Scripture in Secular Scandinavia?

Description

This conference brings together scholars who are researching Scandinavian receptions of the Bible with scholars in political science, social science, religious studies, and history. The aim of the conference is to engage with the ways that the biblical archive functions in a part of the world where this archive might be considered most defunct. Rather than turn to faith communities – where continued regard for scripture would be expected – the conference focuses on the role the Bible does or does not play in the secular spheres of culture, media, and politics.
The Scandinavian countries are frequently characterized as highly secularized. Of course, it is taken for granted that Christianity, and the Protestant Reformation in particular, has left an indelible mark on Scandinavia. But it is less clear how this mark continues to impact society. Calls to defend Christian heritage and Christian culture are rife across Scandinavia, particularly on the political right. Pages of the Qur’an literally light up public squares as they are burned in protest against so-called “Islamization”. The Bible, on the other hand, is seemingly absent.
The conference interrogates whether, how, and with what implications, Bibles continue to feature in the public spheres of secular Scandinavia. Together, we explore how,

• assumptions about secularization can render particular uses of the Bible invisible
• agnosticism and atheism impact notions of ‘sacred scripture’
• the ‘secular’ itself is construed by way of a biblical heritage
• biblical literacy is conceived as knowledge of content and habits of reading
• affective attachments to the nation relate to the production of national Bibles
• cultural memory and collective amnesia affect canonical texts
• scripture is folded into ‘culture’ and ‘tradition’
• stories about secularization depend on imaginings of the past and of progress

Period	2024 May 7 → 2024 May 8
Event type	Workshop
Location	Lund, SwedenShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International