The Modern Scholar

Judaism, Christinanity and Islam

By: Professor Frank E. Peters

Narrated by: Frank E. Peters

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Attempting to understand religion in all its forms has forever been a source of frustration. In this course, Professor F.E. Peters defines Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as three faith communities of believers, each with its own ideology, history, traditions, and members - past and present.

Professor Peters' extensive studies of these three monotheistic religious communities allow him to offer a comprehensive series of lectures beginning with Creation and ending with the Final Judgment. The history proper of the three communities of Jews, Christians, and Muslims begins with God's Covenant with Abraham. It continues with the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. When Saul, later called Paul, begins accepting Gentiles into the community of Jesus, the Christians are formed as a separation from the main body of the Jewish community. Once Christianity was identified as a new religion, it was no longer protected by the same laws that were extended to the Jews. Until the beginning of the fourth century, Christians were persecuted by suspicious and intolerant Romans. Force and violence are again linked with religion when Muhammad, the Muslim prophet, struck out militarily against those who rejected his claims to prophethood.

This course examines the similarities and differences between each community and traces their evolutions through history. In this course, Professor Peters leads listeners through a comprehensive study of the origins, characteristics, and primary texts of each of these fundamentally monotheistic religious communities. As Peters concludes, only by understanding their similarities and differences can we hope to make sense of the politics of religion which continue to fuel conflicts throughout the world.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2003 F.E. Peters (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

For Self Development You Need An Understanding

It's a good solid book with no major bias. It links the religions, their history and values enough to further understand the linkage of the universe as a whole and the place of humans in it. Recommended.

Excellent overview of the 3 monotheistic religions

Prof. F.E. Peters has studied the three monotheistic or Abrahamic religions for most of his life. He is not only a well accomplished scholar, but also an excellent teacher.

In The Modern Scholar: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, he gives an overview of the three religions from how believers of these religions would approach these faiths. In the first few lectures he gives an overview of each religion and later on he identifies certain institutions and practises that when compares functions very much the same. He tries to present this information in as unbiased manner as possible, in which he greatly succeeds.

I enjoyed the lectures and I thought that the PDF-booklet that accompanied the lectures were excellent. While I felt at times that Prof. Peters should have spend a little bit more time on the one or other issue, I realise that the few instances were a matter of personal taste.

I highly recommend these lectures. It helps you to gain an insightful perspective on the three religions which one is only able to attain when you compare them with each other. Obviously your own perspective on each of these religions might inform your experience of Prof. Peters' approach i.e. if you believe Islam are from Satan, you might feel that he is too apologetic towards it. Yet, from a sound scholarly approach, Prof. Peters created a set of lectures that is unbiased, well-researched and might stimulate more open dialogue between the three faiths.

One of the best I've listened to

What made the experience of listening to The Modern Scholar the most enjoyable?

I listen to a lot of lecture series on audio and this one was one of the best for clarity of speech, insight, presentation. It's not that he told me so many things I didn't know, butthe way the professor organized his material was insightful. A pleasure!

Informative review of the 3 big religions

I was a bit surprised that I liked this set of lectures as much as I did. Professor Peters has an engaging speaking manner and he provides a concise, but interesting, discussion of the early beginnings of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. The early prophets that are common to each of these faiths are described along with the subtle, and not so subtle, differences that produced the three paths. I rate this lecture to be a good read.

Beyond great

Prof. Peters is so good, there is so much clarity in what he says, it is like drinking knowledge from a fountain. I wish he could get out at least one more of these. His style is relaxed but overflowing with wisdom. Thanks!

as an academic faith scholar peters lost his way

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

i hoped for a highly researched academic dissertation , but was more like a superficial glance full of inaccuracies am afraid .it was too poor to be considered academic

What was most disappointing about Frank E. Peters’s story?

inaccuracies

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrator’s performances?

not realy

Any additional comments?

find another academic about the subject