Spirituality Today

Catalog description

What changes are taking place in the religious lives of 21st-century individuals and communities? Focusing primarily on the contemporary United States, this course examines forms of spiritual expression and practice that have emerged amidst a decline in traditional religious institutions. Students will question whether the "spiritual" and "religious" are in fact distinct categories and investigate the extent of current trends toward "secularization." Emphasis is placed on interpreting spiritual experience and group identity in its social context. How do religious and nonreligious people tell their stories, and how does our society shape the ideas and expectations of both?