Is god dead? Some people think so. Do you? Come decide for yourself. This course looks at the philosophical and theological death of god movement(s) of Western Europe and the United States, including attention to origins, popularity in certain historical moments, and future prospects and new directions, with emphases on the relationship between the death of god discourses, area studies, and contemporary identity politics. Posed as an ongoing question – IS god dead? – The course is for anyone interested in the idea of god past, present, and future.

UFOs. Bigfoot. Ghosts. Cattle Mutilations. Life after Death. Angels and Demonic possession. Psychics, Telepathy, and other “Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know.” Is any of this stuff real? What does “real” mean, anyway? Ask an “experiencer” and the answer is surely yes, but ask a skeptic and it is all make believe. Some of the most well-known religious leaders, and many scholars of religion, too, focus attention on what today we call the paranormal. Debates about the paranormal offer a wonderful window into the study of religion, and the issue of how we understand and study human experience. Are our experiences shared? And if not, are they credible? Are you a believer, and if so, in what? “The truth is out there,” so come join us as we search for it in Religion and the Paranormal.

Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar stands at the forefront of contemporary hip-hop culture. Artistically adventurous, socially conscious, and eager to explore fundamental human experiences, many people find something familiar in Lamar’s lyrical testimony, bridging social and geographical differences and exemplifying the history of cultural meaning-making in America. Beginning with Section.80 and progressing through each of Lamar’s major label albums up to his recent public “beef” with fellow artist Drake, we will engage Lamar’s music alongside readings from classic thinkers, current academics, journalists, and hip-hop practitioners who reflect on Lamar, hip-hop, and religion. The course offers a multifaceted engagement with faith, race, gender, art, and culture, demonstrating how cultural meaning is made and how individuals can grow comfortable in their own skin, no matter their background.

In this course, students will gain insights and tools for attending to what philosopher Michel Foucault has referred to as the twin concerns to 'know thyself' and to 'take care of oneself.' Using readings and immersive experiences alongside mindfulness and embodied pedagogical practices like meditation and hiking, the course will prioritize integrating and sublimating concrete knowledge and life eperience into valuable product or service for the students. Students will leave the course understanding the value of knowledge learned in service to the cultivation of self-awareness and responsibility towards one another and cultivate their abilities to make knowledge meaningful for all, ultimately honing the ability to value oneself and their world.

This course engages with various indigenous wisdom healing traditions that transcend the boundaries we typically impose around different kinds of knowledge, historically regarded as “shamanism” by scholars. We will explore various healing modalities that have addressed spiritual nourishment among indigenous communities. We will also explore interpersonal and social tensions that emerge historically between various communities as a result of distinct Shamanic practices and the very notion of shamanism. The course will include immersive experiences in the mountains and the desert, as students come into an increased awareness of our shared 'human' relationship to the land, to one another, concepts of health, and collective well-being.