SWEDENBORG SEMINAR (HSST-4370)
(09/05/2023-12/15/2023)
Course Memo
This seminar explores aspects of the life, work, and influence of the eighteenth century Scandinavian scientist-turned-mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. It will be co-led by Drs. Devin Zuber and Rebecca Esterson. Topically oriented, the class will lift up various strands of Swedenborgian thought and contextualize them within a broad range of contemporary concerns, including (but not limited to): religious pluralism; the history of biblical interpretation; mystical experiences and altered states of consciousness; studies of death and after-death; art and aesthetics; environmentalism and eco-theologies; and comparative religious studies. We will do this through a survey of contemporary scholarly literature on Swedenborg and Swedenborgianism. This course filfills an elective requirement for a Certificate in Swedenborgian Studies. Guest speakers, two reflection papers, one final research paper. The class will be hybrid in format - welcoming both online and in-person participants. [Auditors With Faculty Permission]