodus 16-40] What happens after an enslaved people are set free? How is freedom lived out? Continue exploring Exodus with chapters 16 40, in which ancient laws and ideas of freedom begin to take root. Along the way, you'll study different interpretations of "manna"and break down the different groupings of the Ten Commandments.

The Christian conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine was a momentous turning point for the faith. Learn about the relationship of the Roman Empire to early Christianity, and the specific reasons why Christians were persecuted by Rome. Grasp Constantine's motives for converting to Christianity and for becoming directly involved in theological controversies.

Look at the problem of free will from the point of view of the soul, the conjectured seat of mentality that exists apart from the body. Discover that neuroscience suggests that the soul does not exist and also casts doubt on the concept of free will.

Start your exploration of this profound topic with a helpful overview of how we, as human beings, think about death. What place does it occupy in our lives? How have our attitudes about it changed over time? What symbols and euphemisms do we use to talk about it?

Do real life witches ride broomsticks and cast magic spells? Host Tevya talks to plants, tries a love potion and befriends some teenage witches in the magical world of Wicca. But, when the high priestess, Greymoon, directs Tevya to take a ritualistic bath as part of a welcoming rite, our spiritual explorer finds himself a little outside his comfort zone..

In this section, put what you've learned to work by asking the big question: Can religious belief be justified? Start with Hume's argument that testimony can never justify a belief that a miracle has occurred. Analyze the flaws in Hume's reasoning, and think about whether his conclusion still holds.

The next three lectures address the big question: What is the nature of the mind? Start with the celebrated "hard problem"of consciousness: How does the brain produce the mind? Investigate two possible answers and explore why many philosophers consider both to be problematic.

[2 Kings, Lamentations, Habakkuk] In 587 BC, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. Explore the trauma of this cataclysmic moment through three biblical books: 2 Kings, which tries to explain the events of the loss of Jerusalem; Lamentations, which gives voice to the anger and grief of exile; and Habakkuk, which helps us come to terms with life's unanswered questions.