William James' "Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature" (1901) is considered a classic for a reason. Path-breaking for its democratic inclusion of the "religion of healthy mindedness," melancholia, intoxication, mysticism and even the lives of saints, "Varieties" has continued to inspire and instruct, influencing everything from the Twelve-Step movement to today's "spiritual but not religious." Anchored in a pragmatic psychology and open to the pantheological mysteries of a "pluralistic universe," James' work takes us deep into the heart of individual experience while also exploring the challenges of bridging different experiences and learning from them. It also epitomizes the “Protestant” predilections of modern understandings of religion. This course frames a close reading of “Varieties” with other works by James, and brings his ideas into dialogue with critiques and efforts to update the project.