Luke Burns is the founder and director of the Online Centre for Religious Studies.
Table of Contents
Luke Burns@lbburns13
Luke is a graduate of the Open University, and has an interest in the natural world, religious experiences, and the possibility of life beyond this planet. He lives in Somerset, England with his wife and pet degus.
Hi! Nice to meet you :)
I like buying too many books and learning about people’s religious and philosophical worldviews.
In 2016 I founded the Online Centre for Religious Studies, an organisation that aims to make religious studies accessible for a wide audience, without hiding anything behind specialist language. I was in part inspired by the way that open source programming documentation is often written in a clear, open, and friendly style, without sacrificing detail or meaning.
I spent several years working on the OCRS, creating an introductory online course, and completing my undergradutate studies with the Open University.
In 2020 I achieved a First Class Honours Degree in Humanties, with a focus on Religious Studies. I am now working to create a comprehensive online resource for learning about religion and worldviews: Understanding Religion.
[Online Courses]
A spiritual revolution? Wicca and religious change in the 1960s
This free course looks at the 'crisis' of traditional religion in the Sixties in the Western world. It explores the process of religious renewal, looking at the development of Wicca, the prototypical form of modern Paganism.
[wicca 1960s paganism]
About the project
Understanding Religion is a website aimed at providing easy access to information about the study of religion. Always free, written clearly for a wide audience, grounded in academic study and supported by references for those who want to dive deeper.
[Websites]
Access to Insight
A freely available compendium of translations from the Pali Canon, along with a selection of other Theravada Buddhist texts.
[buddhism theravada pali canon suttas]
[Texts]
Ahadith
The ahadith are texts containing reported stories about Muhammad, and are frequently used to fill in details about the life of the prophet; they also provide guidance on points not directly addressed by the Qur'an.
[islam stub]
[Concepts]
Akashic records
The Akashic records are a non-physical storehouse of information, proposed by Theosophists to contain a record of all thoughts, words, and actions in the past and future.
[stub]
[Perspectives]
Alternative Perspectives
Alternative perspectives, due to their absence in mainstream texts and dismissal by historical scholars, are sometimes difficult to hear over the sound of traditional narratives – but this is increasingly changing for the better.
[Concepts]
Animism
Animism is a term based on the Latin word for 'soul', which frames all religious belief in terms of how it imbues the natural world with agency and personality, but more recent scholarship has developed this understanding to focus more on the relationships and responsibilities which typically define animist perspectives.
[indigenous]
[Online Courses]
Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Present
Join 50 leading scholars in exploring antisemitism, from its roots to its contemporary forms.
[antisemitism hate]
[Practices]
Austerities
A category of difficult, often painful, practices which may include restricting intake of food or water, or engaging in challenging rituals.
[stub]
[Entheogens]
Ayahuasca
A drink prepared by indigenous groups in the Amazon, containing a number of psychoactive chemicals. It is often used in groups to facilitate healing, visions, and insight.
[dmt shamanism indigenous religion]
[Concepts]
Belief
Religious systems often include beliefs about the world (both seen and unseen), which describe (or dictate) how the world operates. Subscribing to a set of beliefs (orthodoxy) is not always essential for belonging to a religion.
[Figures Concepts]
Brahman
A Hindu deity and philosophical principle, viewed by some as the supreme reality, or by others as the creative effulgence of another deity.
[deities]
[Traditions]
Buddhism
Buddhism is a family of traditions which trace their lineage back to a figure known as Siddartha Gautama, a man who discovered a means of escape from the suffering of existence. It is said that he became 'awakened', and this is the meaning of his title: Buddha.
[buddhism india china tibet japan]
[Books]
Buddhist Yoga
Anonymous
1995
A translation of the Sandhinirmochana-sutra (Scripture Unlocking the Mysteries) - a classical sourcebook of Buddhist yoga.
[buddhism yoga]
[Entheogens]
Cannabis
Cannabis is a psychoactive drug from the Cannabis plant used primarily for medical or recreational purposes, however it can also be used for spiritual purposes.
[marijuana weed pot herb ganja]
[Traditions]
Caodaism
Caodaism emerged in Vietnam during the 1920s and based its structure on that of the Roman Catholic Church, but drew its principles and practices from Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Confucianism.
[vietnam new religious movements]
[Perspectives]
Capitalist Spirituality
A term used to describe the use of religious ideas, practices, and materials in the support of capitalist ideologies, for example the promotion of meditation in the workplace in order to boost productivity.
[Scholars]
Catherine Bell
An American religious studies scholar who specialised in the study of Chinese religions and ritual studies.
[ritual chinese religion china]
[Traditions]
Christianity
Christians follow the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, a man born around the beginning of the first century in the land which is now Israel.
[christianity israel jesus]
[Objects]
Crucifix
A physical representation of Jesus dying on the cross, used by Christians as a reminder of Jesus's death and resurrection; the crucifix is used in a variety of contexts, often as a focal point within a church.
[Concepts]
Cults
One of the key aspects of religion – particularly in public discourse – is the relationship between 'organised religion' and small groups of devotees lead by charismatic individuals, commonly referred to as cults.
[Entheogens]
DMT
A chemical substance that occurs in many plants and animals and which has historically been prepared by various cultures for ritual purposes as an entheogen.
[N,N-Dimethyltryptamine]
[Articles]
Early Christians Might Have Been High on Hallucinogenic Communion Wine
Ed Prideaux
2020
A discussion on the early use of hallucinogenic chemicals mixed with alcohol to form so-called 'spiked' wine.
[entheogens wine]
[Occasions]
Eid-e-Shuja’
Eid-e-Shuja’, also known as Eid-e-Zahra, is a ritual festival observed by most Twelver Shi‘a Muslims. It marks the end of the two-month mourning period after the events of the Karbala massacre, which occurred in 680 AD.
[islam]
[Podcasts]
Encounter
Encounter is a discussion podcast produced by the Woolf Institute and presented by its Founder Director Dr Ed Kessler, exploring the relationship between religion and society.
[Texts]
Gathas
A collection of 17 hymns, believed to have been composed by Zarathustra – the Gathas represent the core of the Zoroastrian liturgy (the Yasna).
[zoroastrianism]
[Places]
Glastonbury
A town in Somerset, United Kingdom, which acts as a site of pilgrimage for many.
[united kingdom somerset pilgrimage christianity pagan]
[Online Courses]
Governing Religion: Global Challenges and Comparative Approaches
Explore the relationship between religions and governments and learn how religions have come to be governed across the world.
[diversity]
[Figures]
Hassan al-Banna
Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, is alternately praised as a leading social reformer, and decried as laying the foundations for modern Islamic terrorist groups.
[islam egypt]
[Concepts]
Henotheism
Henotheism means the worship and veneration of one god, in a world where many gods exist – for example the worship of Artemis within the Greek Pantheon.
[Traditions]
Himalayan Institute Of Yoga Science And Philosophy
The Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy was founded by Swami Rama, and is dedicated to sharing so-called Himalayan Yoga.
[hinduism india]
[Reports]
Improving Religious Literacy: A Contribution to the Debate
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Religious Education
2016
[religious education religious literacy]
[Books]
Indian Philosophy: Volume 1
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
1923
This volume of Radhakrishnan’s two-volume work on Indian philosophy goes into detail on the Rig Veda and Upanishads, Jainism, Buddhism, and the theism of the Bhagavad Gita.
[india philosophy buddhism hinduism jainism]
[Online Courses]
Interfaith Dialogue for Combating Extremism among Young People
Explore the role of interfaith education in preventing forms of violent extremism and building resilient communities.
[interfaith extremism young people violence]
[Books]
Introducing World Religions
Victoria Kennick Urubshurow
2008
A textbook on religious studies, surveying traditions from around the world.
[religious studies world religions]
Introduction to Religious Studies
Explore the world of religion with this in-depth course and develop a thematic understanding of contemporary religious studies.
[Traditions]
Islam
A monotheistic tradition that developed during 7th century Arabia, and which traces its roots back to the one god of the Hebrews.
[arabia muhammad]
[Traditions]
Jainism
The Jain religious tradition focuses on liberation from the suffering of rebirth, and in this sense has common ground with its near geographic neighbours - Hinduism and Buddhism.
[india]
[Figures]
Jesus
The founding figure of Christianity, Jesus was a Jewish mircle-worker and teacher who proclaimed a divine message in the 1st century CE.
[Places]
Kanniyakumari
A town in southern India, named after Kanya Kumari, a Hindu goddess. Also the site of a memorial to Swami Vivekananda.
[india hinduism tamil nadu vivekananda]
[Podcasts]
Keeping it 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion
Aimed at a general audience who want to get to grips with contemporary religious studies, this podcast explores a range of topics, including the concept of religion as category, and the significance of race, gender, and sexuality.
[Perspectives]
Literary Bias
Texts (of all kinds) are controlled and mediated by people, and therefore restrictions can sometimes be made about which texts are preserved and shared, and which are ignored or destroyed. This can lead to an erasure of certain material from a religious tradition, or from the public understanding of that tradition, particularly if the material disagrees with the perspective of those in positions of power.
[texts scripture bias]
[Occasions]
Mabon
Mabon is a pagan festival that takes place on the autumnal equinox, during which foods are harvested and thanks is given to the Earth.
[Occasions]
Maghi
This is an annual festival commemorating the forty Sikh martyrs who originally deserted Guru Gobind Singh, but later returned to fight alongside him at Muktsar.
[Traditions]
Mahayana Buddhism
A form of Buddhism which is focused on attaining liberation for all beings out of compassion for the suffering of the world.
[buddhism india]
[Scholars]
Mary Douglas
A British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism, whose area of speciality was social anthropology.
[culture symbolism anthropology]
[Objects]
Murti
Used by Hindus, a murti is a physical representation of a deity, which that deity can inhabit, and through which the deity is worshipped.
[hinduism]
[Online Courses]
Muslims in Britain: Changes and Challenges
Develop your understanding of Muslims and their faith through an exploration of communities in Britain.
[islam muslims britain united kingdom]
[Scholars]
Ninian Smart
Smart was a Scottish writer and educator who developed the field of academic religious studies, and helped to distance it from theology. He took the investigation away from which religion was 'true', and instead looked at the lived experiences of religious adherents.
[phenomenology religious studies]
[Podcasts]
NT Pod
Podcast about the New Testament and Christian Origins. Condensed comment from an academic perspective for everyone interested in historical approaches to the New Testament. By Mark Goodacre, Frances Hill Fox Professor of Religious Studies, Duke University.
[Practices]
Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage is a practice of journeying to a significant location, but the location, method of travel, and meaning attached can vary widely. There is often a close relationship, or even overlap, with tourism.
[Practices]
Practice
Religious practices are those behaviours and actions that have religious meaning for those who perform them; there are many different types and examples of such practices, including pilgrimage to holy sites (such as the tomb of Imam Husayn for Shi'ite Muslims), prayer, and song – to name a few.
[Books]
Psychology and Religion
G. S. Spinks
1963
A detailed review of the psychological study of religion, touching on the theories of Freud and Jung, and exploring the psychology of prayer, worship, and mystical experiences.
[psychology]
[Texts]
Ramayana
The Ramayana (literally Rama's travels) is about the character Rama, prince of a kingdom called Ayodhya (and later its king), but Rama is actually the god Vishnu who has taken birth in a human form, or avatar.
[hinduism india]
[Podcasts]
Rejected Religion
Discussions on religious topics typically viewed as alternative, forbidden, or heretical.
[religious studies hermeticism occult esotericism alternative religion]
[Online Courses]
Religion and Conflict
Understand and analyse the role of religion in conflicts and peacebuilding in present-day societies, with this free online course.
[violence terrorism]
[Online Courses]
Religion, Radicalisation, Resilience
Understand religious radicalisation and violence and learn strategies to build resilience in communities and schools.
[violence radicalisation terrorism]
[Online Courses]
Religions From The Inside: Improving Interreligious Dialogue
Explore the value of cooperation between faiths and learn how the five main world religions’ core beliefs relate to each other.
[interreligious dialogue]
[Online Courses]
Religious Literacy: Traditions and Scriptures
Learn how to better understand the rich and complex ways that religions function in historic and contemporary contexts.
[religious literacy]
[Practices Concepts]
Ritual
Some religious practices have specific rules about how they are performed, these practices are sometimes called rituals. There is no hard line between 'religious practice' and 'ritual', but practices with more rules can be described as more ritualistic.
[ritual order meaning]
[Scholars]
Robin Horton
An English social anthropologist and philosopher, he carried out specialised study in comparative religion which challenged and expanded views in the study of the anthropology of religion.
[anthropology philosophy africa indigenous religion magic myth ritual]
[Perspectives]
Self-Religion
Self-religion is a term used by scholars to describe the modern phenomenon of highly individualised religious practice, which draws from diverse spiritual traditions in order to create a unique form of religion that is acceptable to the individual.
[Concepts]
Seva
Within the Sikh religion, one of the important practical aspects is seva or selfless service, which takes the form of charitable actions.
[Perspectives]
Seven Dimensions of Religion
The seven dimensions of religion are a framework for exploring and understanding religion, developed by the Scottish scholar of religion, Ninian Smart.
[phenomenology religious studies]
[Traditions]
Sikhi (Sikhism)
Sikhi is the name of a religious tradition which emerged in the Punjab, initiated by Guru Nanak, and led by a series of Gurus who acted as divine intermediaries between God and humanity. The final human Guru bestowed spiritual authority onto the community's scriptures and the community itself.
[punjab india]
[Concepts]
Six Articles of Faith
Within Islam, there are three aspects which are generally agreed upon - these are islam (submission), iman (faith), and ihsan (perfection). In this article, we're going to focus on iman and see how it is understood in relation to Islam as a religious tradition, but it's clear from this threefold division that faith by itself isn't the whole story.
[islam]
[YouTube Channels]
SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies: YouTube Channel
Run by SOAS University, the Centre of Yoga Studies researches and shares information about yoga practices and history.
[Podcasts]
Text Talks
Text Talks provides teachers and students (and anyone else who’s interested) with weekly podcasts and resources based around the GCSE and A Level Syllabuses for Buddhism and Hinduism.
[hinduism buddhism religious education gcse a level]
[Texts Concepts]
Texts
Although the word 'texts' might imply a written document, the term has a wider scope in the field of religious studies.
[texts scripture art material religion]
[Podcasts]
The Classical Ideas Podcast
The goal of The Classical Ideas Podcast is to empower students with the core knowledge of major world religions to improve citizenship and agency in a diverse society.
[Websites]
The Database of Religious History
The world’s first comprehensive online quantitative and qualitative encyclopedia of religious cultural history.
[Podcasts]
The Faith and Belief Forum: Podcast
Produced by the Faith and Belief Forum, an organisation dedicated to building good relations between people of different identities.
[Books]
The Indian Theogony
Sukumari Bhattacharji
1970
A work on comparative mythology, focusing on Indian deities and mythologies - particularly with reference to the triad of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
[hinduism india comparative mythology]
[Traditions]
The International Church of Cannabis
The International Church of Cannabis is a religious group based in Denver, Colorado, USA, which uses cannabis during its ceremonies in order to help members have a better understanding of themselves.
[stub entheogens]
[Books]
The Last Days of Socrates
Plato
1954
A collection of Plato's writings, centered around the life and death of Socrates, including Euthyphro, The Apology, Crito, and Phaedo.
[greece philosophy]
[Books]
The Life of Milarepa
Rechung
1928
An abridged version of Evans-Wentz’s translation, telling the life story of the Tibetan Buddhist monk Milarepa.
[tibet buddhism biography]
[Podcasts]
The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast
A weekly philosophy podcast inspiring and supporting students, teachers, academics, and free-thinkers worldwide.
[Books]
The Religious Experience of Mankind
Ninian Smart
1969
A comprehensive survey of religious experiences from around the world.
[comparative religion]
[Podcasts]
The Religious Studies Project
The Religious Studies Project (RSP) is an international collaborative enterprise producing weekly podcasts and resources on the social-scientific study of religion.
[Books]
The Science of Self-Realization
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
1977
A collection of essays on Vaishnavite devotional yoga, or bhakti.
[bhakti yoga vaishnavism iskcon]
[Books]
The Serpent Power
Sir John Woodroffe
1918
An introduction to the concept of laya yoga, along with translations of two Sanskrit works - the Sat-Chakra-Nirupana and the Paduka-Pancaka.
[yoga kundalini hinduism india]
[Online Courses]
The Sharia and Islamic Law: An Introduction
Discover Sharia and Islamic law, and learn more about some of the diverse roles they play in Muslim life.
[islam sharia fiqh]
[Books]
The Varieties of Religious Experience
William James
1902
Published at the beginning of the twentieth century, The Varieties of Religious Experience is a far-ranging exploration of the psychology and philosophy behind different kinds of religious experiences.
[religious studies world religions religious experience]
[Perspectives]
The World Religions Paradigm
When the category of religion is used to describe 'world religions', it is often in a way that turns multiple diverse traditions, philosophies, and practices, into one single entity for the sake of simplicity.
[religious studies]
[Traditions]
Theravada Buddhism
Theravada is a form of Buddhism that venerates the Buddha but does not deify him, follows the teachings of the old scriptures (the Pali Canon), and values the aspirational figure of the arhat.
[buddhism india]
[Concepts]
Trinity
The so-called 'holy trinity' is a Christian formulation of the order or structure of god, comprised of the father, the spirit, and the son.
[Occasions]
Tu BiShvat
A Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, the 'new year of the trees'.
[new year trees judaism israel]
[Questions]
What is religion?
Although at first glance, you might think that religion is an easy to understand concept - it becomes very difficult to pin down, the more you look at it. There are lots of possible definitions, but none of them are 100% right.
[Questions]
What is religious literacy?
Religious literacy is a term that has become more popular in recent years, but what exactly do we mean when we talk about it?
[religious studies religious literacy]
[Questions]
What makes a place sacred?
To claim that a location, structure, or geographical feature is sacred is to assert that it is set apart and regarded with special reverence, yet there are many ways to understand this sacrality, where it comes from, and how it is expressed by different groups of people.
[sacred place geography]
[Questions]
Who creates religion?
The modern study of religion, beginning in the 19th Century, has been traditionally driven by male European scholars, who have carried their own cultural biases and assumptions - some unconscious, others less so.
[religious studies]
[Online Courses]
Why Religion Matters: Religious Literacy, Culture and Diversity
A free online course from the Open University, exploring the importance of religious literacy.
[religious studies religious literacy]
[Reports]
Worldviews in Religious Education
Theos Think Tank
2020
This report interprets and develops the idea of worldview and explores its implications for the classroom.
[religious education]
[Videos]
Worldviews in Religious Education launch
This is a recording of 'What are worldviews and why should schools teach them?' on 21st October 2020.
[religious education]
[Reports]
Worldviews: A Multidisciplinary Report
Céline Benoit, Timothy Hutchings and Rachael Shillitoe
2020
As part of the Worldview Project, the REC commissioned a multidisciplinary academic literature review on the worldview concept. This was prepared by three academics working in different disciplines in different universities.
[worldviews religious education]
[Traditions]
Yazidism
Yazidism is a monotheistic tradition, which believes that the universe was created by a single deity, Xwedê, and is governed by seven angels.
[Videos]
Yoginī temples and their antecedents: reassessing the textual evidence
A live recording of an online talk and Q+A via zoom on 21st October 2020 for the SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies.
[yoga]