From Elvis to the Undertaker:

Religion Outside the Box
(RELS 3860)

This course begins with the question of whether it is possible to find religion in non-religious places.  What does the term “religion” mean?  Does religion always and only have to be found in a church / mosque / temple?  Or can it be found in other so-called “secular” places?  Is Hockey a religion?  Are visits to Graceland or Star Trek conventions a modern form of pilgrimage?  Is the WWE our secular version of Sunday school, enacting morality plays for modern audiences? This course will explore the concepts of “implicit religion,” "hyperreal religion," "invisible religion," and other ideas using these and other examples. 

 

Syllabus