The Self in Early Christianity

RELIGION 1561 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

In conversation with Michel Foucault’s account of the complex relations between subjectivity and truth (and the importance of “techniques of the self”) in the ancient and late ancient worlds, this limited-enrollment seminar will explore various notions of the self in early Christianity. Focusing on the first four centuries of Christianity, we will investigate specific problems of theological anthropology (i.e., what it means to be human) that emerged for early Christian thinkers at the intersection between established modes of ancient thought and specifically Christian notions of scripture, creation, incarnation, resurrection etc.  In view throughout will be questions related to the “hermeneutics of the self” that proved richly generative for the Christian tradition in its formative moments—and continue to animate the tradition today.

This course will also count as equivalent to HDS 1981: Seminar for Advanced New Testament and Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean.

This is a limited enrollment course.  To apply, please send a brief statement to bdunning@hds.harvard.edu<mailto:bdunning@hds.harvard.edu> with the following: your name, degree program, year of study, school or university, relevant academic background, and reasons for wanting to take the course.  Application statements will be accepted through Friday 9/2 at 10pm and students will be notified no later than Monday 9/5 (prior to the first class meeting on Wednesday 9/7).

Course Notes

Jointly offered with Harvard Divinity School as HDS 1561.