What do we mean when we call something “evil”? Is evil a force, a choice, a structure, or a failure of imagination? This five-week course explores how philosophers, theologians, psychologists, and writers have grappled with evil—from its most obvious horrors to its ordinary disguises in everyday life. We’ll consider the “banality of evil,” “the evil of banality,” structural and systemic harm, projection and denial, and the tension between despair and hope. Participants will be invited to think critically and empathetically about evil’s nature—and our own capacity to resist or perpetuate it. We will discuss such writers and thinkers as Hannah Arendt, Elizabeth Minnich, Reinhold Niebuhr, Carl Jung, Bill Moyers, Elaine Scarry, Ariel Dorfman, and MLK.

This engaging, experiential class explores the practical, accessible, and ecumenical teachings of Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. We'll focus on integrating his mindfulness meditations into everyday life, transforming routine activities—from washing dishes to walking—into moments of calm. Discover techniques like mindful breathing and deep relaxation to effectively reduce stress, enhance physical and emotional health, and foster a holistic sense of spiritual and social well-being. An introductory video: https://youtu.be/DRObW9noiVk

The image on the Shroud of Turin of a crucified man with wounds matching the biblical description of Jesus’s crucifixion is the most studied artifact in history. After hundreds of thousands of hours of study, scientists are unable to say how the image was formed. This class examines the unique characteristics of the Shroud; the scientific efforts to unravel the mystery; the various hypotheses offered to explain the image; and why the answer to the question of how the image was formed is important.

Many have heard of church leaders who resisted the Nazi regime—names such as Bonhoeffer and Niemöller still inspire. But what of those who did not resist? How could so much of the German church, steeped in a rich Christian tradition and a deep intellectual culture, come to embrace Hitler’s vision? Drawing on Robert P. Ericksen’s Theologians Under Hitler, this five-week series examines how the Deutsche Christen (“German Christian”) movement and eminent theologians such as Gerhard Kittel, Paul Althaus, and Emanuel Hirsch bent Christian faith to serve Nazi ideology. Through presentation and discussion, we’ll consider how faith became an instrument of nationalism and hatred, and the sobering lessons this history still holds.