Semester 1a Study Hall

Semester I-A Study Hall

This is the first of eight semester study halls seminarians in all our doctoral programs, religious studies, metaphysics and theology degree programs must complete. You do not need to complete them in order, and how long you take is up to you. It may be a matter of months for you, or only week(s).

Please Complete the following lessons. (Click on each one below. Some lead to a webpage, some will start downloading a .doc file for you to read).

SPECIAL NOTE: Feel free to read thru and even complete all of the lessons in this degree program, but please do not submit any of your answers until you have completed your doctorate application or PhD application and paid your tuition. Otherwise your answers will get lost, because we can’t save them. You can complete them all and save them as a Word .doc then send to us all at once when you pay your tuition, but it’s best to pay your tuition first as most people do and complete the lessons afterward. The Seminary cannot be responsible for lesson answers sent in before application is accepted and tuition is paid!

Semester I-A Courses

*Survey of BeliefNet, Contemporary Spiritual Communities (a .doc file will download. Read it and then complete the assignment inside) OR if you can’t download the document, scroll to the very bottom of this page for this assignment.

*Interfaith Leaders Desperately Needed

*Reaching the “i” Generation with Spiritual Teachings (a .doc file will download). Note: those in Jewish tradition may opt out of this class and instead complete the Extra Credit Supplemental Reading assignment 9.b in the Theodicy & Ontology course.

*Theodicy & Ontology

Survey of BeliefNet, Contemporary Spiritual Communities

Look at the clock on your computer and write down the time.  Now kick around in Beliefnet’s huge website community for at least one hour.  Record the time when finished. Answer the following questions.

Do you find your specific spiritual tradition on Beliefnet?  What is it and describe what you found, is there a “community” online, how big is it, etc.  If not, what is the closest trad on beliefnet to your own beliefs or spiritual system?

* * * * * * *

Now go back and spend another hour on Beliefnet’s website.  Go wherever you want therein.  Record start and finish times.

Are you worried about anything you read on Beliefnet, or does something bother you? If so, what? And what do you recommend? Are you intrigued about anything or something you found during your reading?  If so, what? Is there any way you can incorporate it into your current spiritual beliefs?

* * * * * * *

Now one more hour – this is a three hour course after all! – go back and read and record your start and finish times, then….

List five things you did not know, but now do, after studying Beliefnet.

For instance, I found out that Jehovah Witnesses are the ones that lobbied to put “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance 80 years ago because they didn’t want to pledge allegiance to a “State”, they thought God should be first, then the State.

Go To Semester I-B