College Seminar - European History (101-7-20)

Topic

History of Heaven

Instructors

David Shyovitz
847/467-1967
Harris Hall - Room 314

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-420: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This course will survey the development of ideas about Heaven (and Hell!) in an array of cultures and historical eras, beginning in the Ancient Near East and extending to the present. As we shall see, debates over eschatology (the branch of theology concerned with death and other "last things") intersect with profound philosophical questions: What is the purpose of human life? What is a person? (An individual or a member of a collective? A body or a soul?) How (if at all) do humans differ from non-human animals? Can spiritual and scientific conceptions of the universe be reconciled? In order to consider these questions, we will explore the ways in which concepts of the afterlife, the apocalypse, the resurrection and final judgment, etc., have shaped religious traditions, works of art and literature, social and political developments, and scientific theories.

Learning Objectives

Learn to identify continuities and changes in beliefs over time; consider how works of art and literature relate to the historical settings in which they are crafted; achieve nuanced understanding of encounter between "Religion" and "Science"

Class Notes

History Area(s) of Concentration: European, Asia/Middle East

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar