1Tue-1B-10: Mythology in our Lives
Class | Registration opens 1/27/25 10:00 AM
Why do we need to know about myths? Just consider the many references to them. Politicians suggest a new law would open a Pandora’s Box. Apollo 11 took humans to the moon. My neighbor named her male chihuahua Zeus. A well-known psychologist says that Narcissism is increasing in the population. Is Mars the closest planet to Earth? Two boys were wrestling and one hurt his Achilles heel. These are but small samples of the presence of myth in the English language.
This course will be an exploration of the myths that have endured and why they matter. We will be introduced to myths from Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome, Celts, Norse, India, China, Japan, Sub-Saharan Africa, Americas, and the Pacific Islands. As a child I was captivated by Wonder Woman. Do you have a favorite mythic hero? Do you see myths still at play in children today?
The class will be discussion based on the book, Don't Know Much About Mythology by Kenneth C. Davis, and some videos. Weekly preparation will be the time needed to read one chapter of the book before each class.
Books and Other Resources:
Davis, Kenneth C. Don't Know Much About Mythology. Harper Collins, 2005.
Pat Cole
From my childhood myths have been a source of wonder and questioning. My first career was as an RN. I witnessed the sick and dying search for meaning of their life and suffering. I then went to college earning a BS in Health Studies, a MA in Religious Studies and an additional graduate year in Theology. This led me to a career as Director of Religious Education in the Roman Catholic Church. Here was a wonderful opportunity to share the wonder and questioning I had experienced as a child.