Lecture, four hours. Introduction to varieties of religious experience in Los Angeles and its environs. Presentations, required readings, and (where possible) site visits to examine selected faiths and spiritual practices throughout Southern California and provide deeper understanding of myriad ways that sacred is made manifest and encountered. Foundational academic orientations within study of religion (anthropological, historical, psychological, sociological, etc.) used as framework to examine and interpret almost unparalleled religious diversity of City of Angels. Recognizing that spiritual traditions are crucial reflection of region's ever-changing demographics, emphasis on role of ethnicity, gender, nationality, and race in shaping of religious landscape. P/NP or letter grading.