Burning Man:
Rethinking Ritual, Spirituality, and Culture
Instructor: Lee Gilmore, Ph.D.  
 Rethinking Ritual, Spirituality & Culture:
  • Curious about the deep history and broad cultural context of Burning Man?
  •  Have an intellectual, geeky streak and want to think critically about Burning Man's broader cultural significance?
  •  Want to learn about the role of alternative and para-religions in America's rapidly transforming cultural landscape?
  •  Keen to ponder why so many Burners over the years have described Burning Man as a transformative experience?
  •  Want to explore Burning Man's eclectic and dynamic, ritual, and syncretic ritual traditions?
  • Have a project brewing (written, visual, performed, etc?), perhaps related to some of these themes, and want feedback & a formal structure to bounce ideas around in?
This online course will examine the cultural and spiritual significance of the Burning Man festival-an eclectic, seven-day celebration of art, fire, and community that takes place annually in Nevada's Black Rock desert. We will think critically about the event's dynamic history, culture, communities, traditions, rituals, and values in order to cultivate an expanded understanding of "religion" (Pagan and otherwise). In keeping with the spirit of Burning Man, this course will be participatory and will culminate in the completion of creative and academic projects.

Instructor:  Lee Gilmore, Ph.D.

No class meetings:  July 16 - Aug 12

Reading:
Theater in a Crowded Fire: Ritual & Spirituality at Burning Man by Lee Gilmore (University of California Press, 2010.
 
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Cherry Hill Seminary
www.cherryhillseminary.org