Heaven and Hell: Ancient Theologies and Modern Contexts

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Ideas about the 'afterlife' emerge gradually in Jewish and Christian theological tradition. In this course, we will explore the history of these theologies of heaven and hell, paying particular attention to the shifting conceptions of the afterlife (resurrection, judgement, new creation, etc.), what social and political purposes these descriptions serve, and how theologies of the afterlife operate in contemporary society.