Lectures to examine undercurrents of spirituality

Lectures to examine undercurrents of spirituality

An exploration of neglected, marginalized dimensions of Western religious culture will be the focus of two lectures to be held at Rice University Nov. 16 and 17.

“The Religion of No Religion: Esalen as an American Mystical Tradition” will be the topic of the Nov. 16 lecture, presented by Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University. “The Night Side of Reason: Shamanism and Western Esotericism” will be examined Nov. 17 by Wouter J. Hanegraaff, professor of history of hermetic philosophy and related currents at the University of Amsterdam.

These are the final lectures in the 2005 Dugan Lecture Series, “Hidden Histories: Eros, Spirit and Freedom from Ancient Gnosticism to Modern America,” examining the hidden currents of spirituality running through — and parallel to — the world’s religious traditions.

The lectures, which are free and open to the public, will be at 7 p.m. in the Humanities Building, Room 119, on the Rice campus.

The Dugan Lecture Series is generously funded by the Al and Lydia Dugan family and co-sponsored by the Esalen Institute, the Jung Center of Houston and Brigid’s Place, Christ Church Cathedral. For more information visit <http://reli.rice.edu>.