GOVT 86.26 Prophets on Trial
Prophets, whether true or false, are a profound challenge to any society. Why are prophets so dangerous? Why do they inevitably come into conflict with political and religious authorities? Several famous prophets were put on trial, creating the most notorious courtroom dramas in world history: Socrates, Jesus, Joan of Arc, Thomas More, Galileo, Oscar Wilde, and John Scopes. We shall be studying the lives and deaths of these amazing personalities to see what their trials tell us about law and justice. We shall compare historical and literary accounts of these trials to see whether we find the truth better in history or in literature.
Instructor
Murphy