Listed in: Religion, as RELI-124
Matthew Westermayer (Section 01)
Have Western religions estranged us from the natural world? How does the environment shape religious thought and practice? This course explores religion in both the ancient world and in our present time, in order to uncover a history of entanglement, and tension, with the world’s places, plants, and animals. From revelations on top of mountains to animal sacrifice, religious practice cannot be separated from the natural environment. We will study the following themes: defining religion and nature; cosmology; spirituality and materiality; sacred and secular space; anthropocentrism (the preeminence of humans over other living beings); animal and vegetal life.
Fall semester. Visiting Assistant Professor Westermayer.
Pending Faculty Approval
How to handle overenrollment: null
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: There will be an emphasis on written work, in-class writing, readings, independent research, oral presentations, and group work.
Section 01
M 3:00 PM - 4:20 PM CHAP 205
W 3:00 PM - 4:20 PM CHAP 205
| ISBN | Title | Publisher | Author(s) | Comment | Book Store | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Practice of the Wild: Essays | Catapult(, September 8, 2020) | Snyder, Gary | Required | Amherst Books | TBD | |
| Routledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology | Routledge, 1st ed., (June 20, 2018) | Jenkins, Tucker, Grim eds. | Required | Amherst Books | TBD | |
| The Overstory | W.W. Norton & Company, Reprint ed. (April 2, 2019) | Powers, Richard | Required | Amherst Books | TBD |
These books are available locally at Amherst Books.