I was very pleased to recently be awarded a course development grant at University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) where I work.  The purpose of the grant is to encourage faculty to develop new courses (in any field) that promote the mission of the university.  At UDM, that means a course that somehow integrates the Jesuit, Mercy, Catholic, Urban, Justice mission.  Not an easy task!  Eight of us applied and I received 1 of the 2 grants awarded.  If I may pause to brag for a minute–I was the only non-tenured professor to apply and, I believe, the only adjunct instructor to ever be awarded this grant.  Pretty cool!

The course I am developing is (no shock here) focused on popular music and religion.  I have already been doing some reading and thinking about this course, and it is my hope that R&T readers could help me with suggestions.  If you were taking a course about the religious and spiritual flavors of popular music, what would you like to see/hear?

Here are a few thoughts and questions I hope to address this summer.  Feel free to respond if you have other ideas.

1. I am well acquainted with rock music and a number of other related styles (metal, punk, prog, etc.), but I will need to study Hip Hop and the ever-growing body of scholarship related to Hip Hop and Religion.  Since a few of my esteemed R&T colleagues are experts in this area, I am confident that they will be able to point me in the right direction! (less than subtle hint for Monica, Daniel and Rachel, especially!)

2. A course on popular music and religion/spirituality needs to include a LOT of listening to recorded music and live performances!  What if I require students to attend at least 1 live performance during the semester–perhaps focused on a style of

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