The aim of this course is to engage you in a reflection on spirituality and religion, and on their relevance to contemporary social change. It will aim to do so in a manner which is personally meaningful, appropriate for critical analysis, and relevant to social action. Society is undergoing a resurgence of religious or spiritual beliefs and practices. Many of us are personally committed to spiritual or religious beliefs, are engaged in what could be called a “spiritual search”, or at the very least have many questions of a spiritual nature. As faith in secular ideologies declines, there is a growing tendency to turn to religious traditions as conceptual and social resources for personal growth and social engagement. But is this appropriate or even right? In the past few decades the world has witnessed a dramatic resurgence of spiritual seeking and religious engagement in society, in ways that may be either constructive or destructive. Given the historical record, is it realistic to expect religion to provide answers to personal and social problems?

Open to believers, agnostics, skeptics, atheists and seekers, this course will give you exposure to, and an opportunity to engage with, the spiritual heritage of humanity. You will explore topics such as human operating systems, objects of consciousness, the mindscape, spiritual practices, existentialism, materialism, the meaning of life and death, ritual and mythology, human nature, the evolution of religion, religion and society, and the crisis of religion. You will discuss teachings of some of the world’s major religious traditions, as well as spiritual themes contained in popular feature films. You will critically consider the contemporary social implications of religious teachings and spiritual principles. You will reflect on whether these approaches to human spiritual life are part of the cause or part of the solution for global social problems.

Science and religion are two of the most significant influences shaping human life and culture. Are they in conflict or in harmony? This course will encourage students to question their assumptions about both science and religion and the relationship between the two, and to gain new insights on the meaning of truth, knowledge and life. We will consider the intersection of science and religion in the following questions : “what is true?” “what is real?” “what counts as legitimate knowledge?” “do emotion, passion and faith have a role in science?” “does rationality have a role in religion?” “what are the moral dimensions of science and religion?” “where do we come from and where are we going?”