Goodness and the Literary Imagination

In her Ingersoll lecture at Harvard Divinity School, Toni Morrison probed the issue of literary presentations of goodness. We will begin with that very rich lecture, and a collection of essays by scholars of religion and religious leaders exploring that lecture in the context of Morrison's own work. We'll then discuss a novel by Morrison, James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time, at least one story by Flannery O'Connor, and related (short) works of literature and commentary. The inquiry will involve both conceptual and literary analysis, all of it focused on the character and presentation of goodness. (Limited enrollment; consent of instructor required. Please complete the questionnaire at https://forms.gle/8D6XxLdUj4T645Lh9)