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Meeting Program Units

2022 Annual Meeting

Denver, Colorado

Meeting Begins11/19/2022
Meeting Ends11/22/2022

Call for Papers Opens: 1/19/2022
Call for Papers Closes: 3/18/2022

Requirements for Participation

Apocalypse Now: Apocalyptic Reception and Impact throughout History


Program Unit Type: Seminar
Accepting Papers? Yes

Call For Papers: Outside academia, the term ‘apocalyptic’ is commonly used to refer to cataclysmic events, either in movies or in the news. This is indicative of the perceived role of violence in apocalyptic texts and traditions. Violence and graphic depictions of violent battles and actions play an important role in apocalyptic material and expectations. This raises the question of how to interpret these apparent violent characteristics of apocalyptic texts. Are they meant as accurate descriptions of events that are expected to take place? Or should they be interpreted in a symbolic way? Throughout history, many groups of different religious backgrounds have opted for the literal interpretation. In 2022 this group intends to organize one session by invitation on new readings on Norman Cohn’s The Pursuit of the Millennium (1st ed. 1957), and two open sessions in which both the literary role of violence in apocalyptic texts and the influence of the violent aspects of these texts on the behavior of interpreting communities are highlighted. Of special interest is the interaction between the literary violence and violent use and/or understandings of apocalyptic texts.

Program Unit Chairs

Ana T. Valdez
Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte

Propose a Paper for this Program Unit

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