ULC SEMINARY – Paul Culp

MASTER OF ISLAMIC STUDIES SAMPLE

Master of Islamic Studies www.ulcseminary.org

Universal Life Church Seminary ********** Lesson 1 - Santa Claus

Islam is the most newsworthy religion in the world right now. It probably has been for well over a millennium, for that matter, but the difficult--and sometimes fruitful--relationship between Islam and the West has largely been ignored until recently, except by people directly affected by it. That number has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks to international terrorism and the military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nonetheless the general public, including its better-educated members, has displayed surprisingly little interest in anything beyond a superficial understanding of Islam, and the available reading material often does not meet the needs of persons who are curious.

The Master of Islamic Studies course is intended to fill the gap. Amid the swirling storm of rhetoric from radical Muslims and radical anti-Muslims, doves and warmongers, alarmists and appeasers, legitimate analysts and superficial pseudo-experts, a reasonable explanation of Islam in clear language is as much needed as it is rare, but help is on the way.

Instant gratification is not possible for anyone seeking to understand Islam, but a concise and logical discussion is not only possible, it is available. The Master of Islamic Studies course treats the following topics:

The origins of Islam; the difference between Judeo-Christian and Islamic views of divine revelation; the difference between the place of the Qur'an in Islam on the one hand and the role of the Bible in Judaism and Christianity on the other; the ramifications of a religion being based on prophetic utterance rather than the incarnation of the deity; sources of authority in Islam; the differences between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims; Islamic manners and customs; the synergy between Muslim radicalism and Christian fundamentalist apocalypticism; the difference between the Islamic religion and non-Islamic customs in Muslim countries; the position of Muslims in the United States; and the Sufi mystical tradition as an international movement.

The Master of Islamic Studies course covers these and numerous other subjects, and is taught by an alumnus of the Centre for Islamic Studies at Oxford University. The teacher's experience as a non-Muslim with access to Muslim institutions in Europe, the Middle East, and the US adds breadth and depth to the course. ULCS believes that the course will be personally enriching for the student while also assisting in the formation of
educated opinions about the most pressing issues of the day.