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RS334--Religion & Literature (3
credits, LSR: Literary Studies) Fall 2007 TTh Fr. Richard Berube, SSE -- St. Edmund's 231 (x2666); Nicolle 118
(x2353) Prerequisites: As stated in the college catalogue, this course is open only to students who have completed the two-course Liberal Studies requirement in Religious Studies (one 100 level and one 200 level R.S. course). Description: . According to the catalogue: "This course considers the role of mythic imagination ["storytelling"] in religious experience, from perspectives of literary criticism [how stories are worked and how they work], comparative literature [how stories work in different cultures], and theology [why reflection on religious experience requires the mode of storytelling]. Topics may include: Christian analogues to themes in primitive mythology, the religious vision in the 'myths' of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, literature as reflecting the situation of faith in a culture [i.e., how culture shapes the experience of faith and vice versa, and the tension and often conflict that occurs between faith and culture], and the role of metaphor and story in shaping Christian faith experience [that's the overarching theme of the course, and the theme we'll particularly highlight at the beginning]." In short, this course is a study of the relationship between religious faith and the faculty and expressions of human imagination, especially storytelling (though, certainly, something similar could be taught using the visual arts). The original title for this course was "Faith and Imagination," and that is still may be taken as its subtitle. Reading list: Farid ud-Din Attar, The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics,
1984) Jim Crace, Quarantine.. John Gardner, Grendel. Interesting website: click here William Golding, The Spire. Naguib Mahfouz, The Time and the Place and Other Stories. Flannery O’Connor, The Complete Stories. Cynthia Ozick, The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories. Some useful websites: English Literature and Religion Journal of Religion and Literature Conference on
Christianity & Literature Policies: No unexcused class cuts. Attendance and class participation will be evaluated for 50% of the final grade. One-page reflection papers will be assigned approximately every week. Both the midterm and final "exam" will consist of an essay (5-7 pages), a summary of which is to be presented in class. These projects count for 50% of the final grade.
Calendar, through midsemester Tu Aug 28 Introduction Th Aug 30 Discuss handout material Tu/Th/Tu/Th Sep 4,6,11,13 Discuss handout material and “Biblical Narrative and the Image of God” – Genesis 1:1-2:25; Genesis 15; Genesis 22; Exodus 3; Job 38 and 42:1-6; Ps 135 & 139; Book of Revelation Tu/Th Sep 18, 20 Attar, The Conference of the Birds Tu Sep 25 [reading day] Th/Tu Sep 27, Oct 2 Gardner, Grendel Th/Th Oct 4,11 Golding, The Spire Tu Oct 16 Midterm essays due; synopsis to be shared in class.
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Contact rberube@smcvt.edu