Syllabus: Special Topic Seminar: Spiritual Autobiography, by Emily Griesinger

SSCS member Emily Griesinger has made this syllabus available to other Society members. Please contact the blog moderator by email if you'd like a copy. Here is the course's introduction:

Spiritual Auto/Biography: One of the central features of contemporary culture, according to Andrew Delbanco, is an “unslaked craving for transcendence.” In this special topics seminar we will examine classic and contemporary spiritual auto/biographies and memoirs that use storytelling devices—plot, setting, character, tone, point of view, imagery, symbol—to express and convey religious experience.  We will engage these texts from a variety of literary critical perspectives to gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and skill that make this genre so compelling.