Course detail: Fantastic Realms: The Visions of Gnosticism

Gnosticism is a type of spirituality that describes visions of spiritual dimensions beyond our earthly existence. The Greek word "gnosis" translates roughly as "knowledge," "awareness," and "science." It generally refers to personal, experiential knowledge rather than intellectual knowledge from reasoning or accumulation of information. The forms of spirituality referred to as "Gnostic" involve purported knowledge of spiritual dimensions, angels, creation, the nature of humanity and other religious themes based on personal visions or encounters with divine beings. This course will explore examples of Gnostic literature, including early Christian Gnosticism, The Tibetan Book of the Dead and th3 writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. 

Instructor Bio: James Gaither, Th.D., holds a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Kansas and Th.D. from Holos University Graduate Seminary. For over 25 years he has taught courses in history of Western thought, world religions, metaphysics and ethics and is currently a "semi-retired."

Course Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in an event, please email lpe@ku.edu or call 913-897-8530 at least three weeks before the first day of the event.

 Session Information: OC25235H

Schedule: Every week on Wednesday, starting on 04/23/25 and ending on 05/07/25
Times: 02:00pm-04:00pm CDT

Instructors

Name Additional Resources
Jim Gaither

Facility Detail

KU Edwards Campus, 163 Regnier Hall, In Person and Online
12610 Quivira Rd
Overland Park, KS 66213

Cancellation Policy

A refund less a $5.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations made in writing prior to 7 days before the start of the event. After that time, no refunds will be made.