TITLE:  THE MARRIAGE OF SACRED AND SECULAR:  RELIGION AND POPULAR
CULTURE
TR 8:00-9:15am  WH 114
What is the role of religion in contemporary American culture?  Has the
separation of Church and State resulted in a secularized American
society, or can a particular American "religion" still be identified?
Is American culture hostile towards religious expression, or
irresistibly drawn towards it?  This course seeks to provide answers to
these questions through an intensive study of the ways religious
discourse and imagery are utilized in television, the news media, and
film.  In addition, we will examine the ways traditional religious
institutions are accommodating themselves to major social/political
issues and trends of the '90's.  There will be a heavy emphasis on class
discussion and independent research.