Literature and Religious Experience: Beyond Belief and Unbelief

This book challenges the status quo of studies in literature and religion by returning to "experience" as a bridge between theory and practice, exploring the broad significance of keywords as categories of psychological and social behavior and tracking their unique articulation by individual authors.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 10 February 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book is a groundbreaking exploration of the relationship between literature and religion, challenging the traditional boundaries between these two fields. By focusing on the concept of "experience" as a bridge between theory and practice, the book offers a fresh perspective on the study of literature and religion.

The essays in this collection explore various keywords related to religious experience and demonstrate their applications in drama, fiction, and poetry. Each chapter delves into the broad significance of these keywords as categories of psychological and social behavior, while also tracing their unique articulations by individual authors such as Conrad, Beecher Stowe, and Melville.

Through these chapters, the book builds a critical foundation for studying literature not only from the perspectives of theology and historicism but also from the ways that literary experience reflects, reinforces, and sometimes challenges religious experience. The authors argue that literature can be a powerful tool for exploring the complexities of human spirituality and for fostering deeper understanding between different religious traditions.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of literature and religion, as well as for scholars and students in the fields of literary studies, religious studies, and philosophy. Its innovative approach to the study of these two disciplines will inspire and challenge readers alike.

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 241 x 164 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350193918