Alumni College: Religion in Contemporary America

god_book_coverAlumni College
Religion in Contemporary America: It’s Not Just About God
June 4-6

In a pluralistic society, where there is no religious profession held by a majority of the people (much less an official state religion), the role of religion is larger than belief and comprehends social forces as well. In this course, we will look at three aspects of our topic in lecture/discussion sessions:

• The first considers what it means to believe and how philosophers of religion approach that concept.
• The second examines, from the perspective of people who are engaged in this endeavor, how religious institutions actively promote societal wellbeing.
• The third acknowledges our pluralistic religiosity and looks at what spirituality means from a diverse set of viewpoints, many of which are too often seriously misunderstood.

The three lecture and discussion sessions will be followed by a parallel conference session, where participants have the opportunity to bring their own experience to bear. A final plenary session will compare the points made in the conferences.

Reed faculty include:
Mark Burford (Music)
Michael Foat ’86 (Religion)
Kambiz GhaneaBisshiri (Religion)
William Peck (Philosophy)
Peter Steinberger (Political Science)

Alumni presenters include:
Sarah Movius Shurr ‘80
David Kominsky ‘93
Elena Rose Vera ‘05
Jessica Gerhardt ‘11

Price: $300 per person. Free lodging available on campus for those who register prior to February 1, 2014 (look for registration online after the first of the year).

For additional information or to register, contact alumni@reed.edu.

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