Cotton Mather: Spirituality, Science, and the Supernatural

Dr. Scott Culpepper will present “Cotton Mather: Spirituality, Science, and the Supernatural” at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, 2025, at the Betty Strong Encounter Center. Admission is free with a reception to follow. Cotton Mather (1663-1728) wielded tremendous influence in colonial America as the heir to the Mather and Cotton family dynasties. He served as a Congregationalist minister at Boston’s Old North Meeting House, using his platform to address political, scientific, and social issues. Mather captured the controversies and contradictions of his age in his writings and activism. His investigations into supernatural phenomenon were conducted alongside rigorous scientific studies and public endorsement of inoculation as a means to combat smallpox. This presentation will explore Mather’s many facets and complicated legacy. Culpepper holds a Ph.D. in Religion and Church/State Studies from Baylor University; a Master of Arts in History from Northwestern State University of Louisiana; a Master of Divinity with an emphasis in historical and theological studies from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Religious Education from Louisiana College.