Session 4, "The Changing Religious Landscape in the U.S.," Exploring Religious Questions Mini-CourseFebruary 25, 2013 at 7–9 p.m.

In the fourth session of this minicourse, Dr. Sarah Johnson Ruble (religion) will address "The Importance of Belief, Heaven, and Hell in the Context of Other Religions."

Rob Bell, a popular author and pastor, recently wrote a book that raised questions about hell. Some fellow pastors dismissed his commitment to Christianity and he eventually left his church owing to the fallout. This course will consider why beliefs about the afterlife seem so important to some Christians and why they do not to others. We will also explore how different types of Christians think about the claims they make--that Jesus saves and that God is triune, for example--particularly in the context of a pluralistic world in which many faiths make truth claims, some of which seem mutually exclusive.

Advance registration is necessary for this mini-course (limited space available), and there is a fee for the course. In case of cancellation due to winter storms, we will attempt to contact registrants by phone and e-mail. (Snow date in case of rescheduling: March 11.)