In recent years, the entertainment industry has been endlessly fascinated with humanity's tense relationship with the transcendent. Hollywood has produced a never-ending stream of movies about demon possession. The show "Supernatural," which follows two demon hunting brothers, is currently in its 15th season. But modern people are particularly drawn to anti-supernatural ways of thinking. As a culture, we are more atheistic and secular than ever. So why all these productions? What explains this phenomenon? Why are modern people so fascinated with the supernatural?

We will look at what the Judeo-Christian tradition has to say about the nature of angels and demons. We'll look at what that tradition has to say about demon possession and about exorcisms. We'll also look at what has changed in the way modern people think that might shed light on why we're particularly preoccupied with this phenomenon.

Talk given by Anthony Rosselli, (PhD cand., theology, University Dayton)

Jan 20, 2025, 3 to 5 PM

Jan 21, 2025, 6:30 to 8 PM

Jan 25, 2025, 1 to 4 PM