Many contemporary Pagans engage in alternative healing practices that have diverse cultural and historical roots.

This course will use an interdisciplinary approach to discover the history, culture, and theology of alternative healing in America and consider such questions as: How did the dominant medical system gain supremacy in the U.S.? Why do people continue to choose alternative therapies? Which forms of alternative healing have overtly religious components? What do alternative healing systems teach about the relationship between mind, body, and spirit? What do they teach about sickness and healing? The course will consider diverse healing modalities such as New Thought, chiropractic, psychic healing, Christian prayer, acupuncture, and massage, and how these intersect with Pagan thought and practice.

Instructor: 
Sarah Whedon, Ph.D.
Class meetings:
Reading:

 

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