Sacred texts are typically understood as scriptures and their adjacent literature. But what if we were to expand the notion of sacred texts to include not only written artefacts but also images, rituals, films, and other media. Moving from sacred texts to sacred media opens new questions and analytical possibilities. Accordingly, we invite papers and sessions that help us think through any of the following questions: How is the study of sacred media similar/different to the study of sacred (written) texts? What do scholars gain/lose by expanding the framework of sacred texts to include non-textual media? How do non-textual sacred media shape the ethical self and its responsibilities in unique ways?
Literature produced by proscribed Islamist groups such as Islamic State (IS) and, their off-shoot and affiliate, Islamic State in Khurasan Province (ISKP) contain Qur’anic verses and religious teachings which are employed to support and justify the political and military aims of the groups. In their politicisation of Islam, scripture is often presented in a highly de-contextualised and manipulated way. Taking a more-or-less post-structuralist position towards the interpretation of texts, I do not argue that one interpretation of scripture is correct and another incorrect; however, I present a case for the legitimacy of practicing one’s judgmental rationality in the reading of scripture utilised by extremists. By treating the propaganda media materials produced by proscribed groups as objects-in-themselves to be deconstructed, emphasis is placed on the description, interpretation, and social analysis of texts to analyse the political intentions in the production, and offer a case for preferred readings which are consistent with the Qur’an as a whole.
The subreddit r/humansbeingbros, home to 5.6 million members, provides a fascinating medium for analyzing a dynamic virtual community in which the language and aesthetics of sanctity is routinely employed for the purpose of ethical reflection, veneration, humor, and entertainment. Declarations of sanctity (and an implied ethical “bro code”) abound in the subreddit, and saintly actors include children, women, men, and communities. All have the capacity to be “bros.” Through an examination of the language used by commenters and moderators, analytics on upvotes, and recurring saintly signifiers, this paper seeks to understand the yield and limitations of including a simultaneously sincere and tongue-in-cheek social media community in studies of the ethical self and sacred texts. Moreover, the presence of video shorts, diegetic sound, and non-diegetic music, as well as text, invites scholars to think more expansively about sacred texts and ethics both in and outside of their own research.
The paper introduces the concept of ‘practicing texts’ to broaden the notion of sacred texts beyond the written medium. ‘Practicing texts’ is a practice-centered approach to religious texts and textual media, considering the materiality of texts and the embodied engagement with them in religious practices. I refer to the nexus of texts and the entire spectrum of text-related practices as ‘practicing texts.’ This concept embraces a broad definition of text, including oral, performed, written, printed, or displayed forms. The range encompasses not only authoritative texts but also popular works and media formats conveying religious discourses. Each medium has specific affordances and mediates text in a unique manner. Therefore, I argue that studying textual media should ideally happen in connection with the practices they are embedded in, considering their material dimensions. Thus, ‘practicing texts’ unites three key elements: texts, practitioners engaging with religious texts (‘users’), and practices related to texts.