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“There will be no lasting peace on earth unless we learn not merely to tolerate but even to respect the other faiths as our own.” — Mahatma Gandhi, 1938 HONR 238U: THE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF THE HUMAN RACE An Honors course offered under the auspices of The Bahá’í Chair for World Peace SPRING 2007 SEMESTER In this global age an understanding of humanity’s religious and spiritual traditions is essential for all students who aspire to be citizens of the world. Religious pluralism, misunderstandings about and between the religions, as well as religious extremism are all central to the challenge of establishing a lasting peace in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, the issue of religion and spirituality has often been the “missing dimension” of conflict resolution. HONR 238U will offer students the opportunity to study religious experience from a multi-cultural and global perspective. It will deal with attempts on the part of human beings throughout the centuries to know “the unknowable.” The development of humankind’s spiritual awareness and understanding will be studied by: tracing the history of the world's spiritual traditions chronologically through related cultural/geographical regions; exploring the cultural influences that shaped and articulated those traditions; identifying common themes and expressions in religious belief and practice; and engaging students in both research and seminar preparation. Professor Suheil Bushrui has offered “The Spiritual Heritage of the Human Race” course annually since 1993. As holder of the Bahá’í Chair for World Peace (19932005), and in congruence with the diversity and cultural initiative of the University of Maryland, he developed this Honors course and, in collaboration with Dr. Mehrdad Massoudi and a team of researchers, also completed a related textbook of the same title. Several years ago, the University of Maryland designated HONR 238U as fulfilling the “CORE Human Cultural Diversity” requirement. A pioneering academic endeavor that has developed a religious studies curriculum for the training of global citizens, HONR 238U was recently awarded the first Temple of Understanding Interfaith Education Award for outstanding work in the field of interfaith education. “Peace among the religions is a precondition for peace among the nations.” — Hans Küng, 2001
H O N R 2 3 8 U BAHÁ’Í CHAIR for WORLD PEACE
THE GOLDEN RULE IN THE SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF THE HUMAN RACE: HINDU “Do not to others what ye do not wish Done to yourself; and wish for others too - What ye desire and long for, for yourself - This is the whole of Dharma.” . — The Mahábhárata . JEWISH “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the entire Torah; the rest is commentary.” — The Talmud ZOROASTRIAN “That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self.” — Dádistan-í-Díník BUDDHIST “Since to others, each one for himself, the self is dear, therefore let him who desires his own advantage not harm another.” — Udana CHRISTIAN “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” — Matthew ISLAMIC “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” — Hadíth
BAHÁ’Í “If thine eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself.” —Kalimát-i-Firdawsíyyih