RELIC - VU CENTRE FOR DUTCH RELIGIOUS HISTORY

call for papers

The Modern Calvin

John Calvin in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-
Century Collective Memory

ReLiC - Centre for Dutch Religious History at the VU University in =
Amsterdam (www.relic-vu.nl) invites contributions to a volume examining =
how John Calvin (1509-1564) served as an icon, saint, (anti)hero and =
role model in nineteenth and twentieth-century collective memory. The =
volume will be published by Brill Academic Publishers (www.brill.nl) in =
their Religious History and Culture Series.

Much research has been devoted to "Calvin and Calvinism" in various =
national contexts as well as to the reformer's influence on =
scholasticism, Protestant Orthodoxy and various individual theologians. =
There is, however, a surprising lack of studies investigating Calvin's =
place in the collective memories of modern religious groups and =
denominations.

This volume seeks to explain how and why, in the period from about 1800 =
onwards, representations of John Calvin were created to serve religious, =
social, political and ethnic purposes, both in and outside "Calvinist" =
contexts. In particular, the volume will investigate how Calvin was =
interpreted, appropriated, domesticated and contextualized in response =
to such modern phenomena as a "feminization of religion" (Hugh McLeod), =
an "internalization of moral sources" (Charles Taylor) and a drifting =
apart of "experience" and "expectation" (Reinhart Koselleck) in the =
Western world.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

        * the nationalistic appropriation of Calvin in, e.g., Scotland and =
Hungary;
        * the use of Calvin in missionary (colonial) contexts;
        * the invocation of Calvin in Apartheid South-Africa;
        * the musealization of Calvin in Noyon, Geneva and Strasbourg;
        * representations of Calvin in nineteenth-century history textbooks;
        * the function of Calvin commemorations in religious identity politics;
        * the public role of Catholic and/or Lutheran images of Calvin;
        * Calvin's role as patron saint of nineteenth-century civil society =
organizations;
        * the status of Calvin in Dutch and/or American Neo-Calvinism;
        * literary representations of Calvin in nineteenth-century novels.

Please note that the volume will not address Calvinism, Calvin's =
theology or theological Calvin studies: it will focus on Calvin's role =
in nineteenth- and twentieth-century collective memories.

The volume will be edited by Dr. Johan de Niet (Amsterdam), Dr. Herman =
Paul (Groningen/Princeton) and Drs. Bart Wallet (Amsterdam). Please =
submit 300-word abstracts to Dr. Herman Paul at =
hermanpaul[at]gmail[dot]com by October 1, 2006. Acceptance will be =
notified by November 1, 2006. Deadline for full-length articles: =
September 1, 2007. Informal inquiries are welcome.

         ==========================================================
              From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                        CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                         Full Information at
                     http://cfp.english.upenn.edu
         or write Jennifer Higginbotham: higginbj_at_english.upenn.edu
         ==========================================================
Received on Wed Jun 07 2006 - 10:15:28 EDT