A study of Freudian, Jungian, humanistic, and transpersonal psychologies with respect to issues in religion. Topics for study include dream theory, the individuation process, psychological types, self-actualization, peak and plateau experiences, death, psychological aspects of worship, values, the psychology of meditation, and levels of consciousness. Students are encouraged to keep a dream notebook and must submit a term paper based on it or some suitable research topic. A critical look at the mass media's hidden mythic and religious dimension. The archetypal human quest for the mysterious source of being is symbolized in media themes such as the Force, the UFO, and the heroic cosmic Savior.
Myth is also evident in media political and commercial propaganda and images of gender.
The course stresses the mythic roots of these symbols and how to respond critically to them. Topics include stages of the mystical path, voices and visions, love or bridal mysticism, meditation and contemplation, and mysticism in the world of action, science, and the occult. A sociohistorical survey of the varieties of religions in North America. Emphasizes the role religion plays in the political and ethical spheres of American life. This course may be repeated for credit for selected topics on different subjects.