RELI 280b - Religion and Sexuality

Institution:

Vassar College

Subject:

Description:

Religion and sexuality are often seen as antithetical, a perception reinforced by images of abstemious monks and chaste martyrs who renounced earthly pleasure in pursuit of higher matters of the spirit. But even traditions that have strict prohibitions regarding sexual practice often celebrate a spiritual life suffused with erotic metaphors. This course takes up the following questions: What places do bodies and their desires have within the practice and piety of a religious community In what ways do sexual proscriptions and restrictions inform central expressions of devotion and ritual What aspects of religion emerge when approached from the special vantage point of sexuality We approach these themes in historical and contemporary contexts, with a dominant focus on religious and spiritual traditions in the United States. This coverage will include Victorian Christian fears of the "secret vice," alternative kinship structures in 19th century new religious movements such as the Oneida Community and the Shakers, mainstream religious debates over sexuality education and homosexuality, and contemporary queer spiritual communities such as the Radical Faeries and Gay Paganism. Ms. White.

Credits:

1.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.vassar.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 437-7000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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