Bruce Springsteen Theology Course Offered At Rutgers University

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There’s a lot that comes to mind when you think of Bruce Springsteen. Heartfelt rock and roll, lively extended performances, a GRAMMY Award (or 20). But what Professor Azzan Yadin-Israel of Rutgers University sees is a little bit different. The school is offering a new, one-credit course that asks: “How can biblical religious sources help us read songs like these, and how can Springsteen’s songs in turn inform our reading of the Bible?” Aptly titled “Bruce Springsteen’s Theology,” Yadin-Israel’s course will explore the more spiritual side of all things Boss.

This 10-week class will examine “Springsteen’s reinterpretation of biblical motifs, the possibility of redemption by earthly means (women, cars, music), and his interweaving of secular and sacred elements” according to a university course description. Although the course will only hold 20 students, all of which are first-years, Yadin-Israel says that he plans to turn his findings into a book. Let’s keep that one in our rock and roll prayers, shall we?