Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2024 - HUM 330 B300

Religions in Context (4)

The Early Cult of the Virgin Mary

Class Number: 5627

Delivery Method: Blended

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 8 – Apr 12, 2024: Wed, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 17, 2024
    Wed, 11:59–11:59 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    45 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An in-depth investigation of a specific case of religious history and tradition. Religions will be studied through the cultural and historical contexts that pervade and structure religious meaning and expression. Students may repeat this course for further credit under a different topic. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

The Early Cult of the Virgin Mary

In the modern Christian world, there are few saints that can rival the popularity of the Virgin Mary. She is a beloved figure and the subject of intense veneration among Catholics and Orthodox alike. It might be surprising to a modern audience to learn, then, that the Virgin Mary is only mentioned a handful of times in the Bible and that some of the earliest Christian writers, such as Tertullian, offer a negative assessment of Mary’s role within the formative Christian Church. How then, did Mary rise from relative unimportance amongst the earliest Christian communities to become one of the most prominent figures in Christianity? 

This seminar-style course explores the trajectory of the cult of Mary from her earliest references in the Bible in the first century CE to her widespread veneration as a celebrated saint by the sixth century CE with a developed literary tradition, numerous churches dedicated in her honour, and emerging iconographic conventions. As such, we will take a multidisciplinary approach to our analysis of the cult of the Virgin, drawing on ancient texts, archaeology, and art history to shape our understanding of this enigmatic Christian saint. This course will also introduce students to the field of Digital Humanities through their direct participation in the Digital Mary Project, an online, open-access database that brings all the artistic productions, artefacts, and built landscapes related to the early Cult of the Virgin in the Eastern Mediterranean together into an easily searchable digital platform.

Grading

  • Participation 15%
  • Weekly Discussions 15%
  • Catalogue Entries 15%
  • Presentation 20%
  • Final Paper 35%

NOTES:

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html 

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Students with Disabilities (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion. 

Deferred grades will be given only on the basis of authenticated medical disability. 

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Stephen J. Shoemaker, Mary in Early Christian Faith and Devotion (New Haven, Conn., Yale University Press, 2016) 

(AVAILABLE ONLINE AT SFU LIBRARY) 


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html