![]() ![]() ![]() Now, let's get on to some of the questions. That said, I am absotootly certain that we will trespass into domains further afield, weirder and perhaps even more provocative. It is my intention now in this distinguished panel discussion to revisit some of the most salient questions raised over the course of this series. Now, before we dive into this conversation though, I'd like to establish a framework that will help us structure our discussion.Īs you may know, this is the final event in what has been a wonderfully successful year-long series of dialogues, and in some senses, trialogues, that have illuminated the most pressing, and if I may be so bold, fascinating aspects of psychedelism in contemporary America as well as points beyond. And Christian, over to you.ĬHRISTIAN GREER: So in this iteration of the Psychedelics in Future of Religion series, I will be in discussion with two scholars whose expertise perfectly matches today's somewhat expansive topic, psychedelic culture between sacred and profane. So I will soon disappear from your screen only to reappear when we transition to the Q&A portion. So in their wide ranging conversation, these distinguished panelists will address spiritualities centered on psychoactive substances, the material culture of psychedelia and the potential role humanities scholars might play in the current wave of clinical research on psychedelics. He has an upcoming book on the drugs Americans hold sacred, including psychedelics, but also caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and pharmaceuticals. Professor Gary Laderman is the Goodrich C White professor of American religious history and cultures at Emory University, and the author of many books on American religion, including his recent book, Don't Think About Death, A Memoir on Mortality. And more recently, High Weirdness, Drugs, Esoterica and Visionary Experience in the Seventies. Erik Davis and Professor Gary Laderman, focusing on the intersection of psychedelic culture, sacred drugs and the modern American zeitgeist.Įrik Davis is an author, scholar and award-winning journalist behind the groundbreaking study of psychedelic culture in technology, TechGnosis. Christian will be hosting this evening's discussion with Dr. His research addresses the social history of new religious movements in the Anglo American world, the formation of religious counterculture and the popularization of esotericism in the digital age. He received his PhD in Western esotericism from the history of hermetic philosophy department at the University of Amsterdam. ![]() Christian is a postdoctoral fellow here at CSWR. So this evening's event will be a conversation led by Dr. And so I will keep my remarks very brief so there will be time for Q&A and discussion among the three panelists. So we look forward to more conversations, such as this in the fall semester.Īnd as always, the best way to keep abreast of this series and everything else we do at the center is to join our mailing list. Don't worry, the series will continue next year. Welcome to the final event in our year-long series on psychedelics and the future of religion, co-sponsored by our friends at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur California, and generously supported by the Riverstyx foundation. ![]() My name is Charles Stang, and I'm the director of the Center for the Study of World Religions here at Harvard Divinity School. He believes LSD will one day be recognized for its benefits, seeing himself as a historian during the “dark period.CHARLES STANG: Good evening, everyone. His motto is to kill them with kindness, and insists being polite has been the secret to his success. His neighbors don’t seem to mind having a blotter-filled house next door, and he even trades visitors with the museum across the street. In spite of constant badgering from federal law enforcement, McCloud says his local community has been fantastic. People who come into the museum often recognize some of the tabs themselves and have visible flashbacks of trips they’ve had. “The greatest thrill is when a family comes in and it’s the first time they’ve gotten to talk about drugs without stress.” Though he does get the occasional DEA agent coming in, posing as a visitor, most people find the art fascinating. Today, his house is a museum, open free for people to come in and see. You have the graphic, but also the art it represented when people ingested the LSD. He kept collecting and quickly became an expert on the short history of acid. “It kept me from eating it if it was framed on the wall.” McCloud began collecting early on but found that he kept eating them. ![]()
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