Approaches to the Visual in Religion

Dr. Pierre Bühler ist em. Prof. für Systematische Theologie ins. Hermeneutik und Fundamentaltheologie an der Universität Zürich.PD Dr. Anna-Katharina Höpflinger forscht und lehrt an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Ihr Forschungsschwerpunkt liegt u. a. auf der Verbindung von Körperlichkeit, Gender und Religion.

Ann Jeffers, PhD, ist Senior Lecturer am Heythrop College der University of London.

Dr. des. Monika Glavac ist Forschungsassistentin am Zentrum für Religion Wirtschaft und Politik (ZRWP) an der Universität Zürich.

Dr. Stefanie Knauss ist zur Zeit Associate Professor für Theologie an der Villanova University (USA).

Dr. theol. Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati ist Professorin für Religionswissenschaft und Religionsgeschichte an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Dr. theol. Christopher Rowland is Dean Ireland Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford.

The authors of this volume investigate the analysis of visual sources and their indispensable role for understanding and interpreting religions, their symbol systems, and the wider traditions of which they are a part. A particular interest in this study is the focus on the methodological challenge of images from a comparative perspective. The common concern that ranges over all the contributions is the search for a methodological perspective where images may be analysed in a comprehensive way, with particular regard for the social, and wider intellectual settings, as well as the religious, in which the images are embedded. Accordingly, we seek to show that visual sources need to be interpreted from different angles. In the last decades, a broad range of publications has contributed to highlight the significance of images, and visual media in general, for understanding religious traditions, communities and discourses in both historical and contemporary perspective. In more recent research streams, focussing on visual media in religious traditions and symbol systems, various avenues have opened up and been explored focussing on the status of images and of the gaze of the viewer as central aspects. Furthermore, there are illuminating contributions dealing with the theoretical premises and settings with which to approach the visual as a central component of religion, on the one hand giving an overview of essential definitions and implications, on the other hand concentrating on specific techniques and/or media.

The authors present a broad range of approaches to visual media that interacts with religion. It encompasses perspectives from the study of religion, hermeneutics and theology.Different views on the visual media that interacts with religion.

The authors present a broad range of approaches to visual media that interacts with religion. It encompasses perspectives from the study of religion, hermeneutics and theology.