Christianity and Difference

Catalog description

Section information text: What does it mean to belong? How are communities of belonging created? This course approaches these questions by thinking through what it means to belong to a religion, with a focus on Christianity. This course will explore the relationship of traditional, mainstream Christianity to a variety of Christianities, such as so-called heretical sects, religious hybrids, spiritualist movements, and various contemporary theologies. Does one need to engage in certain practices or hold certain beliefs to belong to a religious community? The course will consider these questions historically, sociologically, and theologically, while paying special attention to race, gender, sexuality, and species.