Catholic Perspectives on World Religions, With a Special Focus on Islam Spring, 2007 St. Aloysius Catholic Church 2025 Stuart Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 The seminar will be devoted to studying the great world religions (other than Christianity), with a special focus on Islam.  We plan to invite guest speakers who are scholars or adherents of non-Christian religions to help us explore diverse faiths. Participants will have an opportunity to read key excerpts of the text/scriptures of the faiths studied. The seminar will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. on January 8, 15, 22, and 29, and February 5 and 12 (all Mondays) in the library of the St. Aloysius Parish administration building   Adults of all faiths are welcome. The seminar leaders will be retired professors Jim Bolner, Sr., and Greg Hussey.  For more information e-mail Jim Bolner, Sr., at jimbolnersr@cox.net or phone 766.5987. January 8 - Introduction - Christianity January 15 -  Islam - (Burak Aksoylu) January 22 - Islam January 29 - Judaism (Nancy Smolinski) Febraury 5 - Eastern Religions (Shirley Sands) February 12 - Eastern Religions (Shirley Sands)   Online Resources General Resources Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate) Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965) HTML - PDF  [N.B.: The text refers to "men" and "sons" as if women didn't exist!] "Contemplation and Interreligious Connections: Hope for Peace"  (Address by G. Glenn Hinson, November 2, 2006) (PDF) Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html (adherents.com) The Roman Catholic Church and Other Faiths http://www.religioustolerance.org/rcc_othe.htm   Islam Major World Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents (PDF format) Basic Beliefs of Islam (from Minnesota State University at Mankato) Islam at a Glance (BBC) Capital Punishment (BBC) War (BBC) Jihad (BBC) Islam Timeline (Religion Facts) http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/islam/islam.html (Mankato State University) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/ (BBC) http://www.religioustolerance.org/islam.htm - (Religious Tolerance) Judaism http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/judaism/judaism.html (Mankato State University) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/  (BBC) http://www.religioustolerance.org/judaism.htm  - (Religious Tolerance) Buddhism Buddhism - http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/buddhism/buddhism.html (Mankato State University) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/  (BBC) http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm - (Religious Tolerance) http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/comparative.htm (Compares the two main schools of Buddhism.) Hinduism http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/hinduism/hinduism.html (Mankato State University) http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/  (BBC) http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm - (Religious Tolerance) Shintoism http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/  (BBC) http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm - (Religious Toleraance) Taoism http://www.religioustolerance.org/taoism.htm - (Religious Tolerance) Sikhism http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ (BBC) The Bahá'ís http://www.bahai.org/  http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/bahai/ (BBC)   Jainism http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/ (BBC)