Hearts class with Kay Gilbert from The Heart of Christianity at First United Methodist Church for Saturday, 18 March 2017

Hearts class with Kay Gilbert from The Heart of Christianity at First United Methodist Church for Saturday, 18 March 2017
Dear Hearts,
We’re continuing our examination of The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong. Sunday we’ll further discuss the Introduction & Chapter 1. Questions for discussion are attached. See you in class Sunday.

Attachments area

The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong

Questions for discussion:

Pages	Questions
Introduction xvi -xvii	When was the Axial Age as identified by Karl Jaspers?   Why is it considered pivotal to the spiritual development of humanity? What four distinct religious traditions were consolidated during that period?
Introduction xviii -xvix	What was the central change in these religious traditions?   How did this lead to transcendence?
Introduction xx	How & why did the universal practice of animal sacrifice prior to the Axial Age morph into the Axial Age?
Introduction xxi-xxii	As Karen Armstrong leads us chronologically through the four Axial peoples side by side, what does she think is a major failing in their development?
Chap.1, pp. 4-13	According to Armstrong, Agni was not just the fire god of the earliest Aryans.  He was the fire that burned in every single hearth.  How does this exemplify how Aryans thought about “divine spirit,” sacred order, the spoken word, & human life? How did Aryan thought evolve as Aryans became warriors? How did Zoroaster’s preoccupation of the violence of his people & visions of Lord Mazda/Holy Immortals change how Zoroastrians thought & lived?
Chap.1, pp.14-29	As Aryans moved into the Indus Valley, this group remained war-like.  How did the god Indra represent these people, according to the Vedas?   How did the Vedic poem-scriptures influence persons so that “the doors of the mind may be opened?” How were both violence & enlightenment experienced & lived by the Indus Valley Aryans? During the late Vedic period, the idea of brahman developed.  What was this thought to be?
Chap.1, pp. 30-41	How were Chinese kings, “sons of heaven,” thought to derive their power? Describe some early beliefs that came down through Chinese religious tradition to influence Asian religious thought today. What important ethical ideal did the Zhou introduce into religion that had not been there before.
Chap.1, pp. 42-56	During the 11th century BCE, the people of new cities in the old area of Canaan peaked at about 80,000 people & were the people of Israel.  When were their texts written?  Canonized? How do archeological evidence & biblical text clash?  What was the aim of biblical writers? What was different in the beliefs of Israel’s religion compared to neighboring ethnic groups? Were the people of early Israel monotheists?

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