Religious Communication

Course Description

COURSE OVERVIEW. Examines the role of religious communication in shaping public life through speeches, sermons, debates, campaigns and/or social movements. Considers how religious language, symbols and/or narratives influence cultural identity, moral reasoning and/or collective action. Surveys diverse approaches to studying religious communication, from historical traditions to contemporary debates, highlighting how meaning is constructed, contested and transformed in religious discourse. Considers interpretations of religious communication from multiple perspectives, fostering critical thinking. Explores a diverse range of scholarly frameworks, theories and methods employed in the academic study of religion and religious communication. RELEVANCE AND APPLICATION. Strengthens transferable skills in critical thinking, interpretation and evaluation of persuasive messages in contexts ranging from personal dialogue to civic engagement. Enhances adaptability across diverse religious and cultural frameworks. Supports academic preparation for analyzing communication at the intersection of religion, culture and public life. Engages skills applicable to leadership, education, public study of advocacy and professional fields, when understanding religious perspectives and their influence is relevant. DEEPENING UNDERSTANDINGS. Considers how religious communication functions not only as a vehicle of belief but also as a force shaping history, politics and/or social change. Provides reflection on ways speeches, symbols and/or campaigns can both unite and divide, reinforcing traditions or sparking transformation. Provides frameworks for critical analysis of religious discourse from first-person and third-person perspectives. Highlights the interpretive challenges posed by pluralism, competing meanings and differing assumptions about authority, sacredness and public expression. TOPICS AND THEMES. May include study of religious speeches and sermons; debates over doctrine and belief; campaigns and movements shaped by religious rhetoric; analysis of religious symbolism and storytelling; exploration of the role of communication in sustaining or challenging religious traditions. Course materials may address diverse and sometimes controversial perspectives, reflecting the ways religious communication has influenced cultural identity, social conflict and civic life across history. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: RELS 480/COMM 480.

Code

COMM 480

Credits

3

Subject

COMM