The Bible says that Jesus was identified as God's beloved son at his baptism. The same identification was made about Israel in the Old Testament and the disciples of Christ at their baptism. The striking similarity of these titles establishes a tight interrelationship between the people Israel, the person of Jesus Christ, and the church. In this course, we will explore how a close reading of the book of Genesis, the Gospels, and early Christian writers can shed further light on these relationships and, in so doing, deepen our understanding of the figure of Jesus Christ. Unlike many other treatments, this course does not presume that Jesus’ character can be plumbed solely by an examination of the Gospel stories. The witness of the Jewish scriptures and the lives of the saints are also important sources for this task. The course will be eight weeks in length and organized around three topical questions: Who is Israel? (primary source material: the book of Genesis) Who is Jesus? (primary source material: the Gospels and the Creeds) Who is the Church? (primary source material: a selection of post-Biblical Christian writers) No matter what your background in the study of theology, this course will provide a fresh approach to the identify of Jesus Christ that will reveal how the church has explored the unmeasurable depths of his person.

In China’s history, there has been a longstanding belief that being cultured and being moral are necessary for a person to participate in public life. We often think of China in political terms – and focus on the history of government – or in social terms – and study the role of the family in society. But this course looks at the individual and the striving for culture and morality. In China Humanities, you will explore the idea of China as a country of individuals who create the thing we call Chinese culture through their own art, literature, and philosophy. The course will focus on how individuals pursue unique forms of expression, act upon their distinct experiences, and follow their own desires, creating enduring works that we continue to look to for inspiration and wisdom. You will discuss the theories of early Chinese thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, explore the poetry of writers like Tao Yuanming and Du Fu, read from novels such as the Dream of the Red Chamber, and learn how to see painting and calligraphy – all with a particular focus on how these works have shaped Chinese culture as we know it today.

As primary sources of information are more frequently digitized and available online than ever before, how can we use those sources to ask new questions? How did Chinese families organize themselves and their landscapes in China’s past? How did African slaves from different cultures form communities in the Americas? What influences informed the creation and evolution of Broadway musicals? How can I understand or interpret 1,000 books all at once? How can I create a visualization that my students can interact with? The answers to these questions can be explored using a wide variety of digital tools, methods, and sources. As museums, libraries, archives and other institutions have digitized collections and artifacts, new tools and standards have been developed that turn those materials into machine-readable data. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), for example, have enabled humanities researchers to processvastamounts of textual data. However, these advances are not limited just to text. Sound, images, and video have all been subject to these new forms of research. This course will show you how to manage the many aspects of digital humanities research and scholarship. Whether you are a student or scholar, librarian or archivist, museum curator or public historian — or just plain curious — this course will help you bring your area of study or interest to new life using digital tools.

We often think that theology divides us since, we assume, theology is based on the beliefs of particular communities. At the same time, while we’re witnessing significant shifts in the demographics of religious belonging, interest in questions of a theological nature remains high. Humans have long looked to their own experiences for insight into God and God’s ways. This heritage awaits your exploration: writings by Jews, Christians, and Muslims that take up a range of human experiences (friendship, life in society, suffering, pleasure, nature’s relation to us) as theologically productive. We enrich this heritage with modern knowledge--from biology, psychology, philosophy--in viewing the human being as object of theological reflection. In this sense, you’ll discover theology as a scholarly conversation binding together all inquiring minds.

This class engages students in a transdisciplinary conversation about representations of HIV/AIDS: in science writing, journalism, visual art, literature, drama, and popular culture. We believe that scientists and cultural critics can learn valuable lessons from one another, even as they create their own responses to HIV/AIDS. Today, over 30 years since the first scientific reports of HIV/AIDS, the pandemic remains a major health concern throughout the world. But, rays of hope have led to speculation that an AIDS-free generation may be possible. In such a timely moment, it is essential for us to connect across the "two cultures" as we consider the social and scientific implications of HIV/AIDS. Courses offered via edX.org are not eligible for academic credit from Davidson College. A passing score in a DavidsonX course(s) will only be eligible for a verified certificate generated by edX.org.

Have you ever wondered about how museum, library, and other kinds of historical or scientific collections all come together? Or how and why curators, historians, archivists, and preservationists do what they do? In Tangible Things , you will discover how material objects have shaped academic disciplines and reinforced or challenged boundaries between people. This course will draw on some of the most fascinating items housed at Harvard University, highlighting several to give you a sense of the power of learning through tangible things. By “stepping onto” the storied campus, you and your fellow learners can explore Harvard’s astonishing array of tangible things—books and manuscripts, art works, scientific specimens, ethnographic artifacts, and historical relics of all sorts. The University not only owns a Gutenberg bible, but it also houses in its collections Turkish sun dials, a Chinese crystal ball, a divination basket from Angola, and nineteenth-century “spirit writing” chalked on a child-sized slate. Tucked away in storage cabinets or hidden in closets and the backrooms of its museums and libraries are Henry David Thoreau’s pencil, a life mask of Abraham Lincoln, and chemicals captured from a Confederate ship. The Art Museums not only care for masterpieces of Renaissance painting but also for a silver-encrusted cup made from a coconut. The Natural History Museum not only preserves dinosaur bones and a fish robot but an intact Mexican tortilla more than a century old. In the first section of the course, we will consider how a statue, a fish, and a gingham gown have contributed to Harvard’s history, and you will learn the value of stopping to look at the things around you. In the next section, we will explore some of the ways people have brought things together into purposeful collections to preserve memory, promote commerce, and define culture. Finally, we will consider methods of rearranging objects to create new ways of thinking about nature, time, and ordinary work. Along the way, you will discover new ways of looking at, organizing, and interpreting tangible things in your own environment. HarvardX requires individuals who enroll in its courses on edX to abide by the terms of the edX honor code. HarvardX will take appropriate corrective action in response to violations of the edX honor code , which may include dismissal from the HarvardX course; revocation of any certificates received for the HarvardX course; or other remedies as circumstances warrant. No refunds will be issued in the case of corrective action for such violations. Enrollees who are taking HarvardX courses as part of another program will also be governed by the academic policies of those programs. HarvardX pursues the science of learning. By registering as an online learner in an HX course, you will also participate in research about learning. Read our research statement to learn more. Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected] and/or report your experience through the edX contact form .

This course, part of the Public Library Management Professional Certificate program, explores strategies for developing effective grant proposals and for engaging the community in crowdfunding campaigns. In this course, you will mock up a crowdfunding campaign and create a grant proposal for a local or state-level funding source.

The last century ushered in significant progress. Philosophers, scientists, artists, and poets overthrew our understanding of the physical world, of human behavior, of thought and its limits, and of art, creativity, and beauty. Scientific progress improved the way we lived across the world. Yet the last century also brought increased levels of war, tyranny, and genocide. Man pushed boundaries of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice – and people lost faith in values. Now, thinkers and leaders are reconstructing theories of value and creating institutions to embody them. Join this thought-provoking, broad-sweeping course as it draws intriguing connections between philosophy, art, literature, and history, illuminating our world and our place in it. Before your course starts, try the new edX Demo where you can explore the fun, interactive learning environment and virtual labs. Learn more.

In this course, part of the Public Library Management Professional Certificate program, we’ll explore the nuts and bolts of creating a strategic plan by reviewing and reflecting on the strategic plans of a variety of library types. Strategic planning is a strategy for setting an organization’s goals, vision, and desired future. You’ll learn how library leaders, in partnership with trustees, library boards, and/or municipal leadership, use strategic planning to set long-term goals as well as identify the necessary funding priorities, staffing needs, and other elements needed for success. You’ll also learn how an effective strategic plan is more than mere paperwork: it is an ongoing planning, action, and reflection process that can engage all stakeholders in a common set of expectations and action steps for the future.

Can writing change your world? Writing with power about personal, social, and political issues can change minds, introduce solutions to old problems, and help you become a more engaged participant in public life. Everyone has issues that matter deeply to them, whether they are: Personal--such as defining the goals and ideas that are important you, Local--such as the governance of the public library or enactment of local laws and propositions, National--including critical political and social issues being decided on a larger scale, or Global--challenges facing the planet from perspectives of social and ecological change. In Writing for Social Justice, you will learn the importance of word choices in writing for different genres in order to reach your audience. Specifically, you will learn to: keep a personal journal to help you identify issues and ideas that matter in your world write letters to public officials that will capture attention without being dogmatic or offensive craft opinion articles that take opposing positions into account, while using critical thinking and effective strategies for successfully arguing logically for your own ideas optionally, develop and maintain a blog or podcast of your writing in order to reach a wider audience There will be short example readings included in the course, which will serve as models of different persuasive genres. You will also share your writing with other students in the course, getting and offering feedback on assignments.