
Univ of South Florida REL/LIT2410
Religious and Philosophical Themes in Literature
Associate Professor of Instruction at University of South Florida and author of Believing Philosophy: A Guide to Becoming a Christian Philosopher
What does literature have to say about life's meaning?
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Course Purpose:
My goal in this class is to introduce you to a rich variety of excellent literature, with a particular focus on religious and philosophical themes. We will consider a broad series of topics from a wide range of perspectives. Topics considered will include, but not be limited to, the following: the idea that life might have meaning, questions about what that meaning might be, the impact of technology on the human pursuit of meaning, the role of work in human flourishing, and the role of community in forming a coherent identity and pursuing a meaningful life.
Required Texts:
- No Exit and Three Other Plays, Jean-Paul Sartre
- Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
- Siddharta, Hermann Hesse
- The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis
- Hannah Coulter, Wendell Berry
- Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie
Course Purpose:
My goal in this class is to introduce you to a rich variety of excellent literature, with a particular focus on religious and philosophical themes. We will consider a broad series of topics from a wide range of perspectives. Topics considered will include, but not be limited to, the following: the idea that life might have meaning, questions about what that meaning might be, the impact of technology on the human pursuit of meaning, the role of work in human flourishing, and the role of community in forming a coherent identity and pursuing a meaningful life.
Required Texts:
- No Exit and Three Other Plays, Jean-Paul Sartre
- Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro
- Siddharta, Hermann Hesse
- The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis
- Hannah Coulter, Wendell Berry
- Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie

















