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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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  • Saturday · 33 min

    What Are Gog and Magog?

    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 RealLifeLore's "Mad Kings:" https://nebula.tv/madkings?ref=religionforbreakfast For centuries, readers have tried to identify Gog and Magog...the mysterious enemies in the Book of Revelation. From the Ottoman Empire to the Soviet Union, interpreters keep mapping the prophecy onto new rivals. But who (or what) were Gog and Magog originally? 00:00 Intro 2:15 Gog Oracle in Ezekiel 12:15 Gog and Magog in Later Jewish Texts 16:30 Gog and Magog in Revelation 18:17 Modern Prophetic Speculation 24:21 Nebula really is great and will be a bulwark against AI slop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 8 min

    Is Religion the Opium of the People?

    Karl Marx famously said, "Religion is the opium of the people." But what did he mean by this? Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Music: Kevin MacLeod. www.incompetech.com Special Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters!: Brian B. John M. Alex B. Cain D. Manny Mark H. Dan D. Photo Attributions: East Bengal smokers: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00glossarydata/terms/opium/opium.html Amish buggy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish#/media/File:Traditional_Amish_buggy.jpg Image of Martin Luther at Pulpit: http://www.biography.com/news/martin-luther-king-jr-day-black-history-civil-rights-videos Haitian Revolution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_Revolution#/media/File:Haitian_Revolution.jpg Catechism class: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism#/media/File:Catechism-Madras_Presidency_Village.jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 9 min

    "Orthodoxy" versus "Heresy" in Ancient Christianity

    You might have heard about the bunches of heresies that popped up in the early centuries of Christianity. But historians don't generally like using the term "heresy" to describe these groups. Is there a more historically neutral way to describe them? Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Facebook: www.religionforbreakfast.com/facebook Music: Kevin MacLeod. www.incompetech.com Graphic Design: EC Henry (http://echenry.com/), Chris Maghintay (http://www.chrismaghintay.com/) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 10 min

    What Did Marcion Believe?

    Marcion...hated heretic or influential maverick? Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.religionforbreakfast.com/facebook Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com Animation: EC Henry, http://echenry.com/ Design: Chris Maghintay, http://www.chrismaghintay.com/ Music: Kevin MacLeod, www.incompetech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 9 min

    The Infancy Gospel of Thomas Explained

    Stories about Jesus' birth are famous. But what about stories about Jesus' childhood? One early Christian text, the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, invents some pretty crazy stories about the schoolboy Jesus. But what did this text mean for an ancient audience? 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 Infancy Gospel of Thomas Translation by Dr. Tony Burke: http://www.tonyburke.ca/infancy-gospel-of-thomas/the-childhood-of-the-saviour-infancy-gospel-of-thomas-a-new-translation/ Frilingos, Chris. "No Child Left Behind: Knowledge and Violence in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas," Journal of Early Christian Studies, Vol 17, No 1, 2009. 57-54 Frilingos, Chris. "Parents Just Don't Understand: Ambiguity in Stories about the Childhood of Jesus." Harvard Theological Review 109, January 2016, 33-55. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 7 min

    Star Wars Fan Fiction Explains Early Christian Apocrypha

    You probably have heard about the canonical Gospels in the New Testament. They introduce famous characters like the apostles Peter and John. But they also introduce not-so-famous characters that only show up for one chapter or less...guys like Nicodemus or Bartholomew. Despite the obscurity of these characters, early Christians in the 2nd century and onward wrote texts featuring these characters. I argue that this is a form of "fan fiction," and viewed through the lens of modern fandoms, we can see the motivation for why these Christians decided to write apocryphal literature. www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry For religious studies book recommendations visit: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Bibliography: Ika Willis: http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/692/564 Acts of Paul and Thecla text: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/thecla.html http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2006/09/fan_fiction_as_critical_commen.html Photo attributions: Paul and Thecla Ephesus fresco: http://rmadisonj.blogspot.com/2013/05/acts-of-paul-and-thecla-and-other-people.html St. Thecla from Barcelona: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barcelona_Cathedral_Interior_-_St._Thecla_-_1486.jpg Chapel of St. Thecla, Czech Republic: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chapel_of_Saint_Thecla_2016_-_east_view.jpg Roman Amphitheater: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merida_Roman_Amphitheatre_0594.jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 20 min

    The Daoist Scriptures Are Huge

    Register for our online class "Fact and Fiction about Laozi and his Daodejing:" https://religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.com/ Join our Patreon community! https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Thumbnail art by @hotcyder Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters While the Bible or the Quran can fit into a single volume, the Daoist canon of scriptures contains around 1,500 texts. It is huge. So what is the Daoist canon all about? How did it form? 00:00 Basic overview 3:58 History of the Daozang 9:05 Daozang's role in Daoism 14:20 Register for our Daoism class! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 13 min

    What Did Gnostic Christians Believe?

    What is Gnosticism? Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Blog: www.religionforbreakfast.com All images are public domain. Royalty-free Music: Kevin Macleod, incompetech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 56 min

    The Enduring Appeal of Gnosticism and Esoteric Christianity (Interview w/ Dr. David Litwa)

    Register for Dr. Litwa's lecture!: https://religiondepartment.com/marcion Check out Dr. Litwa's channel here @m.davidlitwa Dr. David Litwa joins Religion for Breakfast to explore Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and the Gospel of Thomas. We talk ethics, online education, Marcion, Paul's legacy, and why esoteric Christianity is striking a chord with modern audiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 34 min

    Is Buddhism an Atheistic Religion?

    Register for our class "Who are the Hungry Ghosts?:" https://religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.com/ Buddhism has a reputation of being an atheistic religion. But is this true? 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 61928 from the John Templeton Foundation managed by The Queen’s University of Belfast. 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 Queen’s University of Belfast. 00:00 Intro: Theravada, Mahayana, Secular Buddhism 3:14 Buddhist Cosmology and Devas 7:25 Can the devas help us? (Theravada perspective) 13:46 Bodhissatvas and Mahayana Buddhism 15:26 Tibetan Buddhism 16:19 Buddhist Modernism 19:48 Secular Buddhism 24:47 Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 17 min

    Did Jesus Really Have Long Hair?

    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 Lindsay Ellis' "Let’s Compare and Contrast Disney’s Flop Eras": https://nebula.tv/videos/lindsayellis-disney-flop-eras?ref=religionforbreakfast 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 Did Jesus really have long, flowing hair? Art always depicts him like that, but archaeology says probably not. From Roman statues to Jewish tomb finds, we explore what men actually looked like in first-century Galilee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 16 min

    Mazu: The Chinese Goddess Who Went Global

    Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Watch my next video early!: https://nebula.tv/videos/religionforbreakfast-jess-malverde-cartel-narcosaint-or-not?ref=religionforbreakfast Watch China, Actually: https://nebula.tv/chinaactually?ref=religionforbreakfast Mazu is a Chinese goddess particularly popular in Taiwan and the southeastern provinces of China. But she's also arguably the most popular Chinese goddess around the world, worshipped in 20 different countries around the world. 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

  • Saturday · 16 min

    Religion in the Legend of Zelda: The Ultimate Guide

    The people of Hyrule seem to subscribe to a sophisticated religion that is unlike anything that we see in the real world. What could we learn if we were transported into this world as an anthropologist to study Hylianism? Patreon: www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Editing and Animation by: EC Henry: https://www.youtube.com/user/tlwll Game footage capture by: Linkums https://www.youtube.com/user/Linkums Music: "Adventure Meme" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ "Overworld" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ "Digital Zen" by TeknoAXE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZDRDwcsG9o&list=PLBE459782E55DE0D8&index=1 Photo Attributions: Simeon Token: http://art.thewalters.org/detail/27490/pilgrim-token-from-the-shrine-of-st-simeon-the-stylite/ Pompeii fresco: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Naples_Museum_112_(15372291136).jpg Orthodox basilica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Iconostasis_at_Saint_Mary%27s_Russian_Orthodox_Church_in_McKeesport,_PA.jpg Orthodox basilica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sv_stefan_interior.jpg Tube TV: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Loewe_Planus_CRT_TV,_1995,_front.jpg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 8 min

    Does Religion Affect Public Health?

    Does religion affect health? Short answer, yes. Though its affect on public health is complex and not always recognized by healthcare professionals. Graduate students, if you would like to participate in "Going Viral: Religion and Health," email your research abstracts to BUreligionconference2017@gmail.com. www.religionforbreakfast.com Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Facebook: www.facebook.com/religionforbreakfast Andrew's religious studies book recommendations: http://amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast All Buddhism footage used with permission of scholar and filmmaker Jenn Lindsay: https://www.youtube.com/user/jenniferslindsay Bibliography: Religious service attendance and cigarette use article: http://www.isr.umich.edu/williams/All%20Publications/DRW%20pubs%202002/religious%20involvement%20and%20cigarette%20smoking.%20the%20CARDIA%20study.pdf WHO and Religious leaders during Ebola epidemic article: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2014/ebola-burial-protocol/en/ Zip code, poverty, and life expectancy: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2626194) Vlogbrothers video on Zip Code and life expectancy study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOtoaloIoII Amish family picture: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Amish_in_the_United_States#/media/File:2006-07-29_-_07_-_Road_Trip_-_Day_06_-_United_States_-_Wyoming_-_Yellowstone_National_Park_-_Waiting_4888671147.jpg Special Thanks to our Patreon Patrons! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 19 min

    How Hinduism Inspired Pop-Culture Avatars

    Use code RFBINCOGNI at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/rfbincogni. 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/ "Avatar" became a household word in the 2000s with Avatar: The Last Airbender and James Cameron's movie series Avatar. But what is an avatar? The idea actually derives from Hinduism. Thumbnail art by @hotcyder Bibliography: -Barbara Holdrege, Bhakti and Embodiment, 2015. -Couture, André, “Avatāra”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, Editor-in-Chief Associate Editors Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan. Consulted online on 02 February 2024 -Couture, André, “Viṣṇu”, in: Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, Editor-in-Chief Associate Editors Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan. Consulted online on 02 February 2024 -Couture, André, “From Vishnu’s Deeds to Vishnu’s Play,” Journal of Indian Philosophy, June 2001. -Simon Brodbeck, Divine Descent of the Four World-Ages in the Mahabharata, 2022. Noel Sheth, “Hindu Avatar and Christian Incarnation: A Comparison,” Philosophy East and West, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan 2002). 98 - 125. -Lochtefeld, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Volume 2, N-Z, 2002. -Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, editor and translator Barbara Stoler Miller. (Columbia University Press: 1977) -Tracy Coleman, Avatara, Oxford Bibliographies Online, 2018. -Cush et. al., Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Routledge: 2008. -Kinnard, “When is the Buddha Not the Buddha? The Hindu/Buddhist Battle over Bodhgaya and Its Buddha Image,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 66/4. -Freda Matchett, Krsna: Lord or Avatara?, (Routledge: 2001). -Devadatta Kali, In Praise of the Goddess: The Devimahatmya and Its Meaning, (Nicolas-Hays, Inc.: 2003). -Suvira Jaiswal, The Origin and Development of Vaisnavism,1981. 00:00 The rise of "avatar" 1:21 Avatar = Divine Descent 4:35 Vishnu and his avataras 9:20 Avataras outside Vaishnavism 11:16 How avatar was adopted in English Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 8 min

    666: What Does It REALLY Mean?

    666. The Devil's Number. The Mark of the Beast. But what does it REALLY mean? It actually is a secret code... Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/religionforbreakfast Follow me on Twitter: @andrewmarkhenry Bibliography: Graffiti and Gematria in Early Christianity: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture/2012/04/22/graffiti-and-gematria-in-early-christianity/ Lincoln Blumell, "Lettered Christians: Christians, Letters, and Late Antique Oxyrhynchus," 2012 Christopher Frilingos, "Spectacles of Empire: Monsters, Martyrs, and the Book of Revelation," 2013. Elaine Pagels, Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation," 2013. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 26 min

    The Dajjāl: The Islamic Antichrist?

    Go to https://hensonshaving.com/religionforbreakfast and enter RELIGIONFORBREAKFAST at checkout to get 100 free blades with your purchase! The Dajjal: a one-eyed deceiver who performs miracles, raises the dead, and nearly conquers the world. We break down the Islamic end-times traditions, his origins, and why he remains one of the most feared figures in Islam. 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 Thumbnail design by @ECHenry Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images and Reuters 00:00 Intro 1:08 The Dajjal in the Hadith 5:42 The Physical Traits of the Dajjal 8:51 The Defeat of the Dajjal 11:00 Historical Context 12:54 Linking the Dajjal to Real People 14:47 Mystical Intepretations 16:00 Tamim al-Dari Story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 33 min

    What is Hermeticism?

    Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/religionforbreakfast Get Lifetime memberships!: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=religionforbreakfast Watch Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend here!: https://nebula.tv/videos/dex-film?ref=religionforbreakfast Special thanks to the writer of this episode Paul Davidson. Check out his blog "Is that in the Bible?": https://isthatinthebible.wordpress.com/ Bibliography: Christian Bull, "The Tradition of Hermes Trismegistus," 2014. M. David Litwa, "Hermetica II: The Excerpts of Stobaeus," 2018. Wouter Hanegraaff, "Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism," 2006. 00:00 Intro 1:39 Hermetica explained 6:01 Hermetic and Platonic Cosmogony 10:09 Fate and the Hermetic Human Condition 12:08 Ascension, the Way of Hermes, and Rebirth 19:30 Was Hermetism a Religion? 24:48 I included a bonus section about baboons in the Nebula version of this vid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 18 min

    Do Atheist Friends Make People Lose Their Faith?

    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 Downie Express here: https://nebula.tv/videos/downieexpress-s3e1?ref=religionforbreakfast 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 A new study asks whether atheist friends make religious teens more likely to disaffiliate from religion. The answer is yes, but the real surprise is how many stay religious anyway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • Saturday · 38 min

    Who Was Asherah? (and was she God's wife?)

    Learn to read the Hebrew Bible in its original language. Live twelve-week class with Dr. Kipp Davis. Join here: https://www.religiondepartment.com/bookofjonah Was the God of Israel married? Inscriptions from the Sinai pair Yahweh with "his Asherah," a Canaanite mother goddess worshipped across the ancient Near East. Special thanks to Dr. Lauren McCormick. Check out her incredible web exhibit on the Judean Pillar Figurines here: https://laurmcco.github.io/judeanpillarfigurineexhibit/ Follow her blogging at https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/author/lmccormick/ 00:00 Intro 1:26 Athirat/Asherah in the Ugaritic Literature 5:20 Asherah in the Hebrew Bible 9:00 Sacred Trees, asherahs, and iconography 14:10 Judean Pillar Figurines: Asherah or Not? 18:53 Kuntillet Ajrud Inscription 25:29 Was Asherah the wife of God? 27:32 Erasure of Asherah in later translations 29:59 Sign up for Biblical Hebrew! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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