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ReligionForBreakfast

ReligionForBreakfast

An educational channel dedicated to the academic, nonsectarian study of religion. We promote improving the public's religious literacy by exploring humanity's beliefs and rituals through an anthropological, sociological, and archaeological lens.

Religion for Breakfast does not endorse any particular religious tradition or non-religious perspective. Please be respectful in the comments!

The host, Dr. Andrew M. Henry, is a scholar of religious studies. His research focus is early Christianity and late Roman religion. He earned his PhD at Boston University. Follow him on Twitter @andrewmarkhenry.
fan Made. no infringement intended.

Links:
Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast
Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewmarkhenry
Blog: http://www.religionforbreakfast.com

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  • 169 episodes
  • Avg 21 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Today · 32 min

    Why Ancient Christian Artists Gave Jesus a "Magic" Wand

    Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters Ancient Christian art often shows Jesus holding what looks like a magic wand. Was he being portrayed as a magician? This video explores the cultural meaning behind these images, and what they reveal about early Christian views of power and miracles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 3 min

    I'm in Jerusalem! [2018 Channel Update]

    I'm in Jerusalem! We passed 10,000 subscribers! Here's to 2018, and here's to religious studies! Oh, and my videos keep getting demonetized. If you'd like to support the show to offset this problem, head on over to: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast and donate. Even a dollar a month can really add up to make this channel sustainable. Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 53 min

    Coptic Christianity Explained

    Want to learn Coptic? Join our 8-week Intro to Coptic course and start reading the Gospel of Thomas: https://www.religiondepartment.com/coptic Special thanks to the Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church Macon, GA for the Port Said icon footage. For the original footage, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUjqmUGxbfo&ab_channel=ArchangelMichaelCopticOrthodoxChuchMacon%2CGA Coptic Orthodox Christianity is one of the oldest branches of Christianity, tracing its roots to first-century Egypt. This video explores its history, theology, saints, and unique traditions. Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 4 min

    The Ancient Jerusalem Soundscape: They Experienced Life Differently

    One day, I was trying to write my dissertation while sitting in my room in east Jerusalem. I was writing about ancient soundscapes...how the lack of ambient sounds in ancient cities would have made conversation and religious chants audible from over 100 feet away. Then a traffic jam happened outside my window. It was very loud. So I made this video. (The ancient city you see in some of these clips comes from the city of Hippos, a Roman city in the Galilee). Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast https://www.instagram.com/andrewmarkhenry/ Sources: Bruce Smith, “The Acoustic World of Early Modern England." Massachusetts Birth rate stats: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/infant_mortality_rates/infant_mortality.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 30 min

    Does the Bible Really Say Give 10% of Your Money? | Tithing Explained

    Send cash directly to families in need, no strings attached: https://www.givedirectly.org/religion The opinions expressed in this video are mine and written by me. They are not the opinions of the charity GiveDirectly, who sponsored this video to spread the word about their work. 00:00 What is Tithing? 3:57 Tithing in the Ancient Near East 9:23 Voluntary Tithes in Hebrew Bible 10:49 Obligatory Tithes in Hebrew Bible 17:45 Harmonization of the Tithe Laws 19:52 GiveDirectly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 37 min

    How to Become Immortal According to Daoism (in 5 not-so-easy steps)

    With my link, you can get 50% off of Nebula. It’s just $30/year, or $2,5/month, at https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch SarahZ's "Three Dead Girls I Love": https://nebula.tv/videos/sarahz-three-dead-girls-i-love?ref=religionforbreakfast Daoist texts describe a path to transcendence through diet, celibacy, breathwork, and alchemy. From grain avoidance to mercury elixirs, how did Daoists try to live forever—and what did “immortality” really mean? Religion for Breakfast videos take a lot of research and collaboration. Patreon support helps fund editors, scholars, and future episodes. Support us here: https://www.patreon.com/c/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 8 min

    Big News...

    Join The Religion Department: https://www.religiondepartment.com/ The Religion Department is our new online learning platform and community where you can learn about religion from scholars around the world. We offer lectures, multi-week seminars, and guided reading groups that explore the fascinating complexity of religion in all its forms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 27 min

    Why Fictional Religions Feel So Fake

    Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 40% off your subscription by going to https://ground.news/religionforbreakfast Why do fictional religions feel so fake? This video explores what fantasy and sci-fi often miss about real-world religion—like ritual, syncretism, and lived practice—and how adding these elements can make your worldbuilding feel more authentic and alive. Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters 00:00 Intro 3:00 Syncretism 6:45 Ritualization 11:08 Religious Materiality 13:26 Lived Religion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 43 min

    Why Fictional Magic Systems Feel So Fake

    Want to restore the planet’s ecosystems and see your impact in monthly videos? The first 100 people to join Planet Wild with my code RELIGION2 will get the first month for free on me: https://planetwild.com/r/religionforbreakfast/join/2 If you want to get to know them better first, check out their mission supporting Brazil’s Xingu region: https://planetwild.com/r/religionforbreakfast/m29/2 Thumbnail by @ECHenry 00:00 Intro 1:24 Part 1: Magic is Mundane 8:39 Part 2: Magic as a Profession? 14:10 Part 3: Magic as Energy? 22:08 Part 4: Good vs. Evil 27:47 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 1 hr 10 min

    Whose Religion Counts as "American?" | ft. Dr. Simran Jeet Singh

    Watch Simran's new docuseries UNDIVIDED on YouTube!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKFaEhkvrfI What counts as "American" religion? Dr. Simran Jeet Singh joins me to talk pluralism, religious freedom, and the religious communities often overlooked in US history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 7 min

    What Does it Mean to Be Religious?

    Many define "religion" as a "belief system." But religion encompasses a lot more than "belief" and "doctrine." In fact, many religions don't emphasize personal faith much at all. For many people, their religious identity is derived through the rituals they decide to participate in and the cultural identity that they have adopted. How, then, can we complicate our "belief centric" view of religious identity? Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast B-reel footage used with permission from the following photographers: EC Henry: https://www.youtube.com/user/tlwll Jennifer Lindsay: https://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferslindsay Bibliography: Ben Marcus on the 3B Framework of Religious Identity: “Religious Literacy in American Education,” in The Oxford Handbook of Religion and American Education, ed. Michael D. Waggoner and Nathan C. Walker (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Forthcoming). More from Ben Marcus on 3B Framework: http://www.religiousfreedomcenter.org/schools/grounding/identity/ Belief in God Pew Research study: http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/belief-in-god/ Catholic views Pew Research study: http://www.pewforum.org/2013/03/18/us-catholics-happy-with-selection-of-pope-francis/ Another study on Catholic views on birth control and homosexuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/19/majority-of-u-s-catholics-opinions-run-counter-to-church-on-contraception-homosexuality/ For a fuller discussion on Charles Hardwick and the "Protestant bias" in the study of religion, see: Dr. Tomoko Masuzawa, "The Invention of World Religions," p. 127 Dr. JZ Smith, "Drudgery Divine," (the whole book, its great). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 8 min

    Would Alien "First Contact" Destroy Religion?

    As NASA continues to discover thousands of new exoplanets, humans have increasingly asked: "Are we alone?" If other intelligent species exist in our universe, do they practice religion too? If so, how would human world religions react to the possibility of first contact with extraterrestrial life? Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Thanks to our Patreon patrons!: Brian B Dan D Alex B John M Wilson Cain D Manny Mark H Attributions: Ultra Hi Def Earth: https://www.nasa.gov/content/ultra-high-definition-video-gallery Starfield time-lapse with aurora: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/BeyondThePhotography/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/Africa.htm Starfield time lapse: https://www.videezy.com/time-lapse/2669-star-trails-royalty-free-hd-stock-footage Earth from ISS orbit: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/BeyondThePhotography/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/ Flying over New Zealand: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/BeyondThePhotography/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/SouthPacific.htm John Hart Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0fQiXrvw1g David Weintraub lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFUF5gcXWVw Thomas Paine Oil Painting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Paine#/media/File:Thomas_Paine_by_Laurent_Dabos-crop.jpg Ruined Church: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Ruined_church_passarella.jpg Chalmers Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Chalmers#/media/File:Thomas_Chalmers_by_David_Octavius_Hill,_c1843-47.jpg Samsara photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%83s%C4%81ra#/media/File:The_wheel_of_life,_Trongsa_dzong.jpg Flammarion Woodcut: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ Vodou Altar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Vodou#/media/File:Haitian_vodou_altar_to_Petwo,_Rada,_and_Gede_spirits;_November_5,_2010..jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 7 min

    Ancient Greek Sacrifice: Why did they do it?

    When we think about animal sacrifice, ancient societies such as the Greeks come to mind. But why did they ritually slaughter animals? What did this do for their society? Part 1: The Origins of Animal Sacrifice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw8JD972M78 Thank you to our patrons on Patreon who support this channel! Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Facebook. www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Photo attributions: Sphageion: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sphageion_01_pushkin.jpg Roman Procession image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turquie_2009_212a_Pamukkale_Hierapolis.jpg Hermes altar, Agora of the Competaliasts on Delos: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ancient_Greek_Altar_Hermes_Delos_102292.jpg limestone Cypriot priest: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/74.51.2466/ Demeter votive: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Votive_relief_sacrifice_Louvre_Ma756.jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 7 min

    The Academic Study of Religion Explained

    Religious studies draws inspiration from multiple academic disciplines: sociology, anthropology, history, neuroscience, biology, psychology, political science..so no matter what you're interested in, you can probably find a home in religious studies! Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Special thanks to the Religious Freedom Center for helping to film and edit this video. The Religious Freedom Center is a nonsectarian organization based out of the Newseum in Washington D.C. They are developing online curriculum to help public school teachers to improve their religious literacy in the classroom. This video is part of two classes I helped to design: RLIT 100 Religions of the World, and EDU 300 Teaching About Religion in Public School. If you are interested in signing up for one of these courses, head on over to: http://www.religiousfreedomcenter.org/admissions/ Buddhism footage is from my friend and colleague Jenn Lindsay. Check out her YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferslindsay Special thanks to another friend and colleague, John Balch, for help describing the scientific study of religion. Follow him on Twitter at @PerplexedMonist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 11 min

    When Did Christianity and Judaism Part Ways?

    30 CE? 70 CE? 135 CE? 200 CE? Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.religionforbreakfast.com/facebook Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Animation: EC Henry www.echenry.com Design: Chris Maghintay http://www.chrismaghintay.com/ Music: Kevin MacLeod www.incompetech.com All images my own or Public Domain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 8 min

    Is Animal Sacrifice Legal in the USA?

    We always think of animal sacrifice as an ancient ritual, but many people still practice it today. This sparked some controversy in Florida in the late 1980s, leading to a landmark Supreme Court decision in Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. Hialeah. This case still influences religious freedom law today, even being cited in the courts' decisions to strike down President Donald Trump's so-called Muslim Ban. Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook. www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Patreon: Patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Thanks to our Patreon Patrons! Bibliography: http://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/constitutional-law/constitutional-law-keyed-to-sullivan/the-religion-clauses-free-exercise-and-establishment/church-of-the-lukumi-babalu-aye-v-city-of-hialeah/ https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2017/02/09/17-35105.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/02/12/the-role-an-old-florida-case-on-ritual-goat-sacrifices-played-in-blocking-trumps-travel-ban/ Santeria Photograph Attributions Photo 1: Jorge Royan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santer%C3%ADa#/media/File:Havana_-_Cuba_-_0616.jpg Photo 2: Santería en Cuba, Creative Commons License CC-SA-BY-3.0 by Jorge Royan. Photo 3: Ji Elle https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Havane-Vente_d%27articles_religieux-Santer%C3%ADa_(3).jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 13 min

    What is the Dome of the Rock?

    The Dome of the Rock is one of the most iconic buildings in the world and one of the most sacred buildings for Muslims today. But what is the Dome of the Rock? What is its history? Support the show on Patreon! www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Check out my religious studies book recommendations at: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Bibliography: Rina Avner, "The Dome of the Rock in Light of the Development of Concentric Martyria in Jerusalem: Architecture and Architectural Iconography," Jodi Magness, “The Archaeology of the Holy Land," Cambridge University Press, 2012. Oleg Grabar, "The Dome of the Rock," Harvard University Press, 2006. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 3 min

    6000 subscribers! (and channel update)

    We have passed 6000 subscribers and are growing more every day! Thank you so much everyone for supporting Religion for Breakfast. Religious literacy is needed more than ever in this day and age, and I hope, in some small way, RFB can help. All summer I have been working at the Newseum Institute's Religious Freedom Center developing educational material for religious studies teachers. Part of this project involved creating videos on a variety of religious studies topics. So stay tuned in the coming months, and you will see some new videos in this different format. I hope you like them! Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Today · 1 hr 17 min

    Why Is Christmas on December 25th? | Dr. Tom Schmidt

    Religion for Breakfast videos take a lot of research and collaboration. Patreon support helps fund editors, scholars, and future episodes. Support us here: https://www.patreon.com/c/religionforbreakfast Read Dr. Schmidt's Christmas publications here: https://tcschmidt.com/christmas-publications/ The Bible doesn't say when Jesus was born...so why December 25th? New Testament scholar Dr. Tom Schmidt explains. 00:00 Intro: The Debate Over December 25th 01:20 What We Know for Sure (John Chrysostom) 05:25 The History of Religions Thesis (Sol Invictus) 07:43 Problems with the Sol Invictus Theory 11:20 The Winter Solstice in Ancient Culture 13:05 The Calculation Theory: Passover & The Equinox 15:34 "Cosmic Perfection": Linking Conception & Crucifixion 19:42 The Hippolytus Statue (222 AD) 22:36 Deciphering the "Genesis of Christ" Inscription 27:14 Calculating the Birth Date from Creation 30:04 Other Early Chronographers (Julius Africanus & Clement) 34:12 How December 25th Spread & "Won" 53:29 Other Holidays: Saturnalia, Kalends, & Brumalia 56:44 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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