Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC)




A 21st Century Irish Visionary and His Angry Apparition Wednesday 03/07/2012: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM University Park Campus Social Sciences Building (SOS) 250 CRCC Interdisciplinary Research Group, USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Prof. Lisa Bitel presents a paper about Joe Coleman, a Dubliner who has lately been channeling the Virgin Mary at the historic Irish shrine of Knock, County Mayo. Coleman’s performances have drawn thousands of believers and tourists to the shrine, much to the Catholic hierarchy’s dismay. He has also become a much discussed celebrity in the Irish national media and across the blogosphere. Bitel analyzes the surprising variety of reactions to Coleman among the Irish, who are historically notorious for their Catholic devotion, in the context of national politics, recent trends in visionary religion, and the global scandal of sexually abusive priests. Lisa Bitel, professor of history and religion at USC, chairs the Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC) Interdisciplinary Research Group. The lecture is presented by the CRCC Working Group on Religion and Material Culture. To reserve your seat and receive the paper to be discussed, click here. Admission: Free Organized by: Sumaya Abubaker more info Add event

A 21st Century Irish Visionary and His Angry Apparition