[Antiquitas] Workshops with Prof. Virginia Burrus, 15-16 May 2019

[Bonnie, Rick]

Virginia Burrus, The Bishop W. Earl Ledden Professor at Syracuse University, will be visiting the University of Helsinki May 15–16, 2019. Prof. Burrus is a world-leading expert on Christianity in late antiquity, especially gender, sexuality, and the body; martyrdom and asceticism; ancient novels and hagiography; histories of theology and historical theologies. In her latest book, Ancient Christian Ecopoetics: Cosmologies, Saints, Things (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018), Burrus facilitates a provocative encounter between early Christian theology and contemporary ecological thought. During her visit in Helsinki, she will offer two events:

1. Late Ancient Feminist Exegesis? The Life of Saint Helia (May 15)
Wednesday, May 15, 2–4 pm at the Faculty Hall, Vuorikatu 3, 5th floor
No registration needed.

The Life of Saint Helia is a little-known late ancient Latin work that narrates 1) the dawning of a young girl's ascetic inclinations, 2) her resistance to her mother's insistence that she marry, and 3) her resulting trial before a judge in dialogue format, dominated by debates between Helia and her mother and Helia and the judge, regarding the relative merits of virginity and marriage. In this workshop, we will discuss the text, especially the ways in which biblical texts are used in its argumentation. The event is organized by the research project Lived Scriptures in Late Antiquity.

To prepare for the workshop, please read through (the English translation) of the Life of Helia (available in V. Burrus & M. Conti, eds. The Life of Saint Helia: Critical Edition, Translation, Introduction, and Commentary. Oxford University Press, 2013). For receiving the text, please email susanna.asikainen at helsinki.fi<mailto:susanna.asikainen at helsinki.fi>

2. On Recognition of the Non-human (May 16)
Thursday, May 16, 12–4 pm at Room 204 at Kielikeskus (Fabianinkatu 26, 2nd floor)
For catering purposes, please preregister (https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/97509/lomake.html) by Monday, May 13

The seminar is organized by the CoE, Reason and Religious Recognition, and includes:

  *   Ancient Christian Ecopoetics – a keynote by Virginia Burrus
  *   Responses: Dr. Miira Tuominen & Dr. Panu Pihkala
  *   General discussion
  *   Coffee break
  *   Exploring Geocriticism: Saint Hilarion’s Orchard – an introduction & discussion

In the latter part of the seminar, the aim will be to consider how the literary method of “geocriticism” might open up new readings of late ancient Christian texts, and how they might be made more ecologically relevant. In preparation, please read Eric Prieto’s essay, “Geocriticism Meets Ecocriticism: Bertrand Westphal and Environmental Thinking” http://epistemocritique.org/geocriticism-meets-ecocriticism-bertrand-westphal-and-environmental-thinking/


You are cordially welcome to both events!

For further inquiries, please contact Outi Lehtipuu, outi.lehtipuu at helsinki.fi<mailto:outi.lehtipuu at helsinki.fi>

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