Studies the use of love poetry genres to transform theological traditions in India, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity circa 600-1500 CE; studies ongoing exploration of intersections of the sacred, desire, and expressive language in post-Enlightenment poetry; explores poetry and, more generally, the arts as a performative mode by which a theological relation is posed and enacted in one's life; introduces students to basic problems, readings, and ideas related to language, hermeneutics and desire; specific authors include: Mirabi, Kabir, Rumi, San Juan de la Cruz, Dickinson, Rilke, H.D., and Celan. One course.