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New religious phenomena in contemporary world: Satanism
Educational subject description sheet

Basic information

Field of study
Religion Studies – Interdisciplinary Studies in Religions and Cultures of the World
Speciality
-
Organizational unit
Faculty of Philosophy
Study level
second cycle
Study form
full-time degree programme
Education profile
General academic
Mandatory
elective
Education cycle
2024/25
Realization year
2024/25, 2025/26
Subject code
UJ.WFzRELS.2A.09583.24
Lecture languages
english
Subject related to scientific research
Yes
Disciplines
Culture and Religion Studies
ISCED classification
0221 Religion and theology
USOS code
WFz.IR-A/98
Subject coordinator
Piotr Czarnecki
Lecturer
Piotr Czarnecki
Periods
Semester 2, Semester 4
Examination
graded credit
Activities and hours
Discussion class: 30
Number of ECTS points
4.0

Goals

C1 The main aim of this course is to acquaint students with the problem of contemporary Satanism, (in the period covering the second half of the 20th and in the 21st century). During the course, students will have the opportunity to discover various aspects of the phenomenon of contemporary religious satanism, basing on the most recent academic literature and source materials.The analysis of contemporary Satanism will start with the presentation of the state of research in this subject, during which participants will be acquainted with various academic definitions and classifications of the phenomenon. The main part of the course will be centered around the analysis of contemporary satanic groups - their history, doctrine and ritual practices. Basing on the source materials the students will discover the answers to the questions of their origins, inspirations, specificity and directions of doctrinal evolution. The analysis will embrace communities representing two main branches of Satanism, described by the scholars – the atheistic or rational Satanism, perceiving Satan as merely a symbol of liberation and self-realization and theistic one, in which Satan is considered a sentient, personal being. Special attention will be payed to the crucial communities, that were (and still are) the most influential in contemporary satanic environment – that is The Church of Satan, founded by A. S. La Vey – a pattern for most of the atheistic groups - and Temple of Set, created by Michael Aquino – the source of inspiration for many theistic Satanists. Other, less influential and less numerous communities will also be taken under consideration, especially the ones that present alternative approaches to Satanism and the eclectic ones, in which Satanist themes are one of many sources of inspiration. Another important subject of research will be the phenomena directly influenced by Satanism, such as the presence of satanic themes in pop-culture, especially in extreme metal music, or the so called Satanic Panic or Great Satanic Scare of the 1980s. and 1990s., caused by reaction of anti-cultic circles to Satanism, described by some scholars as the contemporary form of the witch hunt. During the course, students will analyze source materials, discuss academic texts concerning contemporary satanism, listen to the lectures and watch documentary films and multi-media presentations. They will also have the opportunity to present the effects of their own research on a chosen satanic group (or groups) in short presentations.

Subject's learning outcomes

Code Outcomes in terms of Effects Examination methods
Knowledge – Student knows and understands:
W1 posiada pogłębioną wiedzę o współczesnych wspólnotach satanistycznych, ich genezie i doktrynie oraz formach życia religijnego i duchowości REL_K2_W02 essay, presentation
W2 W zaawansowanym stopniu rozumie zależności między formami satanizmu a kulturą i społeczeństwem. REL_K2_W01 essay
W3 Student potrafi rozpoznać, zaklasyfikować i zinterpretować zjawiska religijne zaliczające się do nurtu współczesnego satanizmu, bazując na metodach analizy proponowanych w najnowszej literaturze przedmiotu, REL_K2_W04, REL_K2_W05 essay
Skills – Student can:
U1 Student potrafi samodzielnie opracować monografię wybranej wspólnoty z nurtu współczesnego satanizmu. REL_K2_U02, REL_K2_U03, REL_K2_U05 essay
U2 Student potrafi samodzielnie prowadzić badania i zdobywać informacje REL_K2_U01, REL_K2_U05 essay, presentation
Social competences – Student is ready for:
K1 jest gotowy do komunikowania się w sposób kompetentny i kulturalny REL_K2_K01 essay, presentation

Calculation of ECTS points

Activity form Activity hours*
Discussion class 30
essay preparation 40
preparation of a multimedia presentation 10
preparation for exercises 40
Student workload
Hours
120
ECTS
4.0

* hour means 45 minutes

Study content

No. Course content Subject's learning outcomes
1. 1. Introductory lecture. History of Satanism since the Middle-Ages to the middle of the 20th century – an overview. W1, W2
2. 2. Satanism in contemporary academic research – various definitions and approaches to this phenomenon. Controversies over the term “Contemporary Satanism”. W2, W3, K1
3. 3. The origins of contemporary Satanism – The Church of Satan. Anton Szandor La Vey and controversies over his legendary biography. His religious inspirations. W1, W2, K1
4. 4. Early doctrine of the Church of Satan as presented in the Satanic Bible (1969). Sources of La Vey’s inspirations, his attitude to the central figure of Satan. W1, W2, W3, U2, K1
5. 5. The evolution of the Church of Satan in the end of the 20th and in the 21st century. W1, W2, U2, K1
6. 6. The origins of the Temple of Set. The Aquino-La Vey controversy in the 1970 - fundamental differencies in their perception of Satan and attitudes towards organizational issues. W1, W2, W3, U1, U2, K1
7. 7. Aquino’s alleged satanic revelations, and the doctrine of the Temple of Set, presented in it’s sacred scriptures – “The Book of Coming Forth By Night” and “Jeweled Tablets of Set”. W1, W3, U2, K1
8. 8. Alternative conception of Satanism in opposition to the mainstream. The Sinister Tradition - example of the Order of the Nine Angles. W1, W2, W3, U2, K1
9. 9. Satanism and nazism. Nazi influences in the Church of Satan and Temple of Set, other nazi influenced satanic groups: The Society of the Dark Lilly, Order of the Left Hand Path (Ordo Sinistra Vivendi), nazi satanism in Black Metal W1, W2, W3, U1, U2, K1
10. 10. The Great Satanic Scare (1980-1994) – the contemporary witch hunt. Origins and crucial influence of the book “Michelle Remembers”. W2, W3, K1
11. 11. Satanic in popular culture - black metal – it’s origins, early traces of the occult and satanic inspirations in rock and metal music. First wave of black metal and it’s main representatives. W1, W2, U2, K1
12. 12. Religiously involved black metal – the second wave in the 1990s. Religiously motivated crimes of the scandinavian black-metal band members. Their attitude towards the Church of Satan. Various conceptions of Satanism in black metal lyrics. W1, W3, U2, K1
13. 13. Ecclectic communities inspired by Satanism. Joy of Satan, Satanic Reds, The Process Church of the Final Judgement, Satanic themes in the “Family” of Charles Manson. W1, W2, U1, U2, K1
14. 14. Adolescent Satanism, Cyber-Satanism, social profile of the Satanists. W2, U2, K1
15. 15. Satanic Temple – the 21st century merger of Satanism, social activism and invented religions. Their attitude to the occult and satanic tradition, the conception of Satan. Attempts of classification. W1, W2, W3, U1, U2, K1

Course advanced

Teaching methods :

text analysis, project method, seminar, lecture, conversation lecture, lecture with multimedia presentation, discussion

Activities Examination methods Credit conditions
Discussion class essay, presentation Obecność i aktywność na zajęciach, esej poświęcony wybranemu zagadnieniu z zakresu współczesnego satanizmu, prezentacja przygotowana na zajęcia.

Entry requirements

Obowiązkowa obecność studenta na zajęciach.

Literature

Obligatory
  1. M. Introvigne, Satanism. A Social History, Leiden-Boston 2016
  2. Contemporary religious Satanism: a critical anthology, J. A. Petersen (ed.), London 2009
  3. J. A. Petersen, Bracketing Beelzebub: Introducing the academic study of Satanism. ”International Journal for the Study of New Religions” 4.2 (2014)
  4. R. van Luijk, Children of Lucifer. The Origins of Modern Religious Satanism, New York 2016
  5. A. Dyrendal, J. R. Lewis, J. A. Petersen, The invention of Satanism, New York 2016
  6. J. R. Lewis, Diabolical Authority: Anton LaVey, The Satanic Bible and the Satanist "Tradition", “Marburg Journal of Religion”, 7 (2002)
  7. K. Kahn-Harris, Extreme Metal. Music and Culture on the Edge, Oxford - New York 2007
  8. K. Granholm, The Left-Hand Path and Post-Satanism. The Temple of Set and the Evolution of Satanism, [w:] P. Faxneld, J. A. Petersen, The Devil’s Party. Satanism in Modernity, New York 2013
  9. B. H. Olson, I am the Black Wizards, Multiplicity, Mysticism and Identity in Black Metal Music and Culture, Detroit 2008
  10. A. S. La Vey, The Satanic Bible, New York 1969
  11. A. S. La Vey, Satan Speaks, Venice 1998
  12. P. H. Gilmore, The Satanic Scriptures, Baltimore 2007
  13. M. Aquino, The Temple of Set, San Francisco 2002, https://rjwomack.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/tosd11.pdf
  14. D. Frankfurter, Religious Studies and Claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse, “Religion” 24, (1994)
  15. J. R. Lewis, Who Serves Satan? A Demographic and Ideological Profile, “Marburg Journal of Religion”, 6 (2001)
Optional
  1. C. Matthews, Modern Satanism: anatomy of a radical subculture, Westport 2009
  2. J. S. Victor, Satanic Panic, Chicago 1996
  3. B. Barton, The Secret Life of a Satanist, London 1992
  4. J. R. Lewis, Satanism Today. An Encyclopedia of Religion, Folklore and Popular Culture, Santa Barbara 2001
  5. D. Patterson, Black Metal. Evolution of the Cult, Port Townsend 2013
  6. J. A. Petersen, The Seeds of Satan: Conceptions of Magic in Contemporary Satanism, “Aries”, 12.1 (2012)