Why believers are drawn to the divine

Irene Caselli

Over 30 graduate students from universities across Quebec and Ontario will meet Feb. 9 to present papers on Sexy Religion: The Allure of the Transcendent.

The conference focuses on why people are drawn to religion and how they show their adoration for the divine.

Students from the entire spectrum of social sciences will participate in the conference, the 11th of its kind organized by the graduate students of the Department of Religion.

Steven Lapidus, one of the organizers, said the themes are always deliberately broad so that students from all disciplines can share their research with their peers.

“This is an interdisciplinary conference,” he said. “The departmental focus is more on sociology than theology.”

The line-up of papers reflects a broad approach to the subject.

The daylong program includes an exploration of the Reihanohikari religious organization in Japan, an unusual religious interpretation of St. Augustine as an “erotic lover in search of an absolute, transcendent Beloved,” and a socio-economic analysis of religious education in Mali.

There’s even a paper on how René Lévesque turned the traditional opening prayer of the Quebec parliament into a moment of silence. The presentation promises to examine the history of this opening ritual in the National Assembly as a reflection of contemporary cultural values.

Sacha Mathew, who is finishing his MA in History and Philosophy of Religion at Concordia, will participate in the conference for the second year in a row.

He said last year he received precious feedback from the audience that helped him bring new angles into his research. His paper analyzes the tradition of Jewish apocalypticism. Other papers cover most world religions and cults from early Christian texts and Confucianism to New Age.

A keynote address by Religion Professor Donald Boisvert, “The Flirtatious Sacred: Reflections on Religion and Desire,” will sum up the day of activities.

Using historical examples as well as personal stories, Boisvert will argue that desire stands at the core of the religious quest. “Humans still fall in love with their gods and goddesses and claim, in turn, that they are loved by them.”

Lapidus added jokingly, “It’ll be an edgy talk.”

The relaxed atmosphere that reigns in the department, combined with the approachability and support of the faculty, are the key to the success of the conference, according to Lapidus.

“The strong sense of camaraderie here makes it possible for us to put together an event that creates a network of future Canadian scholars,” he said.

All presentations will be considered for publication in the Journal of Religion and Culture, the department’s graduate students’ publication.

Sexy Religion is on from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the seventh floor of the Hall Building (Rooms 763, 765, and 767). Boisvert is scheduled to give his keynote address at 4 p.m.