Homosexuality and the Christian Tradition
A Summer 2022 ONLINE Graduate Course
Pacific School of Religion
13–17 June and 20–24 June 2022: 8:30am to 12:30pm (Pacific Time)
This 3-credit online course offers an historical overview and survey of attitudes toward homoeroticism and homosexuality in ancient, medieval, and modern Christianity in the West and in present-day American Christianities. Several key figures, texts, and movements will be considered and analyzed with a view toward understanding and interpreting their impact on contemporary debates.
The topics for each day of this 10-day course:
- Class 1: Course Introduction
- Class 2: Ancient Foundations I: Ancient Greece and Rome
- Class 3: Ancient Foundations II: Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
- Class 4: Ancient Foundations III: Early and Late Antique Christianity
- Class 5: The Medieval World I: The Invention of Sodomy
- Class 6: The Medieval World II: The Formation of a Persecuting Society
- Class 7: The Renaissance: Two Case Studies
- Class 8: Sexuality, the Family, and Same-Sex Desire in Reformation Europe; Modern Understandings of Same-Sex Desire I
- Class 9: Modern Understandings of Same-Sex Desire II; Contemporary Christianity I
- Class 10: Contemporary Christianity II and Course Conclusion
COURSE REGISTRATION INFORMATION
- For information on Taking a Class at Pacific School of Religion (PSR), click here;
- For an Application for Auditing Classes at PSR, click here;
- For an Application for Special Student Status at PSR, click here;
- For information on Continuing Education options, click here. and
- For information on PSR Fees, click here.
Bernard Schlager, PhD
Professor Bernard Schlager
Dr. Bernard Schlager, Associate Professor of Historical & Cultural Studies at Pacific School of Religion and Executive Director of The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS), received his PhD from Yale University in the history of medieval and Latin American Christianities. He has taught at the University of New Hampshire, Trinity College, and Yale.
Professor Schlager was one of the original staff members of CLGS when it was founded in 2000. Since then he has held a number of positions at the Center, including program director and interim deputy director, before becoming executive director in 2009. In addition, he directs the development and advancement work of the Center, coordinates the Certificate in Sexuality and Religion Program (CSR) at PSR, and serves as an editorial consultant for the CLGS/Pilgrim Press Book series.
Dr. Schlager’s research interests include queer studies, the history of Christianity, LGBTQ pastoral care, and medieval social and religious history. He has published articles on ancient church history, medieval hagiography, LGBTQ history, and the history of education; he is co-author with David Kundtz of the book Ministry Among God’s Queer Folk: LGBTQ Pastoral Care (Second Edition, 2019).
For more information on this course, please contact Professor Bernard Schlager at: bschlager@psr.edu.