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MPJO-710 Zen of Religion Writing
Spring only
Arthur Magida
Our response to the attacks of September 11 made it clear how much religion resides at the center of our nation, and of ourselves. This course will help you appreciate the many faiths in America's religious fabric, honing your skills to write about religion and religious experience with clarity, knowledge and empathy.
“Faith” is not a requisite for this course. Tolerance and curiosity are. The Zen of Religion Writing will be an excursion into self and into discipline – the discipline of faith and the discipline of writing. You will learn approaches and strategies to understand and write about religion and faith. We will compare religions, denominations, sects, cults, attempting to understand their beliefs and their appeal. We will not forego our own beliefs (or lack thereof), but will learn how to temporarily set these aside while treading in the religious shoes of another person. None of this will be extraneous to writing, since writing does not exist in a vacuum, a void, or a narcissistic black hole fueled by ego, impulse or vanity.
Hopefully, you'll leave this course with an enhanced appreciation for the possibilities and power of faith to enrich us, perhaps even to frustrate us. You will also hopefully leave better able to tolerate the confusion, uncertainty, ambivalence and fear that are an inescapable part of serious writing -- and of seriously trying to come to grips with a galaxy of religions.
Class open to journalism students in the MPS only.
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Course syllabi
The following syllabi may help you learn more about this course (login required):
Spring '10:
Magida A
(file download)
Additional syllabi may be available in prior academic years.
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Other academic years
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More information
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