Religion: Defending Sacred Earth

Exploration of themes involving religion and the natural environment. Credit not awarded for both REL 1700 and versions of the course offered as REL 1010 to 1029. May repeat for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years.

Open to Degree and PACE students

The purpose of this course is to understand and critically explore the profound relationship between American Environmentalism and religious ways of life. From radical environmentalists to poets, philosophers, nuns, and scientists, this class will take a deep dive into the intersection of religion and environmental activism. Our goal will be to craft an understanding of how religious worldviews shape environmental actions, and how in turn, humanity’s place amidst a rapidly changing world feeds and influences religious lives. This course will ask students to read selections from American literature, articles from scientific journals, history, poetry, news media, and ethnography in order to explore and critically analyze the multiple motivations and questions that arise from particular religious communities’ ecological and environmental commitments. Complementing this foray into American environmentalism, students will read work from religious studies scholars, anthropologists, and environmental scientists. This course will ask you to think critically and creatively as you tackle central debates, problems, and theoretical texts. This course will follow a diverse examination of the multiple entanglements of religion, nature, and environment in American history. We will seek to understand the many currents that lead to the creation of and motivations behind American environmentalism.

Students will be graded on participation, short writing assignments, and a final exam.