Papers by Timothy Burbery
The Word and the World, a splendid collection of essays, sheds light on matter of religion-scienc... more The Word and the World, a splendid collection of essays, sheds light on matter of religion-science debate in a fresh, even startling way. Rather than considering how religion in general may have nurtured or hampered the rise of science, this book examines the role of biblical exegesis in the formation of the early scientific method. Featuring twelve essays by a variety of American, English, German, and Swedish thinkers-two teach at Catholic universities, the other ten at secular institutions--The Word and the World is organized around the provocative thesis that the new science and biblical interpretation, far from being implacable enemies ... seem to have been inextricably intertwined
Geomythology, 2021
, two weeks after the disaster Since geomythology is one of the most interdisciplinary of fields,... more , two weeks after the disaster Since geomythology is one of the most interdisciplinary of fields, I am considerably indebted to experts in areas outside my own specialities (literature and literary theory). The following reviewers were unfailingly generous with their time and comments as I worked to get the science right: Aley El-Shazly (geology), Duane Hamacher (astronomy), and Nick Freidin (archaeology). Thanks are due, as well, to my Routledge editor Michelle Salyga for her encouragement in the project's early stages. I am also heavily indebted to folklorist-historian Adrienne Mayor, geomythographer extraordinaire, whose remarkable work in this area sparked my initial interest in the subject. Her comments on this manuscript have been invaluable, and any remaining errors or shortcomings are, of course, my own. Finally, thanks to my wife Hannah for her support throughout the writing of the book.
We often regard conversion in terms of its endpoint, but of course it involves crucial intermedia... more We often regard conversion in terms of its endpoint, but of course it involves crucial intermediate stages as well. The Christianization of Viking Scandinavia was a complex, protracted affair, yet is all the more fascinating for that reason. A critical step in the process was an episode in which the Norse people apparently began to contemplate what once might have been unthinkable for them: the staggering possibility that their deities—Thor, Odin, Loki, and the rest—for all their potency, might be mortal. For at the end of the age, according to Norse myth, the entire pantheon would perish in an apocalyptic scenario known as Ragnarök, traditionally translated as The Twilight of the Gods
What weighs the same as any of the following objects: a stack of five nickels, a chocolate bar, o... more What weighs the same as any of the following objects: a stack of five nickels, a chocolate bar, or a hummingbird? The answer is the human soul, which according to a bizarre, fringe science experiment in 1907 possesses a mass of 21 grams. That figure hasn’t quite achieved meme status in pop culture, but it is referenced in manga, hip hop, a podcast, books (including Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol), television, and movies. One film in particular, the edgy, brooding crime pic 21 Grams, directed by Alejandro (Birdman, The Revenant) Iñárritu, provides a unique opportunity for reflecting on both spiritual and scientific questions
As far-fetched as it may seem, the death of a woolly mammoth thousands of years ago on an island ... more As far-fetched as it may seem, the death of a woolly mammoth thousands of years ago on an island in the Rhine-Meuse River Delta, near present-day Rotterdam in the Netherlands, could have led, millennia later, to the monsters and characters of “Beowulf.” The road from pachyderm to poem has many twists and turns, and following it calls for some literary and scientific sleuthing
Passover is upon us, providing a superb opportunity for reflecting on the original event as well ... more Passover is upon us, providing a superb opportunity for reflecting on the original event as well as the miracle of the Exodus. A number of scientific theories have attempted to explain how the plagues and the Red Sea crossing could be accounted for by natural causes, and these are worth considering. The most full-blown of the scientific explanations was set forth by epidemiologist John Marr (one-time Director of Public Health in New York City) and fellow researcher Curtis Molloy
This essay presents a case for ecocriticism as a viable critical method for Christian scholars. I... more This essay presents a case for ecocriticism as a viable critical method for Christian scholars. It begins with an historical overview of the method, then examines common ground shared by ecocriticism and Christianity~ including what amounts to a kind of critical realism, and the belief in the inherent goodness of creation. Two potential obstacles are then addressed by way of Lynn White, Jr.'s famous essay, "The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis." These include the relationship of the Bible and the environment, and the charge of anthropocentrism. I believe White is partly right, but contend that neither objection is fatal for Christian scholars who wish to employ ecocriticism. Since the 1970s Christianity and Literature has periodically featured articles that attempt to integrate Christianity and literary criticism. The latest installment, the Winter 2009 issue of C&L, published papers that were first delivered at a 2007 C&L colloquium entitled "A Seminar on ...
Folklore, 2015
Abstract For millennia, fossilized remains have been adduced as proof of various myths and legend... more Abstract For millennia, fossilized remains have been adduced as proof of various myths and legends, including those featuring giants. This article presents a possible instance of this phenomenon, recorded in the Liber Monstrorum de Diversus Generibus (Book of monsters of various sorts). The article argues that a medieval discovery of what were probably the bones of a woolly mammoth could have inspired the legend set forth in the Liber that King Hygelac was a giant. It also explores how this misidentification possibly influenced the composition of Beowulf, and how the methods of geomythology, which originated in folkloristics, may enrich ecocritical analyses of medieval literature and culture.
scientific consciousness, one given to reading God's other book, nature, as attentively as it did... more scientific consciousness, one given to reading God's other book, nature, as attentively as it did the Bible. At this point some readers might object that while gen~ eral arguments for the consilience of science and religion are all very well, arguing that biblical literalism nurtured early science means turning a blind eye to histozy. Didn't
Choice Reviews Online, 2007
Introduction Milton as Spectator, Reader, and Editor of Drama Mastering Masque, Engaging Drama: A... more Introduction Milton as Spectator, Reader, and Editor of Drama Mastering Masque, Engaging Drama: Arcades and Comus Problem-Solving in Milton's Biblical Drama Sketches Theatrical Spectacle in Samson Agonistes: Implications for the Terrorism Controversy and Other Interpretative Disputes Intended for the Stage? Samson Agonistes in Performance Conclusion: Milton's Achievement as a Dramatist Index.
The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and Ecology
Literary ecocriticism is an interpretive method that has been applied to the Bible and to biblica... more Literary ecocriticism is an interpretive method that has been applied to the Bible and to biblically informed literary texts, though in both cases perhaps less often than might be expected. Both literary and biblical scholars stand to gain from a greater awareness of ecocritical insights and approaches. To that end, this chapter provides an overview of ecocriticism, examines critical interventions into scripturally inflected nature writing, and concludes by exploring obstacles and opportunities for religious and secular scholars who are interested in practicing literary ecocritique. Among the two challenges engaged are the discourses of postcolonialism and material ecocriticism.
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Papers by Timothy Burbery