Course Overview

Topics covered in this course:
Different groups of people have different objections to Catholicism. But what if the person you’re speaking to believes in a non-Christian religion? In this course, Joe Heschmeyer tackles that question, looking at the biblical view of other religions to answer questions such as:
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Why care what other religions teach?
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How should a Christian view other world religions?
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How do we know that Christianity is uniquely true? What distinguishes it from the other religions of the world?
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What’s the difference between faith and religion?
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What should you do if you know nothing about the other person’s religion?
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What, if anything, can we learn from other religions?
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Perhaps most importantly, what are some good icebreaker questions to help you find out more about where the other person is coming from and what he believes?
Watch a Free Sample Lesson
Why should Catholics care what other religions teach? Catholic Answers apologist Joe Heschmeyer explains.
Course curriculum
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1
World Religions: A Snapshot
- World Religions: A Snapshot - Introduction FREE PREVIEW
- World Religions Study Guide
- Lesson 1: Why Care What Other Religions Teach?
- Quiz: Why Care What Other Religions Teach?
- Lesson 2: How Should a Christian Approach Other Religions?
- Quiz: How Should a Christian Approach Other Religions?
- Lesson 3: What is a “Religion,” Anyway?
- Quiz: What is a “Religion,” Anyway?
- Lesson 4: Faith and Religion – Faith
- Quiz: Faith and Religion—Faith
- Lesson 5: Faith and Religion – Religion
- Quiz: Faith and Religion—Religion
- Lesson 6: Do All Religions Teach the Same Thing
- Quiz: Do All Religions Teach the Same Thing?
- Lesson 7: God, the Gods, and New Atheism
- Quiz: God, the Gods, and New Atheism
- Lesson 8: The Polytheism Problem
- Quiz: The Polytheism Problem
- Lesson 9: Do Other Religions Worship the Same God?
- Quiz: Do Other Religions Worship the Same God?
- Lesson 10: The Witnesses
- Quiz: The Witnesses
- Lesson 11: The First Witness - Natural Law
- Quiz: The First Witness: Natural Law
- Lesson 12: The Second Witness - Conscience
- Quiz: The Second Witness: Conscience
- Lesson 13: The Third Witness - Creation
- Quiz: The Third Witness: Creation
- Lesson 14: The Fourth Witness - The Heart
- Quiz: The Fourth Witness: The Heart
- Lesson 15: The Biblical View of Paganism
- Quiz: The Biblical View of Paganism
- Lesson 16: What You Should Know About Hinduism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Hinduism
- Lesson 17: What You Should Know About Buddha
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Buddha
- Lesson 18: What You Should Know About Buddhism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Buddhism
- Lesson 19: What You Should Know About Taoism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Taoism
- Lesson 20: What You Should Know About Sikhism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Sikhism
- Lesson 21: What You Should Know About Judaism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Judaism
- Lesson 22: What You Should Know About Islam
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Islam
- Lesson 23: What You Should Know About Joseph Smith (and More)
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Joseph Smith (and More)
- Lesson 24: What You Should Know About Mormonism
- Quiz: What You Should Know About Mormonism
Meet your Instructor
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Instructor
Joe Heschmeyer
Joe Heschmeyer is a staff apologist with Catholic Answers. He’s the author of several books: Who Am I, Lord? Finding Your Identity in Christ, Pope Peter: Defending the Church’s Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis, A Man Named Joseph: Guardian for Our Times, and The Early Church Was the Catholic Church. Joe's podcast is called Shameless Popery (shamelessjoe.com) and he blogs at ShamelessPopery.com. Previously, he was a litigator in Washington, D.C., and a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City. He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and children.
Reviews
Here's what people are saying about World Religions: A Snapshot
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An Interesting and Informative Introduction
Rachel KIng
I was happy to find this course since an important part of "loving my neighbour" is being prepared to share my faith with people from diverse backgrounds. Jo...
Read MoreI was happy to find this course since an important part of "loving my neighbour" is being prepared to share my faith with people from diverse backgrounds. Joe Heschmeyer is an engaging presenter, and the content is worthwhile, especially if you just want a quick but meaningful overview of the major religions. I found particularly helpful the explanation of the difference between faith and religion, the lessons on the four witnesses (which are relevant to any evangelistic encounter) and clarification on what the Church teaches about how we should view non-Christian religions. I would love to see a follow up course (or other resource) that goes more in-depth on the specific areas of different religions that we can have conversations around (e.g., what might a Catholic say to a Buddhist about the value and meaning of suffering, or how best to discuss the concept of eternal life with someone who is wary of the idea of living endlessly) as well as one on the distinctive beliefs of various Protestant denominations. Really enjoyed this, thanks!
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An excellent summary
Stephen Hertz
5 stars
5 stars
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Great course
Patrick MacGillivray
I learned so much and the presentation was excellent. I would have liked to have learn more about Islam and its teachings (maybe an additional 10 minute vid...
Read MoreI learned so much and the presentation was excellent. I would have liked to have learn more about Islam and its teachings (maybe an additional 10 minute video on this?). Thanks so much!
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Perfect description.
Lucia Santos
I thought the content was fantastic and exactly what I expected. I loved the origins were explained, along with the distinctions within the religions or phi...
Read MoreI thought the content was fantastic and exactly what I expected. I loved the origins were explained, along with the distinctions within the religions or philosophies.
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Excellent
Nancy Corgiat
5 stars.
5 stars.
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World religions
Angelo Baylon
Great summary of major world religions and how christians can use them for evangelization or apologetics
Great summary of major world religions and how christians can use them for evangelization or apologetics
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Enjoyable Introduction
Mark McDonagh
Enjoyable
Enjoyable
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World religion a snapshot
John Gilberti
4 stars
4 stars
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