REL 234 The History of Heaven and Hell
This course will explore the history of ideas and images of the afterlife, especially conceptions of heaven and hell. We will consider how, when, and why these ideas spread in various traditions of history and today, paying attention to the important differences and changes as much as the similarities and continuities. The history of ideas about non-human beings that reside in otherworldly spaces (angels, demons, jinn,
shayatin, etc) will also be considered. This course will help us to think about the ways that religious ideas and images continue to develop and resonate with many people in ways that reflect their social, political, and economic anxieties and aspirations.