Matter and Religion

Matter is one of most familiar yet obscure concepts in the modern western account of the world, yet the history of 'matter' reveals a complicated genealogy of classical concepts, combined with theological debates about the mysterious status of the reality that surrounds us. This seminar will explore the concepts and controversies that surround the notion of matter, touching on the disenchantment of the world, the disjunction of secular and sacred reality, and forms of 'new materialism.