Religion at Ground Zero: Speaking of God in Times of Crisis

Date Cancelled
College University of Trinity College, Faculty of Divinity
Instructor(s) Brittain, Christopher C.
Course Code TRT3281HF
NOTE: Graduate degree students enrol in TRT6281HF
Semester First Semester
Section 0101
Online No
Credits One Credit
Location Toronto (St George Campus)
Description

Where was God when this happened?! How can religious people commit such atrocities?! What can a religious leader say after such a horrendous event?! This course explores such questions by analyzing theological responses to human tragedy and cultural shock. Discussion will attend to issues of theodicy, religious terrorism and natural disasters through the perspectives of systematic theology, ethics, and practical theology. The course focuses on popular reactions to the terrorist attacks on the USA in 2001, but includes attention to the First World War, the Holocaust, Hurricane Katrina, Fukushima, and contemporary terrorism. Attention will be given to themes such as the meaning of suffering, the function of religious discourse in the face of tragedy, the nature of ideology, and the relationship between religion and violence. The course concludes by moving from these analyses to an exploration of the peril and promise of speaking of God in times of terror.

Schedule N/A
Start Time TBA
End Time TBA
Hours Per Week 2
Minimum Enrolment 10
Maximum Enrolment 20
Teaching Method
Lectures
Seminars
Readings
Means of Evaluation
Class Participation
Research Paper
Short Paper
Previously Offered Fall 2017
Currently Offered Fall 2021