Many conflicts in the world today are framed in terms of religion, but there is much discussion and confusion concerning the precise role religion plays in these conflicts. According to some, conflict and violence are inherent to religion. Others claim that religion is only the guise under which social, economic or political conflicts are fought out. The first step to solving religiously framed conflicts is understanding the role of religion in them, and that is what this free online course is about.
One point of departure is that religion means different things in different circumstances and to different (groups of) people. Therefore, the aim of this online course is to show how a religiously framed conflict can be studied in the wider cultural and political contexts of these conflicts. In the course material, the instructors will refer to various religious, cultural and political settings. In addition, they will invite you to engage in some modest research activities in your own environment and compare your own findings with those of fellow students.
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Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Religion, Conflict and Peace (Harvard University)
This online course from Harvard University explores a series of contemporary conflicts in different regions of the world with a special focus on identifying and analyzing the diverse and complex roles that religions play in both promoting and mitigating violence in each context. Students will learn a method for recognizing and analyzing how religious ideologies are embedded in all arenas of human agency and not isolated from political, economic, and cultural life as is often assumed.
In addition to examining the conflicts themselves, this online course also explores the religious dimensions of the impacts those conflicts have on civic life in areas such as public health, education, and commerce by addressing a series of questions:
- What roles do religions play in fostering violence and what roles do they play in promoting peace?
- How do religious institutions and ideologies function to support and/or thwart public health initiatives?
- What are the ideological justifications for functional economic policies and how do they reflect and/or challenge diverse religious values?
- What roles do religions play in advancing or suppressing educational opportunities and for whom?
- Are media representations of the religious dimensions of conflict accurate?
This online course is led by Diane L. Moore (Senior Lecturer and the Director of the Religious Literacy Project, Harvard University)
Register for this online course
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Faithful Dissent: Loving Our Way into a Brighter Tomorrow (ChurchNext)
We live in increasingly divisive times. From politics to sports, the gift of human difference can quickly become a chasm of serious discord and division. What does it mean for good Christians to disagree? How do we do so faithfully? Should Christians protest? How should they do so?
In this free online course, you can get answers from two prominent and in many ways, opposing camps. Social activist Ed Bacon believes Christians should be at the cutting edge of social protest. Ethicist Stanley Hauerwas believes Christians best shine their light by living faithful lives, as people distinct from the world. Their views come to light in these four video presentations:
- Finding Christ in Conflict
- The Nature of Dissent
- Witness and Dissent
- How We Dissent
This online course right will remain open and free through Monday, September 25 – that means you can take it for free anytime, 24/7, during that time period.
Register for this online course
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Gender, Violence and the State in Asia (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
The webinar considered how States in Asia have responded to international legal instruments including CEDAW and the Security Council Resolution 1325. This webinar is the sixth episode in WILPF’s Women’s Power to Stop War webinar series.
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Men, Masculinities and Militarism (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
This on-demand webinar had a particular focus on the challenges – both theoretical and practical – of transforming militarized masculinities as one crucial route to achieving peace and security. This webinar was the seventh episode in WILPF’s Women’s Power to Stop War webinar series.
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
100 Years of Peacemaking (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
This on-demand webinar shared the history of the longest-serving women’s peace organisation in the world and its role in the women’s peace movement. Speakers included Catia Confortini, Edith Ballantyne, Megan Hutching, and Debir D’Hejal sharing stories of WILPF’s history from around the world. This webinar was the eighth episode in WIPLF’s Women’s Power to Stop War webinar series.
Watch the 100 Years of Peacemaking on-demand webinar (and view others in the series)
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security in Africa (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
This on-demand webinar looks into the progress in implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 through National Action Plans, using the case studies of the DRC, Nigeria and Cameroon.
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Preventing Gender-Based Violence Through Arms Control (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
This on-demand webinar explores how effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the UN Programme of Action on small arms (UNPoA) presents a unique opportunity to prevent gender-based violence (GBV).
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
El Feminismo Pacifista, una Tradición de Constructoras de Paz. El Caso de Colombia (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom)
El movimiento de mujeres es un grupo tan diverso como somos las mujeres en él. Con WILPF nació el feminismo pacifista y aún así cada integrante de WILPF decide o no aplicarse esta etiqueta. En este webinar, organizado por el Programa de Derechos Humanos de LIMPAL (WILPF) el 1o de junio de 2016, Carmen Magallón presentará el movimiento del pacifismo feminista y nuestra sección de LIMPAL Colombia hablará de qué impacto ha tenido el feminismo pacifista en el proceso de paz en Colombia.
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
Practicing Compassion (The Upper Room)
Through rich and moving stories of people from various faiths, Frank Rogers shows ways to incorporate compassion in our daily lives in this online course. His interfaith perspective on mercy, kindness, and caring for one another trains us to Pay attention, Understand empathically, Love with connection, Sense the sacredness, and Embody new life (PULSE). Key to Rogers’ instruction is that we begin our compassion practice by extending compassion to ourselves. Getting in touch with our breath, with our own belovedness, and grounding ourselves in the midst of tumultuous emotions is where we start our practice of extending compassion to the world.
Learn more about this online course
Disclaimer: Sacred Space Online Learning (SSOL) seeks to provide individuals with information about religious, spiritual, or faith-based online resources from a variety of sources. Sacred Space Online Learning does NOT claim ownership over this online course or online offering. Sacred Space Online Learning is also NOT responsible for the accuracy of the materials, the content, the way they are advertised or taught, or the costs associated with this online course or offering. The views and opinions expressed in this online course or offering are those of the creators and/or the persons appearing in the online class or offering. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of SSOL, the OFLD, or MCC. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the creator(s) of the given online course or online offering.
