CH 372, Literary Contexts for American Religious History
Professors Douglas Strong and Kathleen Staudt
Wesley Theological Seminary Fall 2004
Course Description
In this course we explore American religious experience through the lens of various works of 19th and 20th century American fiction. Readings include works by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Wilson, Rebecca Harding Davis, and Flannery O'Connor. We will practice reading and interpreting these works in light of their theological content and historical context.
Readings for the course
Required texts:
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (Penguin 0140390197)
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin (Penguin 0140390030)
Rebecca Harding Davis, Life in the Iron Mills (Feminist Press at CUNY 0935312390)
Harriet E. Wilson Our Nig. (Vintage 1400031206)
Charles Sheldon, In His Steps (Hendrickson 1565631428)
Flannery O'Connor, A Good Man is Hard to Find & Other Stories (Harvest 0156364654 )
Recommended and on library reserve:
Flannery O'Connor, Spiritual Writings Orbis 1570754705
James Baldwin Notes
of a Native Son
Course Requirements
Reading and Journals (60% of grade): Thorough reading of all texts and participation in class discussion. Throughout the semester you will be keeping a journal in which you reflect on the readings and your personal responses to them. A journal/reflection paper of 4-6 pages (double spaced) will be collected six times during the semester. It will be evaluated as demonstrating the level of your engagement with the readings and your ability to express the ideas that this reading has led you to ponder.
Class Participation: (10% of grade ) During the semester you will be asked to watch for and collect articles in the media that explore questions about religion and American public life, and to share these as they seem relevant during our discussions. These will feed into the final paper assignment.
Final presentation and paper (30% of grade) 6-10 pages. A paper in which you explore characters, scenes, ideas from 2 of the works we have read in light of contemporary issues surrounding civic life and religion. Your paper should demonstrate your appreciation of the historical contexts we have been exploring and an ability to connect these to our current experience as 21st century American Christians.
Contacting us:
We are available and glad to
respond to questions by email: dstrong@wesleysem.edu andkstaudt@umd.edu. In addition, some course materials and supplemental
information may occasionally be posted on Kathy's website at http://www.wam.umd.edu/~kstaudt-
SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS
September 1 Introduction: Early American literary and historical contexts, Bunyan to Edwards, with readings in Bunyan, Alcott and Melville.
September 8 New England Puritan and
transcendentalist backgrounds.
Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, READ Chapters 1-11
September 15 Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, READ Chapters 12-24 JOURNALS DUE
September 22: Abolition, anti-slavery and the churches READ Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin, chapters 1-15 (pp. 11-258)
September 29 Uncle Tom's Cabin chapters 16-45 (pp. 258-477) and article by James Baldwin (on reserve)
October 6:
READING WEEK (please complete JOURNALS on Uncle Tom's Cabin reading
and discussion during this week
October 13: hand in
JOURNALS on Uncle Tom's Cabin.
For today, Read all of Our Nig.
October 20: African Americans and "freedom." Continued discussion of Our Nig. Revisit the novel in light of our discussion. Read for today the introduction to Our Nig and additional readings by W.E.B Dubois, Ida Wells Barnett and Pauline Hopkins, on reserve. JOURNALS DUE today
October 27: The immigrant experience and industrial America: Rebecca Harding Davis, Life in the Iron Mills. Read whole novella for today.
November 3: The rise of modernity, secularism and the churches. Read the first half of Frederic, The Damnation of Theron Ware, Chapters 1-17.
November 10: The Damnation of Theron Ware. Finish the novel (Chapters 18- JOURNALS DUE today on Davis and Frederic
November 17: The social gospel. Read all of In His Steps. JOURNAL DUE
November 24:
THANKSGIVING BREAK. ENJOY.
December 1: Flannery O'Connor. In A Good Man is Hard to Find, read the title story, (pp. 9-27) and Good Country People (169-196).
and in Spiritual Writings (on reserve in library) read short story called "Revelation," pp. 99-124. Also read in Spiritual Writings the selections on "Christian Realism," pp. 62-72 and on the "A Reason to Write," pp.125-132.
BY TODAY (12/1) give us a 1-page proposal, telling us what you plan to report on for your final paper (due December 15)
December 8: Flannery O'Connor. In Spiritual Writings, read pp. 49-59 and 73-87. In A Good Man is Hard to Find, read "The River," pp. 30-52, and "A Temple of the Holy Ghost" (pp. 85-101). JOURNALS ON O'CONNOR DUE TODAY
December 15: FINAL PAPERS DUE. Wrapup of the semester's work. ORAL PRESENTATIONS of your papers given today.