Reading, Theory and Poetics

Programme

Reading, Theory and Poetics provides a space for theoretically innovative and experimental approaches to biblical scholarship, foregrounding alternative modes of reading and attention to the poetics of biblical literature. The group promotes biblical criticism that draws on the rich heritage of ‘theory’, broadly construed, including but not limited to the traditions of continental philosophy, poststructuralism and critical theory. Reading, Theory and Poetics addresses the impact and legacies of key thinkers in the poststructuralist and continental philosophy tradition (e.g. Derrida, Kristeva, Irigaray, Deleuze and Guattari), and foregrounds cutting-edge theoretical discussions taking place more widely in the humanities (e.g. critical race theory, new materialism, queer theory and posthumanism). In this way the group encourages papers that engage with biblical interpretations from critical theory perspectives as well as papers that draw on innovative theoretical advances in the Humanities to read biblical texts in new ways. 

Keywords:

Chairs

Suzanna R. Millar

Sofia 2024 Call for Papers

Reading, Theory and Poetics provides a space for theoretically innovative and experimental approaches to biblical scholarship, foregrounding alternative modes of reading and attention to the poetics of biblical literature. The group promotes biblical criticism that draws on the rich heritage of ‘theory’, broadly construed, including but not limited to poetics, deconstruction, post-structuralism, gender theory, race theory, or aesthetics. We seek, moreover, to accommodate work that pushes the boundaries of biblical scholarship and augments conventional hermeneutics. For the meeting in Sofia in 2024, we invite papers for two open sessions that engage some aspect of these critical theories or other innovative approaches.