The PMR committee this year makes a special invitation to scholars from all disciplines in these fields to address our plenary theme : Mother of Mercy : The Figure of Mary in Theology and Culture.
As always, the PMR makes an open call to scholars, institutions, and societies to propose Papers, Panels, or Sponsored sessions and all areas and topics in Late Antiquity / Patristics, Byzantine Studies, Medieval Studies, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, and Renaissance & Reformation Studies.
From iconography and cathedral architecture to sermons and moral tales, the figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus is a complex and fascinating figure whose impact was felt across premodern eras and cultures. For Christians of the East and the West, Mary, the Mother of God was the Ever Vergin, Mother of the Church, and as important for theological reflection on the Incarnation, the Church, and the Resurrection as she was for devotion as an icon of sanctity, God's mercy, and maternal love. As many have noted, Mary/Miriam appears more often in the Qur'an than in the New Testament. And, as recent scholars have argued, Mary was frequently invoked in polemical disputes between Christians and Jews. This year's PMR focuses on Mary as a complex figure in theology, literature, art, architecture, politics, and culture. We invite scholars of European, Byzantine, and Islamic and Jewish Studies to join in our exploration of so significant a figure in the pre-modern Mediterranean world.
Deadline for submissions : May 28, 2010.
Notice of acceptance will be made by June 25, 2010.