What drives people to believe in the unbelievable? UFO religions and the human search for meaning take centre stage at College of the Rockies’ next Museia lecture on Wednesday, December 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in room KC250 at the College’s Cranbrook main campus.
Entitled “Believing the Unbelievable: UFO Religions and the Human Search for Meaning”, the lecture will be presented by Dr. C. Shaun Longstreet, Dean of Innovation in Teaching and Learning. Dr. Longstreet will explore how religious movements throughout history have emerged in times when the world no longer seems to make sense. UFO religions are one contemporary example, illustrating how narratives of cosmic visitors emerge as frameworks for understanding human existence.
“We’ll explore UFO religions – from Raëism to Heaven’s Gate – not as curiosities to dismiss, but as windows into how people construct meaning, identity, and hope in modern life,” Longstreet said. “Extraordinary beliefs often reflect very ordinary human needs, reminding us that the search for meaning is something we all share.”
Dr. Longstreet is a scholar of religion with expertise in early Judaism and Christianity, the ancient Near East, and the emergence of new religious movements. He earned his Ph.D. in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity from the University of Notre Dame, along with graduate degrees in theology and comparative religion. He has published and presented widely on pedagogy, diversity, and the intersections of religion and culture, and continues to explore how communities construct meaning in times of rapid change.
Believing the Unbelievable: UFO Religions and the Human Search for Meaning is part of College of the Rockies’ Museia lecture series, a seasonal celebration of learning developed by University Arts and Science faculty in partnership with the Cranbrook Public Library.
The lecture is free to attend but pre-registration is requested to help monitor attendance. Learn more and register at: cotr.bc.ca/museia
About College of the Rockies
For 50 years, College of the Rockies has provided post-secondary education that meets the needs and aspirations of the people, industries, and businesses of our region. All our campuses are located on the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa people, which is also home to the Kinbasket people. We value our relationships with the four Ktunaxa bands, the Shuswap band, and the Kootenay Regional Office of the Métis Nation, BC. Each year, thousands of full-time and part-time students join us in a full range of programs, including skilled trades, university arts and sciences, adult upgrading, early childhood education, health and human services, business, office administration, tourism, hospitality, recreation, fire services, continuing education, and contract training. Through smaller class sizes, highly personalized instruction and dedicated support services, our students are primed to succeed in the job market, or in the next stage of their academic journey.
Media Contact:
Darryl Dux
Communications Coordinator
College of the Rockies
ddux@cotr.bc.ca