RLSOC 728s: GAY & LESBIAN LIBERATION THEOLOGIES
IN WORLD RELIGIONS
Fall 2004

DESCRIPTION: This seminar is conceived as a collective effort to explore – through reading, research, networking, presentations, discussions, films, etc. – some of the main ways in which emerging lesbian & gay struggles for liberation intersect with the diverse religious traditions present in & around world Christianity, especially in what regards the development of lesbian & gay liberation theologies within those traditions.
       This is a doctoral seminar, and, as such, all participants are equally expected to participate – in proactive, creative ways, well beyond the resources provided by the university and the instructor – in the research, production, sharing and organizing conducive to make this one a scholarly fertile enterprise in higher education. The instructor will be a participant in this enterprise, with specific responsibilities as facilitator-organizer.

WORKING METHODOLOGY: Most of our sessions will start – for near 60' – with a presentation by a guest speaker on a previously announced theme (speakers are asked to submit in advance a list of required previous readings – around 30-60 pages altogether). Around 5:00 pm we shall take a 15' break. Afterwards, the time from 5:15 through 6:30 pm will be dedicated to sharing thoughts, doubts, questions, and concerns raised among the participants by the lecture, as well as by the previous readings, related experiences, personal reflections and other discussions related to the theme of the current class – hopefully all within a spirit of participatory, respectful, and very open inquiry and deliberation.

REQUIREMENTS: Students are expected – besides full attendance at all meetings of the seminar – to participate in an active and cooperative way in the seminar's discussions, including the Blackboard discussion board; to prepare every meeting by doing the previously assigned readings; to present every month one of three drafts of a final research & reflection paper (at 4:00 pm on Tuesdays 10/5, 11/2 & 11/30 at the very latest [see guidelines below]), or, alternatively, three shorter monthly papers each on a different theme (8-12 pages each, within the same deadlines, and basically following the format of a final paper, except for length). You might substitute an oral presentation to the class only for the 2nd of these drafts/papers – but see guidelines below.

MONTHLY RESEARCH & REFLECTION PAPER: If you are a student taking this course for credit, you are required to present a monthly essay. You may do your three essays as either “installments” of a larger final essay or as three separate, shorter essays, on a different topic each.
       All essays should be research-and-reflection essays, typewritten in NUMBERED & DOUBLE-SPACED pages. Each essay should be divided into at least seven parts (title page, table of contents, introduction, central body, conclusions, endnotes and bibliography). The central body of the essay (but only the central body) should be further subdivided in three sections at least, each with its own pertinent, explicit title and specific focus. Only the central body of the essay can be longer than two pages (outline, introduction, conclusions, endnotes & bibliography should be just one page long, except in long final essays, where these parts may span a maximum of two pages each). Use normal fonts (12 points or near 70 spaces per line), standard line spacing (double space, or near 25 lines per page) and conventional margins (one inch each of all four margins).
       These essays should be of 8 pages minimum/12 pages maximum each, counting everything. Long essays' final drafts are expected to be between 24 and 35 pages tops.
       Essays are to be handed in at 4:00 pm on Thursdays 10/7, 11/4 & 12/2 at the very latest. You may apply for an oral presentation of one of your essays, before or after handing it in its final written version (see below)

NOTE: Essays could be, given previous approval by the instructor, on any of a wide array of aspects (historical, sociological, anthropological, theoretical, theological, biblical, etc.) of the intersection of the lesbian/gay experience and religious tradition(s). Make a sustained effort in them to use inclusive language at all times. For ecological reasons, please use recycled paper (at least printing on BOTH sides OR on the other side of already used paper).

ORAL PRESENTATION: An oral presentation on any of the essays might be done in previous agreement with the instructor. You have to responsibly and conscientiously PREPARE your presentation following these steps:

EVALUATION: Students taking this course for credit will be graded between AH (Honors) and D (or F) according to the quality and degree of satisfaction of each of the previous requirements. Bear in mind that A means work of unusual excellence; B means superior work above average; while C means a satisfactory work of average quality (and that we all have an interest in fighting grade inflation!). Classes missed, late arrivals, early departures, low and/or non-cooperative participation; late, incomplete and/or low quality essays/presentations will indeed EACH contribute to LOWER final grades.
       Each two (2) late arrivals/early departures will be considered as one class missed; three classes missed (for whatever reasons, justified or not) will entail the failure of the course.
       Essays will usually be returned in a week or two with a grade and comments pointing both the strengths and weaknesses justifying such grade (except late essays, which will be returned in three weeks and given a grade but no comments).
       Doing only the minimum required, even very well, will rarely earn a student more than a C+/B-.

LANGUAGES: Oral presentations and discussions will be in English. Written work can be done in either English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian or Catalan – depending on your mother tongue, the original language of works examined, and your Graduate School language requirements. You might want to consult with the professor to find works in languages adapted to either/all of these variables.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

       Gary David Comstock and Susan E. Henking (Eds): Que(e)rying Religion. A Critical Anthology. New York (NY): Continuum, 1997, 552 p. ISBN # 0-8264-0924-5.

       Robert E. Goss & Mona West (Eds): Take Back the Word. A Queer Reading of the Bible. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press, 2000, xvi-239 p. ISBN # 0-8298-1397-7.

       Arlene Swidler (Ed): Homosexuality and World Religions. Valley Forge (PA): Trinity Press International, 1993, viii-232 p. ISBN # 1-56338-051-X.

(All other required and suggested readings will be announced by the presenters before their presentations so as to have enough time to locate, order, reserve and/or xerox the appropriate reading materials).

Note: Please be aware that the expected reading load for a doctoral candidate is indeed broader than just the required readings for each course taken for credit.

CONTENTS AND CALENDAR:

Tue. 7 Sept.: INTRODUCTION.
Round of presentations, reading/discussion of syllabus, introduction to the course: Why this Seminar, Why Here, Why Now?

Tue. 14 Sept.: THE SOCIAL-HISTORICAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF THE (SEXUAL) SELF/OTHER & THE STRUGGLES TOWARD (DE)SACRALIZING HOMOPHOBIA: ROOTS OF LGBT LIBERATION THEOLOGIES.

Tue. 21 Sept.: THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES AND THEIR USE IN THE GLBT CONTROVERSIES.
       Guest speaker: Dr. Danna Nolan Fewell.

Tue. 28 Sept.: (HOMO)SEXUALITY & THE NEW TESTAMENT.
       Guest speaker: Dr. Stephen Moore.

Tue. 5 Oct.: GAYS & LESBIANS IN AMERICAN CHURCH HISTORY: A CASE STUDY
       Guest speaker: Dr. Jesse Todd.