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Philosophy

Alternative Religions

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This course presents a overview of alternative forms of religion since the Victorian period. We consider the growth of New Age, Scientology, Wicca and other traditions in their historical and sociological context, and outline the various strategies they have used to seek legitimacy. How are new traditions created, and what can they tell us about ‘World Religions’?

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No previous knowledge is required.

Content of Course

1. Introduction

  • Cult, Religion, Spirituality?
  • Historical context: Enlightenment, Romanticism, Fin de Seiclé
  • Spiritualism

2. The Theosophical Tradition

  • The influence of Eastern philosophy
  • Theosophy after Blavatsky
  • Krishnamurti
  • Steiner/Anthroposophy
  • Gnostic Churches

3. The Esoteric Tradition

  • The influence of the Western Hermetic tradition
  • The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
  • Aleister Crowley
  • Alternative religions and the counter-culture

4. Sci-fi religion

  • UFOs, Jung and Perennialism
  • New Age
  • “Folk religion” or “alternative epistemology”?
  • Case Study - Findhorn
  • Rael and UFO religions
  • Scientology

5. Inventing Tradition?

  • Case Study - Wicca
  • The question of transmission
  • Invented Religions
  • How and why is tradition invented?
  • Are all religious traditions invented?
  • Are alternative spiritualities modern, or reactions against modernity?

Teaching method(s)

Each two-hour class will consist of a mixture of lecture, audio-visual material and group discussion.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Describe the major alternative spiritual groups and traditions of the twentieth century;
  • Place these groups and traditions into their social and historical contexts;
  • Give an account of the strategies used by these groups and traditions in seeking legitimacy;
  • Critically discuss the implications of the above for an understanding of religiosity in the modern world.

 

Sources

Core Readings

Essential:

Selections from the following texts will be provided:
Owen, A. (2004) The Place of Enchantment: British occultism and the culture of the modern. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press.
Pearson, J. (ed.) (2002) Belief Beyond Boundaries: Wicca, Celtic Spirituality and the New Age. Aldershot: Ashgate in association with the Open University.
Sutcliffe, S. & Bowman, M. (2000) Beyond New Age: exploring alternative spirituality. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Recommended:

Heelas, P. & Woodhead, L. (2005) The Spiritual Revolution: why religion is giving way to spirituality. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Sutcliffe, S. J. (2003) Children of the New Age: A history of spiritual practices. London: Routledge.
Washington, P. (1993) Madame Blavatsky's Baboon: Theosophy and the Emergence of the Western Guru. London: Secker & Warburg.

Web Sources

David Robertson’s (course tutor) website:
http://davidgrobertson.wordpress.com/teaching/
This will include all handouts, presentations and additional online material.

Class Handouts

Class handouts will be provided on a weekly basis.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.