Religion & Philosophy   

In medieval Europe, a group of remarkable women emerged as God’s messengers through writings, art, and music inspired by their mystical visions. This short introduction to these female mystics covers Hildegarde of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, St. Bridget of Sweden, Margaret Porete, Julian of Norwich, and Margery Kempe, among others. Some were later canonized as saints, but Porete was burned and Kempe imprisoned for heresy.

Review and discuss the major religions of the world. A brief history of each featured religion will be offered along with its myth, scripture, and theory of knowledge and the supernatural. South Asian, Western, Far Eastern, and also modern traditions will be presented.

Discover the history of the Radical Reformation, the branch of the Protestant Reformation that includes the Anabaptists, Quakers, Unitarians, and Universalists. Special emphasis will be given to the works of Faustus Socinus and the Unitarian Polish Brethren as well as the history of Unitarianism and Universalism in the United States. Readings will be provided and will consist of primary works, including Socinus in translation, and secondary sources such as Hunston-Williams' Radical Reformation and a selection of Unitarian and Universalist historians. Wilbur's History of Unitarianism, and public domain texts readily available online, likely George de Benneville and Jane Leade, will also be included.