Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

“Antinomianism” refers to the belief that some laws must be disobeyed in order to fulfill higher religious or moral values. It is found throughout the New Testament, in various Jewish heresies, and in a wide variety of American sources across the political spectrum. It also animates the tension between the letter and the spirit of the law, and suspicions of legalism in religious or secular contexts, and even anti-legal themes in popular culture. This seminar will explore a wide range of source materials, from Biblical, Talmudic, and mystical texts to contemporary Supreme Court jurisprudence, texts on civil disobedience and religious exemptions, and Christian Nationalist speeches. As we do so, we will begin to see antinomianism everywhere.