At the same time, the modern world is marked by a growing meaning crisis—a loss of contact with the Sacred that no longer fits neatly within inherited religious frameworks, yet cannot be replaced by reductionist explanations.
This course addresses that tension by asking a bold question:
What might emerge if the deepest spiritual backbones of East and West entered into genuine dialogue with one another?
Rather than forcing a synthesis from the outside, this course traces a conversation that has already been quietly unfolding.
Across history, Zen traditions have drawn together Daoism, Buddhism, and indigenous Japanese spirituality, while Neoplatonism has functioned as a synoptic integration of Platonism, Aristotle, Stoicism, and Christian mysticism. Both are interreligious, transformative frameworks, not closed systems.
In this course, you’ll follow the emergence of Zen–Neoplatonism through:
Classic encounters between Christian mysticism and Buddhism
Modern scholarship revealing Zen’s deep Daoist roots
Contemporary philosophical work explicitly bridging Buddhist and Platonic traditions
The goal is not comparison for its own sake, but the cultivation of a mutually transformative dialogos—one that allows these traditions to illuminate one another and reawaken a living sense of the Sacred.
FAQ
Are these courses like other online philosophy or spirituality courses?
Not exactly. These courses are not designed as content dumps or self-help programs. They are structured learning journeys that integrate philosophy, cognitive science, history, and spirituality to cultivate deeper understanding, clearer sense-making, and existential relevance, not hacks or techniques.
Do I need prior background in philosophy, cognitive science, or religion?
No formal background is required. The courses are carefully scaffolded and assume curiosity rather than expertise. If you’re willing to read attentively, reflect seriously, and sit with difficult questions, you’ll be able to engage the material meaningfully.
Are these courses practical, or purely theoretical?
They are intellectually rigorous, but never merely abstract. Each course is oriented toward how ideas shape perception, meaning, identity, and lived experience. While these are not “how-to” programs, they are a conceptual foundation for practice, transformation, and orientation in life.
Is this therapy or spiritual direction?
No. These courses are educational and philosophical in nature. They may be personally challenging and transformative, but they are not therapy, pastoral counseling, or clinical intervention. Growth here comes through understanding, dialogue, and reflection.
How much time should I expect to commit?
Most courses are designed to be manageable alongside work or study. Expect time for watching lectures, doing assigned readings (where applicable), and reflective integration. The depth you get out of the course will largely reflect the care you bring to it.
Are these courses connected to one another, or can I take them independently?
Each course stands on its own, but they are also part of a larger, coherent intellectual and pedagogical arc across The Lectern. Many learners find that taking multiple courses deepens understanding as ideas recur, evolve, and interconnect across contexts.
Will this challenge my beliefs?
Possibly. These courses do not aim to persuade you toward a particular ideology or worldview, but they do invite you to examine assumptions, inherited frameworks, and habitual ways of making meaning. Challenge here is a feature, not a flaw.