What is Religion? Santeria, Christian TikTok, and the First Amendment
RELI 151
Fall 2023
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01
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Were the people who drank the Kool-Aid at Jonestown brainwashed, or did they die for a noble cause? How did Santeria practitioners get the right to perform animal sacrifice? What exactly does the First Amendment protect? What happens when Christian women become Tiktok influencers? Is Oprah a religious leader? This class will introduce you to the ways in which we study religion--and race--by reading critical case studies about Jonestown, Oprah, Santeria, and freedom of religion court cases. This is not a survey of world religions, and once you've taken What is Religion?, you'll know why we don't teach that at Wes. You will also have a critical set of intellectual tools for understanding the role of religion in the contemporary world. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (RELI-MN)(RELI)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Katie Bowler, THE PREACHER'S WIFE (selections)
David Chidester, SALVATION AND SUICIDE (Indiana, 2003). ISBN: 025321632X
Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah (Supreme Court case)
Lofton, Katherine, OPRAH: GOSPEL OF AN ICON (selections)
Elizabeth Perez, RELIGION IN THE KITCHEN: COOKING, TALKING, AND THE MAKING OF BLACK ATLANTIC TRADITIONS (selections)
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Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly short response papers; Three five-page essays dealing with scholarly evidence and argumentation.
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Attendance and participation are required.
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| Instructor(s): McAlister,Elizabeth A. Slaughter,Joseph Times: ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM; Location: BOGH114; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 38 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 4 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 4 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 13 | FR: 13 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 6 | 1st Ranked: 2 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 3 |
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