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Learn World Religions

The beliefs, practices and histories of the world's religious traditions, fairly told.

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World religions is the study of the beliefs, practices, texts and histories of religious traditions around the globe. A typical course covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, which arose in South Asia; Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Abrahamic faiths of the Middle East; Confucianism, Daoism and Shinto in East Asia; and Indigenous traditions. Religious studies approaches all of these descriptively, explaining what adherents believe and do without asking you to accept or reject any of it. Beginners start with how each tradition began, its core teachings and its main branches. Learnr builds a course of short, respectful lessons.

How to learn World Religions, step by step

Learn the methods of religious studies. Start with the difference between studying a religion and practicing it. Learn the insider and outsider perspectives, sometimes called emic and etic, and the habit of describing a tradition in a way its own members would recognize before comparing it with anything else.
Ask the same five questions of each tradition. For every tradition ask how and where it began, what it teaches about the divine or ultimate reality, which texts it holds sacred, how people practice it day to day, and what its main branches are. A consistent framework makes fair comparison possible.
Learn core concepts in their own terms. Avoid translating everything into one tradition's vocabulary. Learn dharma, samsara and moksha in Hindu thought, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path in Buddhism, Torah and covenant in Judaism, the Trinity in most Christian churches, and the Five Pillars of Islam.
Read short passages from sacred texts. Sample the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, Genesis, the Sermon on the Mount, the opening chapter of the Quran, the Guru Granth Sahib and the Analects of Confucius. Short readings let each tradition speak in its own voice.
Pay attention to diversity within traditions. Every religion has internal variety: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism; Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Christianity; Sunni and Shia Islam; Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. Generalizing from one branch to the whole tradition is the most common error.
Review terms and festivals in short daily lessons. With many traditions the vocabulary grows fast. Brief Learnr lessons that revisit concepts and holy days help you keep Vesak, Diwali, Passover, Easter and Eid al-Fitr attached to the right traditions.

What you'll learn

Describe the origins, core beliefs and practices of the major traditions
Explain key concepts such as dharma, karma, covenant, grace and tawhid
Identify sacred texts, from the Vedas and the Torah to the Bible and the Quran
Distinguish the main branches within traditions, such as Sunni and Shia Islam
Discuss religion respectfully, separating description from personal belief

What's inside your World Religions course

A sample path Learnr builds for World Religions. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. How religious studies works: describing beliefs fairly
2. Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism
3. Buddhism and its major schools
4. Judaism, Christianity and Islam
5. Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Indigenous traditions
6. Religion in the modern world: diversity, secularism and dialogue

How long does it take to learn World Religions?

An introductory survey of the major traditions takes about 2 to 4 months at 3 to 4 hours a week. Studying a single tradition in depth, including its history and texts, can take months on its own.

What you need before you start

No religious background, belief or lack of belief is needed. Respect for people whose views differ from yours is the most important thing to bring.

Common mistakes to avoid

Judging other traditions by the categories of your own, such as assuming every religion centers on a single creator god or a single holy book.
Treating each religion as uniform. Always ask which branch, region and century a claim actually describes.
Learning only beliefs and skipping practice, when rituals, food, festivals and community life matter as much as doctrine in most traditions.

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World Religions questions, answered

Will this course try to convert me or criticize my faith?

No. It follows the approach of academic religious studies, describing what each tradition teaches and practices without promoting or attacking any of them. You can take it whatever your own beliefs are.

Which religions does the course cover?

You choose. A broad survey usually includes Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism, along with Jainism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Indigenous traditions, and you can ask Learnr to focus on any one of them.