These twenty-four lectures offer an introduction to the history, literature, and religion of ancient Israel and early Judaism as it is presented in the collection of texts called the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Tanakh. Attention is given not only to the content of the biblical books but also to the debates over their meaning and the critical methods through which they have been interpreted.

What, exactly, is religion? Why does one religious tradition often differ so markedly from another? Why--despite their common source--are the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam so different? What kinds of factors separate the beliefs of a Hindu or Buddhist from the 'people of the book' and from other sects of Hindus or Buddhists? Religion affects everyone's life, whether directly or indirectly, and as religious issues become more...

Explore how great faiths, philosophies, and cultures all over the world perceive death -- and existence -- in these life-affirming lectures.