Literatures of Faith and Doubt
- Summer 2014
Additional Details:
Recent scholarship on the many forms of belief in our contemporary world suggests that the terms “secular” and “religious” are more complicated than they first appear. How can we better understand these terms as they relate to our deepest convictions – whether these are informed by atheism, religious faith, or something in between – by reading literature? In this course, we will discuss texts from many different genres and consider the ways in which writers represent questions of faith and doubt. Our goals will be to respectfully and critically engage with texts that do not provide easy answers; learn about an array of literary forms (novel, short story, poetry, drama, film); and develop a deeper appreciation of literature, reading, and writing.
Required texts (available at the University Bookstore): Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor; Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin; The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday; Angels in America by Tony Kushner. Additionally, a course pack will be available at Ave Copy on University Way.
Course requirements include timely completion of assigned readings, discussion facilitation, and active class participation. This class counts for “W” credit. Students will be asked to write, and revise, two 5-7 page papers.