Spring 2007

Blue Mosque, Instabul, Turkey Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson	Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson

Spring 2009 Syllabus

"...the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat." (Genesis 8:4)

The Mountains of Ararat, Eastern Turkey along the Iranian Border
Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson

Current Events

UNI Holocaust Education and Remembrance Program [Complete schedule and links.]

Holocaust Denial on Trial [Website of Prof. Deborah Lipstadt. She will be speaking this semester as part of UNI's Holocaust Remembrance and Education Program]

Iowa Dialog Center [Local non-profit organization whose mission is to help bring togehter different communities in order to promote compassion, cooperation and interfaith dialogue.]

Fethullah Gülen's Web Site [Website of one of the leading Muslim thinkers, peace activist, and proponent of interreligious dialogue.]

Prof. Leonard Swidler [Website of the leading expert on interreligious dialogue and editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies.]

Middle East Media Research Institute [Links to many articles about current events in the Middle East. You will also find numerous translations of primary documents, sermons, etc. from Arabic and other languages.]

Arts & Letters Daily [Go down to the lower center of this site and you will find links to many Middle Eastern papers and websites.]

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States of America (Official report of the 9/11 Commission available for downloading at this government site).

Iraq Study Group Report [You can download the entire report by clicking on the link to the "ISG Report" on the right side of this page.]

Hunting Bin Laden (PBS site with many excellent links to information about Osama Bin Laden).

Dialogue Decalogue (Famous list of Ten Rules for Interreligious Dialogue by Leonard Swidler of Temple University).

Temple of Karnak, Egypt

Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson

View from the top of Mt. Sinai
Photograph by Kenneth Atkinson

SCRIPTURE WEB SITES:

[NOTE: These sites are for you general information. I have chosen web sites with excellent resources and translations. I do not necessarily endorse every link on these sites, nor all or their theological perspectives. If you find additional sites you believe should be included, or which may help the class, let me know]

General

Beliefnet (An excellent list of links to religious texts and related sites about world religion. A good
place to begin your search. You will also find links to the different forms/movements of Judaism and Islam.)

Old and New Testaments

The Unbound Bible (A collection of searchable Bibles consisting of 10 English versions).

Old Testament Gateway (This page contains many excellent links to sites about the Old Testament).

New Testament Gateway (This page from the Web Site "New Testament Gateway" contains many links to various English translation of the Bible).

Koran

Koran (browse individual suras or search the Koran for words and phrases).

Koran Resources Page (includes seven English translations of the Koran and hadith).

Judaism

Judaism 101 (Site with definitions of Jewish terms, holidays, and descriptions of Jewish practices)

Judaism: Information (Site with extensive listing of Jewish web sites)

JewishLearning.com (Jewish customs and practices)

Judaism: Additional Texts

Introduction to the Mishnah and Talmud (Excellent site with translations and introductions on how to read Rabbinic texts. Excellent site to begin with if you are not familiar with the Talmud.)

Jewish Resources (Links to many Jewish resources including the Talmud)

Kabbalah (Excellent site with explanations and definitions)

Islam

Islamic Society of North America [Excellent site with many links to the Koran and Hadith. You will also find many excellent articles on current events.]

Terminology (Definitions of Islamic terms)

Islam 101 (Site with definnitions of Islamic terms, holiday, and descriptions of Islamic practices)

Iowa Muslim Students Association (Great site for information about Islam and local events).

Islam: Additional Texts

Hadith and Sunnah (Excellent site with links and translations of the Koran, Hadith, and Sunnah. Best place to begin)

Introduction to Sunnah and Hadith (Excellent links and information)

Sufi Islam (Links to the mystical tradition in Islam)

Sites to help you write:

Dr. Grammar (Dr. Grammar's list of frequent questions will solve most of your problems).
UNI Online Writing Guide (A great resource!).