DEATH THEOLOGIES AND RITUALS IN CHAPLAINCY (PR-8375)

This course is co-taught by Kamal Abu-Shamsieh and Rebecca Esterson. This course explores interreligious and inter-cultural approaches to end-of-life among diverse communities. Death is a multi-faceted experience and has various implications: physical, theological, ethical, legal, communal, familial, and personal. Students will study how death is understood and what rituals are practiced when dying, and during funerals, burial, and grief. Students are expected to join a synchronous class once a week from 9:30am-11am, and to engage in asynchronous activities (reading, online posting, two reflection papers, and a final research paper). Students will examine their own end-of-life beliefs and traditions, and articulate their understanding of how their views prepare them to care for diverse communities. Open to MDiv, MA/MTS, DMin, and PhD students. [Auditors with faculty permission]