Four-week online class via Zoom
Tuesdays, April 23 – May 14, 2024
6 – 8 pm ET
$160 Patreon Members / $175 General Admission

PLEASE NOTE: All classes will be recorded for those who cannot attend live

All enrolled students will be gifted with a copy of the audiobook, which will be released Fall 2024.  

Join Diana Heath (formerly Walsh Pasulka)—author of American Cosmic and professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington—for a deep dive into the often overlooked roles of women in the foundational period of Christianity. Throughout history, the narratives of women within Christianity have often been overshadowed and sometimes changed, yet, their contributions are significant and profound. This course will shine a light on the lives, stories, and spiritual legacies of remarkable women such as Junia, Phoebe, Mary Magdalene, Perpetua and Felicitas, Hildegard von Bingen and others whose influence resonates through the corridors of time.

Through a combination of historical analysis and theological exploration, students will journey through the lives of these extraordinary women, examining their socio-cultural contexts, theological significance, and enduring impact on the early Christian movement. From Junia, the woman who Paul called an Apostle, to Phoebe, the deaconess and benefactor of the early church, each figure offers unique insights into the diverse roles women played in shaping the burgeoning Christian community.

Through short lectures and interactive discussions, as well as readings of primary texts, students will learn how and why the Christian religion was a force for change and hope for these women. Students will enrich their knowledge of Christian and Jewish history. The instructor is writing a book which will become an audio book about the topic, based on these lectures.

Diana Heath (formerly Walsh Pasulka) is a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Her extensive body of work delves into the exploration of miraculous occurrences that span Catholic history to the contemporary phenomena of emerging religious movements and technologies.

Diana’s book, American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, and Technology, published by Oxford University Press in 2019, presented a watershed moment in the academic world and ignited a profound paradigm shift in the understanding of religious phenomena and their intersection with technology. It garnered widespread acclaim within the academic community and has also resonated with a broader audience, transcending disciplinary boundaries to captivate the imaginations of scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike.

Her forthcoming book, Encounters (St. Martin’s Essentials, 2023), as well as a plethora of co-authored books and publications delve into the connections between emerging technologies and human flourishing and values. Her public scholarship has been published and cited in a variety of popular venues such as Tank, Vox, Vice, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

Diana is the lead investigator in a continuing exploration of Catholic manuscripts that focus on saints, levitation, and bilocation. This ongoing initiative is conducted in cooperation with The Vatican Apostolic Archive. She was also the principal investigator for a comprehensive, multi-year program funded by the Department of Education, the Teaching American History initiative. This innovative program was instrumental in shaping curricula within the state of North Carolina, enriching the educational experience for both students and teachers while fostering a profound understanding of the historical and religious movements that shaped United States politics and culture.

Diana is a sought-after speaker and Keynote speaker in academic and public circles and is a frequent guest on podcasts, radio broadcasts, and television programs, including Lex Fridman, NPR, and iconic venues like the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the SXSW conference. Current updates of her work can be found here:  www.dwpasulka.com