RELIGION & LITERATURE
Scope & Guideline
Illuminating the Intersection of Belief and Expression.
Introduction
Aims and Scopes
- Interdisciplinary Exploration of Religion and Literature:
The journal emphasizes the integration of literary studies and religious studies, inviting contributions that analyze literary texts through theological, philosophical, and cultural lenses. - Historical and Contemporary Perspectives:
It covers a broad temporal spectrum, from classical texts to contemporary works, examining how religious narratives and themes evolve over time. - Thematic Focus on Major Religious Figures and Concepts:
Many papers delve into the works of significant religious figures, particularly John Henry Newman, and explore major religious concepts such as forgiveness, suffering, and aesthetics. - Cultural Contextualization:
The journal encourages analyses that situate literary works within their cultural and historical contexts, exploring how religion influences literature and vice versa. - Critical Engagement with Modernity:
There is a consistent focus on how literature critiques or responds to modernity and secularization, examining tensions between faith and contemporary cultural narratives.
Trending and Emerging
- Aesthetics and Religious Experience:
There is a growing interest in how aesthetic experiences in literature relate to religious practices and beliefs, particularly through the lens of figures like John Henry Newman. - The Role of Literature in Spiritual Formation:
Recent works increasingly explore how literature serves as a medium for spiritual growth and moral imagination, emphasizing the transformative potential of literary engagement with religious themes. - Interfaith Dialogues and Comparative Religion:
Emerging themes reflect a rising interest in comparative studies of religious texts and their literary representations, fostering interfaith dialogues through literature. - Contemporary Issues in Religion and Ethics:
The journal has begun to engage more with contemporary ethical dilemmas through a literary lens, addressing issues such as race, gender, and environmentalism in relation to religious thought. - Literary Representations of Suffering and Redemption:
Recent publications increasingly focus on narratives of suffering and redemption, reflecting a deep engagement with existential themes that resonate across various religious traditions.
Declining or Waning
- Secularism and Its Discontents:
While earlier publications included extensive discussions on secularism's impact on literature, recent issues show a decline in this theme, suggesting a possible shift towards more overtly religious discourses. - Gender and Religion:
Although topics addressing gender dynamics within religious contexts were once prevalent, there appears to be a waning interest in this area, with fewer papers exploring the intersection of feminism and religious literature. - Medieval Studies:
There has been a noticeable decrease in articles focusing on medieval literature and its religious contexts, possibly reflecting a broader trend in literary studies moving towards modern and contemporary analyses. - Post-Colonial Perspectives:
Themes related to post-colonial interpretations of religious texts and their implications in literature have diminished, indicating a potential shift towards more localized or specific cultural studies.
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