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The Handmaid’s Tale: Texts and the Christian Tradition

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Home Short Courses Bible & Sacred Texts Theology, Imagination & Culture Contemporary Spirituality The Handmaid’s Tale: Texts and the Christian Tradition

The Handmaid’s Tale: Texts and the Christian Tradition course

The focus for Texts and the Christian Tradition in 2024 is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Atwood’s work is prized among the most prescient literature of the 20th and 21st centuries. While writing widely in the genres of novels, non-fiction, children’s literature, graphic novels, and poetry, essays and literary criticism and highly regarded as an environmental activist, Atwood is best known for her 1985 dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale which has spawned a film, a multi-season TV show, and a recent sequel by Atwood, The Testaments.

This year’s Texts and the Christian Traditions course will explore theological engagements with The Handmaid’s Tale. While focusing primarily on the novel itself, we will also be considering the film and TV adaptations, the Testaments, Atwood’s writing, and the genre of dystopian literature more broadly.

The teaching team for this module consists of:
Dr Jayme Reaves, Director of Academic Development at Sarum College, who will be teaching on the Bible and Atwood’s writing, the short stories of Atwood, and an introduction to Atwood’s writing and the genre of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Prof Graeme Smith, Leader of Postgraduate Programmes in Theology, Imagination and Culture at Sarum College, who will be teaching on Political Theology and the use of rhetoric in totalitarian regimes, and leading our discussion of the film adaptation.
Dr Michael Hahn, Leader of Postgraduate Programmes in Christian Spirituality at Sarum College, who will be teaching an introduction to Atwood’s writing, on the study of women’s lives and experiences in historical documents (including how this is portrayed in the epilogues), and leading our discussion of the TV adaptation.
Prof Rhiannon Graybill, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Richmond, and Prof Peter Sabo, Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and Theology at Huron University, who together edited the book, “Who Knows What We’d Make of It, If We Ever Got Our Hands on It?”: The Bible and Margaret Atwood, will be teaching on the Margaret Atwood’s writing and the Bible.

Sarah Meyrick assistant editor of the Church Times, journalist and novelist will be leading two sessions on creative writing.

 

This is an opportunity to have a week study break in the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral Close, where residential participants enjoy full board, access to the library and to the pattern of liturgy at Salisbury Cathedral. During the week, you will engage critically with the text using particular lenses to enable deeper consideration of its meaning, significance, impact and longevity for the Christian spiritual tradition, its adherents, and/or the wider cultural context.

We welcome auditors are participants who learn alongside postgraduate students but are not required to complete an essay or earn academic credit.

What does it mean to audit a course? 

Joining this course is an opportunity to have a study break in the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral Close, where residential participants enjoy full board, access to the library and to the pattern of liturgy at Salisbury Cathedral.

Whether it’s cultural events, sightseeing (Stonehenge is nearby for example) or shopping — there’s plenty to do if you’d like to extend your stay the weekend before and after the course. For ideas, visit Salisbury Cathedral Close attraction websites to see what’s on Sarum’s doorstep. Visit the Wiltshire Creative website to view events at nearby Salisbury Playhouse and the Salisbury Arts Centre. The Experience Salisbury website has an excellent city-wide listing of forthcoming events around the city.

Need financial assistance? View our list of grantmaking trusts

Learn more about postgraduate study in Christian Spirituality 

Learn more about postgraduate study in Theology, Imagination and Culture

Enrolled students also may attend teaching weeks for modules in addition to the modules which they are studying for credit, by permission of the Programme Leader.  The audit fee and hospitality prices are reviewed annually with any changes effective from 1 July.

 

 

The Non-residential auditor course #2468 ticket sales has ended!
The Residential auditor course #2468 ticket sales has ended!

Details

Dates & Times

15 - 18 Jul 2024
Expired!
Day 1 - Starts at 2pm, Day 2 & 3 - Full days, Day 4 - finishes at 2:30pm

Location

Sarum College

Category

Theology, Imagination & Culture
Contemporary Spirituality
Bible & Sacred Texts

Tutor(s)

Professor Graeme Smith
Dr Michael Hahn
Guest Tutors

Course code

2468

Other Notes

Sarum Summer School is an opportunity to enjoy the Salisbury Cathedral Close setting while you immerse yourself in the selected text.

The course fee includes lunch and refreshments. Residential bookings include the evening meal and B&B.

To book your place, please contact maadministrator@sarum.ac.uk

What our students say

Mark Oakley

Faith is an imaginative adventure

The Very Revd Dr Mark Oakley

I admire the work and tone of Sarum College very deeply. It is a community that takes theology and spirituality seriously, not as hobbies but as pursuits into understanding, and engaging in, a complex world.

Sarum College reminds us that faith is an imaginative adventure and that it is shaped by a questioning joy.

Vibrant approach to theology

Fr Azariah France-Williams

I’ve been particularly struck by the refreshing approach to theological education here. In a world, and indeed within parts of the church, where faith can sometimes feel stagnant or out of touch, Sarum offers a vibrant and relevant alternative. The courses encourage a bold exploration of profound ideas, connecting with truths that lie beneath the surface and fostering genuine personal growth, which feels particularly significant as I approach my 50th year. This counter-cultural spirit, which embraces depth and challenges ageism and fear, is truly remarkable. Sarum is a place where individuals can be transformed by engaging with a living and breathing faith.

 

 

Stimulating and Challenging

What is Successful Ageing? led by James Woodward

I enjoyed the course immensely from beginning to end – the seamless interweaving of knowledge, ideas and research and the linking with belief and faith.

The content was stimulating, challenging, thought provoking and I was greatly appreciative of the contributions and questions from other participants, your considered and sensitive responses and integration with your presentations.

Thank you!

 

 

Netflix, Theology and Pastoral Practice

Peter Butchers on his MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture student experience

How do cultural tropes, like those found in Black Mirror, help bridge the gap between what academic theology espouses and what the everyday Christian believes? In his research as a student on the MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture, Peter Butchers explored platonic philosophy, digital theology and eschatology, and pastoral practice around death and dying.

Read more 

Rewarding Sabbatical Stay

The Revd Greg Syler, is Rector of Ascension & St. George’s, Resurrection Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC USA, spent part of his ministry sabbatical at Sarum College in spring 2022.

His account of the experience begins: ‘I loved spending nearly three weeks of my ministry sabbatical at Sarum College earlier this year.

Not only did I rest, and rest well in the comfortable care of the Sarum College staff, I experienced very significant renewal and fresh insights.’

Read more

The Road Not Taken

Sarum Graduate Mike Truman

January 2022

Five years ago, I told my Warden of Readers that I would not be renewing my licence when it expired in 2019, as I thought my faith was becoming too unorthodox for a Church of England licensed lay minister. As someone who knew me well, she challenged me to actively explore what I did still believe. Thus started the journey that ended last August with the dissertation completing my MA in Theology Imagination and Culture (MATIC) at Sarum College.

Read more 

Tutor(s)

Professor Graeme Smith

Programme Leader, Theology, Imagination and Culture Postgraduate Programmes

Dr Michael Hahn

Programme Leader for Postgraduate Programmes in Christian Spirituality

Guest Tutors

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