Colleges are failing students and masquerading a “quality education” with indoctrinating courses that promote a leftist agenda. At Young America’s Foundation we created an exclusive compilation of the most outrageous courses offered at some of America’s (so-called) prestigious institutions called Comedy& Tragedy. Leftist (and often times secular) professors are spending their time demonizing Christianity, misrepresenting the Bible, and misconstruing long established religious principles. While this list could go on for pages, here are the five most troubling religion courses we found that are being offered this school year.
1. RELG 033—Queering the Bible - Swarthmore College
This course surveys the queer and trans readings of biblical texts. It introduces students to the complexity of constructions of sex, gender, and identity in one of the most influential literary works produced in ancient times. By reading the Bible with the methods of queer and transtheoretical approaches, this class destabilizes the long held assumptions about the Bible—and religion—says about gender and sexuality.
2. RI379—The Problem of God - Butler University
Perhaps ho other topic has been discussed more passionately and contentiously in the recent history of philosophy and theology than God. Is there a God? If so, what or who is God? If not, what are the reasons for abandoning the idea of God? What sense does it make in the 21st century to speak meaningfully about God? What effects does faith or belief in God have on contemporary society, for good or for ill? In this course we will tackle the problem of God and ask questions about the existence of God, the nature of God, the limitations of human language and concepts in describing God, the implications of faith or belief in God, and the future directions of the conversation. We will do so using a number of recent texts in philosophy and theology, including selections from process philosophers and theologians, feminist theologians, pantheists, the “New Atheists,” and racial theologians.
3. RLST 184—Queer Theory and the Bible - Pomona College
This course will look at how the Bible can be read productively through queer theory. We will examine biblical passages that are central to prohibitions on homosexuality and the larger discourses of heteronormativity (constructed around gender, sexuality, class, national identity, state formations, kinship, children, etc.) in which homophobic readings of the Bible emerge. We will also look at the ways in which these discourses and the identities they shore up can be “queered,” as well as at biblical texts that can be read as queer friendly. This process of queering will allow and require us to approach the biblical text in new ways.
4. RELIGION 1563—The Bible in the Public Square - Harvard University
The Bible seems to speak loud in the public square when it comes to gay marriage, abortion, or the Religious Right’s advocacy of Trump’s vision to “make America great again.” However, the Bible’s voice is less heard in matters of justice for immigrants, gun control, budget cuts to key social services or rapidly increasing poverty and income inequality. This course will explore the “other voice” of the Bible calling for justice and love for the poor, the afflicted, the immigrant, and the stranger. We will ask whether and how biblical scholarship addresses this problem of the missing biblical voice of justice in public discourse and inquire as to what can be done to amplify the Biblical call for justice in the public square.
5. REL 161—GODLOVESEX - Davidson College
Exploration of several U.S. movements, past and present, expressing religious commitment through rejection of received understandings of gender and/or reorganization of sexual practices. Specific movements change but may include groups such as Shakers, Mormons, Oneida, Nation of Islam, and Quiverfull.
Spencer Brown is the spokesman for Young America’s Foundation. More information on the 2018-2019 Comedy & Tragedy report can be found on www.YAF.org.