NES 7545

Sound, Silence & the Sacred

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

From the ringing of Tibetan singing bowls to the silence of desert monasticism, religious imagination and ritual is replete with sound and its absence. Cityscapes resound with church bells and calls from the minarets. Music, chanting, recitations, incantations, mantras, gongs-the world of religion is replete with ritualistic uses of sound. But sound goes even beyond ritual to the realm of the imaginary, which frequently contrasts the music of the gods with the noise of the demons. Sound and silence in such contexts are inherently tied to desire, temptation, and even salvation. This course will draw upon a wide array of sources-from texts to recordings, videos, and performances-to address the function and meaning of sound (and silence) within diverse religious traditions.

When Offered Fall.

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