Religion 289 - NEO-PAGAN,GODESS SPIRT,NEW AGE

The American religious scene is always in motion. At present, the cluster of religious impulses that find their expression in Goddess spirituality, New Age movements, and Neo-Paganism are vibrant, contentious, and increasingly mainstream. With a strong grounding in history and ethnography, this course will explore the nature and evolution of these influential religious movements from their nineteenth-century origins through today. Special attention will be paid to their relationship with feminism and gender construction, and their role in the popular imagination and national religious arena. Enrollment limited to 25. (E)