What is Scripture? (EC)

Subject associations
REL 383
Term
Spring 2024
Instructors
Seth A. Perry
Registrar description

What is (a) scripture? How does a text become one? How does scriptural authority succeed or fail, and for whom? We will explore these questions through 1) readings in religious studies and genre theory; 2) case studies of both "new" and "old" scriptures such as The Book of Mormon, Dianetics, and the Bible; and 3) activities designed to develop an understanding of scripturalization in social life beyond the realm of "religion." Emphasis will be on reading scripturalized texts as primary sources, investigating their internal logic, discursive influences, and rhetorical effects to think about how communities have formed around them.

Additional description

Area of Study Requirement: Religions in the Americas

Satisfies Critical Approaches (CA) Requirement for Majors