LIB451
The Seven Deadly Sins...in Six Days
The Old English word synn—an offense against moral codes—appears in religious and legal contexts as early as the eighth century. But more than 5,000 years ago, the ancient Sumerians used the word gissu in a similar fashion, and there is anthropological evidence of prehistoric moral codes reaching back more than 100,000 years. We’ll examine the long history of sin, beginning with Pope Gregory I’s formulation of the seven deadly sins, then take an extensive voyage through Dante’s The Divine Comedy, especially his nine circles of Hell. We’ll finish with Saint Augustine’s uniquely Christian doctrine of original sin and its formative influence on Western culture.
A $50 discount will be applied automatically for adults 55+.
This course will be offered at Harbour Centre on Tuesdays, Oct 22 - Nov 26, from 1:30 - 3:20 p.m.
Overview
Location: Vancouver
Duration: 6 weeks
Tuition: $180
Can be applied to:
Liberal Arts for 55+ Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
- Tue, Oct 22, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Tue, Oct 29, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Tue, Nov 5, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Tue, Nov 12, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Tue, Nov 19, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
- Tue, Nov 26, 1:30 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Pacific Time (class/lecture)
Course outline
- Week 1
We will define moral codes and look for their existence in prehistoric funeral rituals, trace the centres of moral authority from tribal leaders to divine monarchs and show how early writing first codified moral transgression. - Week 2
We will introduce psychiatrist and philosopher Karl Jaspers’s “Axial Age” theory (occurring between 800-200 BCE), trace the literary roots of modern monotheism in sources such as the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and examine Pope Gregory I’s formulation of the seven deadly sins. - Week 3
We will look at the cultural context in which Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) wrote The Divine Comedy, and then follow his allegorical journey through the afterlife, beginning with his descent into the nine circles of Hell in "Inferno". - Week 4
After Dante escapes from Hell, we will follow his climb up Mount Purgatory and then his beatific vision in "Paradiso". As in Week 3, we will view many examples of art inspired by The Divine Comedy, especially that of Gustave Doré. - Week 5
We will explore the literary origins of the story of Adam and Eve and see how Saint Augustine interpreted the story to fashion his doctrine of original sin. We will explore criticism the doctrine received from contemporary critics such as Pelagius and consider how original sin became entrenched in Catholicism and later by the Protestant Reformation. - Week 6
Frustrated with England’s resistance to church reform, Reform Puritans emigrated in large numbers to the New World, making Calvinist doctrines formative to the new United States. We will examine the ongoing Calvinist influence in the US, especially its importance in modern American capitalism.
What you will learn
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Explain why Neanderthal peoples exhibited moral codes
- Understand how Pope Gregory I formulated the concept of the seven deadly sins
- Comprehend the structure of the three parts of Dante’s The Divine Comedy
- Identify Saint Augustine’s purpose in creating the doctrine of original sin
How you will learn
- Lectures
- Participation in discussions
- Supplementary resources accessed through Canvas
- Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Technical Requirements
Handouts and other course resources will be available on Canvas, SFU’s online learning system.
To access the resources, you should be comfortable with:
- Using everyday software such as browsers, email and social media
- Navigating a website by clicking on links and finding pages in a menu
- Downloading and opening PDF documents