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Spooky Spirituality

Spooky Spirituality. Mark Plater HE Academy: Teaching Spirituality 14 th January, 2010. 4 Questions:. 1. Why don’t HE courses include mysterious /paranormal phenomena? 2. Is this a subject of interest to students, or just a fascination for fringe lunatics?

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Spooky Spirituality

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  1. Spooky Spirituality Mark Plater HE Academy: Teaching Spirituality 14th January, 2010

  2. 4 Questions: • 1. Why don’t HE courses include mysterious /paranormal phenomena? • 2. Is this a subject of interest to students, or just a fascination for fringe lunatics? • 3. Is growing popular interest a counter-reaction to the taboo which educationalists have placed on the subject? • 4. If such material were studied in the classroom, what pedagogical approach should be taken?

  3. Definitions • In religions: miracles, angels, demons, prophecies, stigmata, answers to prayer, mystical experiences... • Paranormal, supernatural, mysterious...E.g... • ESP & psychokinesis: telepathy, channeling, remote viewing, sixth sense, curses... • Divination: ouija, dowsing, automatic writing... • Prophecy: Nostradamus, Fatima, dreams... • Weird experiences: angel encounters, UFOs, monsters, strange coincidences, out-of-body experiences, crop circles, apparitions... Etc.

  4. New Age, Secret Societies & Conspiracy theories • In religions: DaVinci code, Knights Templar, Mystery religions, Castrators... • In civic society: Masons, Smugglers, Klu Klux Klan.. • Historical: Assassins, Stone Henge, Pyramids... • Contemporary: UFO cover-up, 9/11 and the CIA, Moon-landing myth...

  5. Taboo in ‘serious’ academia? • Para-psychology in USA & UK • Liberal Arts (USA): developing critical thinking skills through study of paranormal phenomena • Koestler (UK): Introduction to Parapsychology short course (online, and non-assessed) • Psychological anomalies research: Goldsmiths College London; University of Northampton; Liverpool Hope University ; Richard Wiseman • Consciousness studies: CTP Research Unit, Liverpool; Mind-Matter Unification Project, Cambridge University

  6. General interest or loony fringe? • David Hay (Nottingham, 2002): experiences outside of normal scientific explanations? • Linda Woodhead (Kendal, 2006): interest in New Age activities • Informal poll of Theology students (BG, 2009): interest in study of paranormal...

  7. David Hay- Soul of Britain 2000 • 75% claim have, “been aware of, or influenced by a presence or power, whether they call it God or not, which is different from their everyday selves”. • (C.f. Gallop, 1987: 48%) • -Pattern of events : 55% (of sample) • -Awareness of God’s presence : 38% • -Presence in nature : 29% • -Contact with dead : 25% • -Awareness of an evil presence : 25%

  8. Theology students’interest in paranormal • Theology at the Fringes • =4th out of 20 options • 61% graded 1 • 28% graded 2 • 11% graded 3

  9. Mark Fox, 1996 Fox, M (1996) What should we do about the new Age? BJRE: 19.1 pp24 - 32 5 Responses: • New Age enthusiasts (Shirley MacLaine, David icke, Michael Bentine) • Orthodox science (CSICOP & Skeptical Enquirer) • Churches (esp fundamentalists: global satanic conspiracy) • Social sciences (interpretations & profiles) • Journalistic critiques (Jim Schnabel: Round in Circles; Dark White)

  10. Mark Fox continued... Identifies 3 contemporary educational responses: • Churches: clearer Christian teaching required... Books, courses, sermons warn of dangers... • Scientists (CSICOP): better science education required... Critical thinking skills modules offered + warnings about pseudo-science... • James Lett (1991): irresponsible mass media is largely to blame... Programmes developed to FiLCH-proof anthropology students... Fox: Exploration of spirituality... Should include BOTH phenomenological study AND critical thinking...

  11. Module ProposalLincoln School of TheologyReligion at the Fringes Learning Outcomes Subject specific outcomes On successful completion of the unit students will be able to: • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a wide historical range of ‘paranormal’ and sensationalist religious phenomena, and ways in which mainstream religion has responded to them; • demonstrate critical understanding of theological and alternative accounts for the existence and attraction of such phenomena to various different communities; • analyse theories, accounts and sources and communicate personal perspectives on such phenomena using appropriate language.

  12. Religion at the Fringes (continued) Outline of the syllabus The module explores selected accounts of psychic and paranormal activity in the UK and elsewhere, considering popular, scientific and theological explanations for these phenomena. Historical mainstream and alternative religious teachings about angels, spirits, miracles, mystical experiences etc are explored, and a study is made of established mystery cults and sects, and the conspiracy theories which have often surrounded them.

  13. Towards a pedagogical approach • Multi-disciplinary: What is the truth? How explain this? • Scientific & historical questions- quality of evidence, reliability of sources, etc. • Social science questions- What is actually happening? What different explanations exist? • Theological- ‘fit’ with established concepts of God, truth, evil, etc. • Metacognition/ethical- Why study this? Effect on us?

  14. Why avoid the paranormal in HE studies?

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