GLS 592: Ancient Messiahs, Modern Cults: Studies in Religious Leadership
Instructor: James Brewster
This course will define leadership and authority in several religious traditions, including the figures of Mohammed, Buddha, and Jesus, especially important because of recently uncovered controversial “gospels,” The daVinci Code and challenges to religious truth from atheist writers. The course will also focus on the unique history of the leaders (and followers) of religious cults and movements in the United States.
TEXTS: Jenkins, Phillip (Distinguished Professor of History and Religion, Penn State University.) Mystics and Messiahs: Cults and New Religions in America.,
Christopher Moore: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff or Anne Rice: Jesus Christ: Out of Egypt
Other materials will be distributed in class by the instructor:
TOPIC ONE: DEFINING “MESSIAH”
Classical definitions including confusing theological terms such as “charisma”, “blasphemy” and “prophet”.
Introducing Mohammed’s understanding of his role as “prophet” in Islam, and biography about Buddha.
TOPIC TWO: The Authority of Scripture
Examining how both the New Testament and the Qur’an were authorized as “scripture.” The discovery and authority of the “Book of Mormon” (1830) will also be studied.
TOPIC THREE: ARCHEOLOGY: AUTHORITY FROM THE PAST
Discussion about the inclusion of controversial gospels into the New Testament. The discoveries of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Nag Hamadi challenge the traditional and orthodox ideas about Jesus and the messianic expectations of the Jews in the early centuries.
TOPIC FOUR: JESUS, MEET MOHAMMED
Those acquainted with Jesus will find Mohammed a much different religious authority. We will deal with the Islamic concept of blasphemy, including the call for the assassination of Salman Rushdie for his novel Sataniic Verses and the response to cartoons about Mohammed. American anti-Islamic efforts also discussed.
TOPIC FIVE: BUDDHA, MEET JESUS
Two iconic pictures: the crucifix of Christ at the center of many churches and the reclining Buddha. Each suggests different understandings of “messiah” and religious leadership. Contemporary Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh seeks to reconcile differences between the two faiths.
TOPIC SIX: “POP” MESSIAHS: SECULAR CHALLENGES TO THE MYSTERY OF MESSIAH
Beginning in the 1960’s, an effort to clarify the role of Jesus for those outside traditional organized religion resulted in “Jesus Christ-SuperStar,” “Godspell” and even Monty Python’s “Life of Brian.” Artist Richard Hook (c. 1960) depicted a laughing Christ, much to the surprise of many.
TOPIC SEVEN: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM POPULAR WRITING
In writing Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein established himself, in 1969, as the first master of science fiction, a book that some say is the best science fiction novel ever written. Since then, the idea of “messiah” has been popular theme in politics and religion. We focus on novelists Christopher Moore and Anne Rice.
TOPIC EIGHT: TAKING ATHEISTS SERIOUSLY
In 2004, an Italian atheist sued a local Roman Catholic priest for alleging that the Church, in general, and the local congregation, in particular, were perpetrating a major hoax regarding the figure of Jesus. Most recently, the authority of religion has been criticized by several authors, including Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion).
TOPIC NINE: AMERICAN MESSIAHS—THE UNIQUE RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF THE U.S.
Discussion of the opening chapters in Jenkins including his definition of cults and fringe religions and the multiplicity of these movements particular to the United States in the early 1800’s.
TOPIC TEN: CULTS AND RECENT HISTORIES
An examination and discussion of leaders/followers in the most recent past, including the story of Rev. Jim Jones, Peoples’ Temple and eventual Jonestown, Guyana tragedy, David Koresh’s Branch Davidian, cult, resulting in the Waco raid and fire, and the Scientology controversy.
TOPIC ELEVEN: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Discussion regarding the meaning, evaluation and applications of messiah and religious leadership as studied in the course.
Last Update: March 30, 2009
