Theology of Freedom

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Religious beliefs seem to threaten freedom by limiting what one is allowed to think and do and by seeking power over pluralistic societies. At the same time, freedom may be regarded as a religious value. Theologians interpret it as a divine attribute that God shares with humans through acts of creation and liberation, and theological undertones can be detected even in secular accounts of freedom. This course examines these complexities by considering the diverse meanings that freedom has received in the Christian tradition and how they relate to modern theories of freedom. Topics of discussion include the biblical story of Exodus, early Christian engagements with Stoic ethics, Reformation and Enlightenment conceptions of liberty, Latin American liberation movements, Black freedom struggles, and mystical influences on contemporary critiques of gender normativity.