The Birth Stories of Buddha and Jesus

In these sessions Friends will be introduced to the birth-stories of the Buddha and Jesus. Over two sessions students will learn about the significance of these nativity narratives for Buddhists and Christians, alongside some of the ways they have been read and interpreted over time. In the course of this exploration, learners will have the opportunity to consider what both stories have to say about love, meaning, history and the divine. Among the topics explored in this course will be:

• The supernaturalism of the birth stories
• The parallels between Mary and Maya
• The role of prophecy and expectation
• Love as a force, not just a feeling

Both sessions will begin with a short period of meditation to help participants settle into the narrative themes of the week. These sessions will particularly appeal to Friends with a background within Buddhism, or those who want to explore the connections between Buddhist and Christian stories in more depth. Learners interested in myth, philosophy and the metaphysical will also find this course appealing.

There will be some material to look at before the first session. We will email you around one week prior to the course with information about accessing the course, including this material, on our online learning platform (Moodle).