For almost a hundred years, commentators have described the progress of religion in the United States in terms of progressive secularization. The thesis of this class is that the opposite is true: far from becoming a culture void of enchantment, America is growing more religious every day. You just have to know where-and how-to look. In this class we will uncover the theological dimensions of American mass media products (theodicy in The X-Files, soteriology in Hair, eschatology in Marilyn Manson). We will explore the use of such material objects as Last Supper crossword puzzles, fish car decals, and Kosher Chinese cookbooks. We will examine the appropriation of popular genres by religious subcultures (gothic fictional tropes in sensational religious tracts of the early-nineteenth century, sports celebrity endorsements of particular creeds, denominational websites, evangelical comics, and Christian rap music). Requirements: full attendance and class participation, three short papers (3-5 pages), oral presentations, and a final research paper (15-18 pages). No prerequisites. Enrollment is limited to 20. (This course is part of the Critical Reasoning and Analytical Skills initiative. )

Hour: VERTER