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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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Sunday · 23 min
Why Psychedelics Feel So Religious | Entheogens Explained
Register for Ethnobotany and the Invisible Reality of the Blackfeet: https://www.religiondepartment.com/offers/BWG42LUy/checkout Uploaded 08-01-26 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 Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters Discover why psychedelics so often spark mystical experiences. This video dives into research on entheogens, exploring awe, unity, and powerful altered states of consciousness. This video was made possible through the support of grant #TRT-2021-10499 from the John Templeton Foundation managed by the Center for Mind and Culture. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation or the Center for Mind and Culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 12 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? Uploaded 26-09-18 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 36 min
Akhenaten: The First Monotheist? | Atenism
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Uploaded 27-07-23 Watch City Beautiful’s video on Cairo on Nebula!: https://nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-cairos-history-roman-fortress-to-modern-megacity?ref=religionforbreakfast Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Akhenaten was an Egyptian Pharaoh back in the 1300s BCE who upended the religious landscape of ancient Egypt. Within years of ascending the throne, he turned away from traditional Egyptian polytheism to the worship of a single god: The Aten. Was this an early form of monotheism? Select footage and images courtesy of Getty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 24 min
Pure Land Buddhism: The Mahayana Multiverse
Signup for your FREE trial to Wondrium here: http://ow.ly/v6kW30sfmau Uploaded 28-04-22 Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 36 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 Uploaded 19-02-26 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 20 min
Sabbateanism: The Rise and Fall of a Messiah
Sign up for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/HfXH30rFSpo Uploaded 13-05-21 Special thanks to Seth Weprin for co-writing this episode. Thanks to Gavi from @Unpacked for reading an early draft. Join my online seminars on ancient religion: https://www.speakeasy.com/speaker/andrew-henry Or, join our Patreon community!: https://patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 10 min
History of Halloween: Pagan or Christian?
Halloween was not always a holiday of candy, costumes, and parties. Its history stretches back almost two thousand years. But what is this history? And what extent can we call Halloween a Christian holiday...if at all? Uploaded 18-10-16 Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Thanks to our Patrons on Patreon!!: Brian B. Daniel D. Kalei W. Alex B. Mark H. Alice C. Wilson Cain D. Bibliography and image credits: Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, 2002. Santino, Jack. Halloween and Other Festivals of Death and Life, 1994. Souling picture: https://archive.org/details/cheshiresheafbe01browgoog Oengusso calendar: https://ia802604.us.archive.org/10/items/martyrologyofoen29oenguoft/martyrologyofoen29oenguoft.pdf Halloween Frolics painting: http://artuk.org/discover/artworks/halloween-frolics-189976 Guy Fawkes Effigy pic: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:November_Effigies_(6833391028).jpg Most other images came from Stephen Reid. An artist from the early 20th century who specialized in paintings of Celtic mythology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 3 min
1000 Subscribers!
We made it to 1000! Thank you everyone! You all make Religion For Breakfast what it is, and I appreciate your support so much. Uploaded 17-08-16 ~Andrew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 19 min
Who were the Sea Peoples? | The Bronze Age Collapse
Signup for your FREE trial to Wondrium here: http://ow.ly/8J1C30spaZa Uploaded 25-08-22 Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 17 min
Who were the Nephilim?
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch Archaeology Quest here!: https://nebula.tv/videos/realscience-pottery?ref=religionforbreakfast Uploaded 18-01-24 Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Sign-up for my classes list to be notified of online classes: https://classes.religionforbreakfast.com/ The Nephilim are a mysterious group of beings mentioned in the book of Genesis. But who were they thought to be? Giants? Fallen angels? Bibliography: -Loren T. Stuckenbruck, The Myth of Rebellious Angels: Studies in Second Temple Judaism and New Testament Texts (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017). -Adrienne Mayor, The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times (Princeton: Princeton UP, 2023). -Wojciech Kosior, “The Fallen (Or) Giants? The Gigantic Qualities of the Nefilim in the Hebrew Bible,” in Magdalena Waligórska and Tara Kohn, eds., Jewish Translation, Translating Jewishness (Boston: De Gruyter, 2018). -Ronald Hendel, The Landscape of Memory: Giants and the Conquest of Canaan,” "From the book Collective Memory and Collective Identity." -Ronald Hendel, "The Nephilim were on the Earth," in The Fall of the Angels, pages 11-34. -Robin Routledge, "The Nephilim: A Tall Story?" Tyndale Bulletin 66.1 (2015), 19-40. -Annette Yoshiko Reed, "Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity: The Reception of Enochic Literature," 2005. 00:00 Introduction 1:31 Ancient Context of Genesis 6 4:00 Ancient Canaanite Giants? 7:18 The Hellenistic Interpretation of Nephilim 9:00 Fallen Angel Interpretation 10:30 Rabbinic Jewish and later Christian Interpretations Select images courtesy of Getty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 21 min
The Depressing Demonology of Zelda
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Working Titles, exclusive in Nebula: https://nebula.tv/videos/working-titles-39-majoras-mask-lowspecgamer?ref=religionforbreakfast Uploaded 18-05-23 Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Imagine a religion that assumes evil will always arise again. Dive deep into the demonology of the Legend of Zelda. Bibliography: David Frankfurter, "Master-Demons, Local Spirits, and Demonology in the Roman Mediterranean World: An Afterword to Rita Lucarelli," Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions 11 (2011) 126 - 131 Rita Lucarelli, "Demons (Benevolent and Malevolent)" in UCLA Encylopedia of Egyptology," 2010. Select footage and images courtesy of Getty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday · 7 min
Pilgrimage or Tourism at the Baha'i Gardens?
Akko and Haifa are the two holiest cities for the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i Gardens, located on the slopes of Mt. Carmel in Haifa, Israel, have become a major tourist site in recent years. Baha'i pilgrims also travel there to pray and meditate at the Shrine of the Báb located in the gardens. Why are these two cities holy to the Baha'is? What is the significance of pilgrimage here? Uploaded 10-12-18 Become a member of our Patreon community!: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One time donations can be sent to: paypal.me/religionforbreakfast For religious studies book recommendations, see: https://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 15 min
Jesús Malverde: The Patron Saint of Drug Cartels?
Subscribe to Sacred and Profane's newsletter here!: http://eepurl.com/gjbzuX Uploaded 22-04-24 Jesús Malverde is a Catholic folk saint particularly popular in Mexico. He has a bad reputation of being a "narcosaint." But is it an unfair stereotype? Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Sign-up for my mailing list to be notified of online classes: https://classes.religionforbreakfast.com/ Thumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 5 min
Do Journalists Understand Religion?
I recently attended Harvard Divinity School's "Symposium on Religious Literacy and Journalism." Scholars and journalists gathered together to brainstorm how to better prepare journalists when it comes to covering topics about religion. The general feeling was that newsrooms just do not give enough resources to covering religion accurately. What is your experience? Uploaded 03-01-17 Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Facebook. www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Thank you to our Patrons!: Christian G. Brian B. Daniel D. Tuuli H. Kalei W. Alex B. Mark H. Wilson Cain Laurie Goodstein's keynote address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEeraojpFrY Jeff Sharlet's article on Trump: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/magazine/donald-trump-american-preacher.html Religion Dispatches: http://religiondispatches.org/ Religion News Service: http://religionnews.com/ The Revealer: https://wp.nyu.edu/therevealer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 30 min
What is Zen Buddhism?
Use code RFBINCOGNI at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/rfbincogni. Uploaded 24-04-25 Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters 00:00 Intro 1:42 The Legendary Origins 2:26 Bodhidharma and Buddha-nature 5:58 A Special Transmission Outside of Scriptures 9:22 Lineage 10:13 Sudden Awakening 14:45 Zazen explained 17:04 Chan moves to Japan 22:38 Zen Buddhism goes abroad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 20 min
Is Religion Good for the Environment?
Back in the 1960s, the historian Lynn White Jr. blamed Christianity for the climate crises of the 20th century. More recently, many religious leaders have published eco-friendly versions of their theology. But is it helping? Can religion be good for the environment? Uploaded 08-03-23 Brought to you by the Religion and Environment Story Project at Boston University with the support of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Thanks to @TorqueTales for the footage of the Hadimba Temple. Further Reading: Taylor, Wieren, Zaleha, "Lynn White Jr. and the greening-of-religion hypothesis," Conservation Biology, 30 (5), 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 19 min
The Origins of the Jesus Fish
Signup for your FREE trial to The Great Courses Plus here: http://ow.ly/ISdB30rsk4m Uploaded 27-01-21 This video includes a paid sponsorship from The Great Courses Plus. Join my 15-person online seminars here: https://www.speakeasy.com/speaker/andrew-henry Bibliography: Guy Stroumsa, "The Early Christian Fish Symbol Reconsidered," 199-205 in Messiah and Christos: Studies in the Jewish Origins of Christianity, Tubingen: Mohr, 1992. Tuomas Rasimus, "Revisiting the Ichthys: A Suggestion Concerning the Origins of Christological Fish Symbolism Laurence Harold Kant, "The Interpretation of Religious Symbols in the Graeco-Roman World: A Case Study of Early Christian Fish Symbolism," PhD Dissertation, Yale University, 1993. MOREY, CHARLES R, "The Origin of the Fish Symbol," American journal of archaeology, 1909-01-01, Vol.13, p.57 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 17 min
Which Part of the Brain Makes People Religious?
Register for our lecture Quantum Mysticism: When Quantum Physics Meets Spirituality: https://religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.com/ Uploaded 06-01-25 Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters Thumbnail art by @hotcyder This video was made possible through the support of grant #TRT-2021-10499 from the John Templeton Foundation managed by the Center for Mind and Culture. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation or the Center for Mind and Culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 13 min
The Origin of the Quran’s Name for Jesus
Go to https://athleticgreens.com/religionforbreakfast to get started on your first purchase and receive a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 travel packs. Thanks to Athletic Greens for sponsoring today's video! Uploaded 08-12-22 Below the fold: AG1 by Athletic Greens is a comprehensive, nutrition drink engineered to fill the nutritional gaps in your diet and support your body’s nutritional needs across four pillars of health: Gut health, Immune support, Energy and Recovery! It’s packed with 75 vitamins, minerals, whole-food sourced ingredients and combines the perfect amount of micronutrients, absorption and taste to jumpstart your daily routine. AG1 is available in the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Join our Patreon community!: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to my Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast 00:00 Recap of Jesus' Aramaic Name 00:26 The Quranic Exception: Isa 2:31 Ad break 3:41 Safaitic overview 4:52 Inscription overview 7:29 Etymology of 'sy 10:10 Conclusion To learn more about this research: Al-Jallad. 20201. The Pre-Islamic Divine Name 'sy and the Background of the Qur'anic Jesus, with Ali al-Manaser Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saturday · 10 min
Is Jediism a Religion?
Join our Patreon community!: https://patreon.com/religionforbreakfast One-time donations here!: https://www.paypal.me/religionforbreakfast Check out my favorite religious studies books: https://www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Uploaded 19-12-19 Jediism came to prominence in 2001 during the UK census when a bunch of people claimed to be "Jedi" as their religion. But there also is a real-world movement of people calling themselves Jediists, followers of Jediism. How should religious studies scholars study this movement? Is it a religion? Follow me on Twitter: @ andrewmarkhenry Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmarkhenry/ 2nd channel: @andrewmarkhenry Bibliography: Adam Possamai and Murray Lee, “Hyper-real religions: Fear, anxiety and late-modern religious innovation,” Adam Possamai, "Handbook of Hyper-real Religions," 2012. Carole Cusack, "Invented Religions: Imagination, Fiction, and Faith," Ashgate: 2010. Henry Jenkins, “Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars?: Digital Cinema, Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture,” 2013. Debra McCormick, “From Jesus Christ to Jedi Knight—validity and viability of new religious movements in late modernity. In Proceedings Social Change in the 21st Century Conference 2006, Queensland University of Technology. Zoe Alderton, “Snapewives and Snapeism: A Fiction-Based Religion within the Harry Potter Fandom,” Religions, 2014 5(1), 219-267. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/5/1/219 Church of Jediism basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zzvJD5J9lQ&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1PuPqF9ciAEHFqbors75Aj70TbDxmmQWXinsWLz9UhO6gk-NCjpBo0OsY UK Charity Commission Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/578931/Temple_of_the_Jedi_Order_FINAL_DECISION.pdf Photo attributions: Kathleen Kennedy photograph: Attributed to Gage Skidmore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Kennedy_(producer)#/media/File:Kathleen_Kennedy_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing 121–140 of 307 episodes