RELG 026. Magic, Theory and Practice

Owen Davies defines Magic as "the everyday employment of Religion for reasons other than spiritual enlightenment or salvation." In this course we examine the history, theory, and meaning of Magic as a category of belief and practice. From the Greek-defined mageia, to Christian, Islamic, Buddhist and Jewish sources, to the rise of the "inner sciences," we will consider Magic in relation to Religion through modern and popular interpretations of Occult tradition. Topics include: the Hermetic Corpus, Alchemy, Chaos Magic, Folk Magic, and the Esoteric worldview. This class includes a lab section and digital humanities component. Religion prerequisite recommended but not required.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Catalog chapter: Religion  
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/religion


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