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Theology in the Early British and Irish Gothic, 1764–1832 reassesses the relationship between contemporary theology and the Gothic. Investigating Gothic aesthetics, depictions of the supernatural and portrayals of religious organisations, it explores how the Gothic engages with contemporary theologies, both Dissenting and Anglican. Moving away from the emphasis on either a monolithic Protestantism or on the Gothic as a secular mode, it shows the ways in which the Gothic exploration of the transcendent and the obscure cannot be separated from the diverse theologies of its day. The project maps how the Gothic not only reflects but actively engages in the theological debates and controversies contemporary to its efflorescence.
‘Through intellectually nuanced and refined engagement with contemporary religious discourse and literary analysis, Hirst’s book reframes the Gothic as a theologically inflected genre. The book brings a refreshing, novel and much-needed perspective to Gothic studies and provides a critical stepping stone in the field of Gothic literature and theology.’—Madeline Potter, University of York, UK.
Introduction; Chapter 1: “Christ is not Divided”: Theologies of Toleration and the Depiction of the Catholic; Chapter 2: “Serve the Lord with Fear and Rejoicing”: Gothic Theologies of the Sublime; Chapter 3: “For Satan Himself is Transformed into an Angel of Light”: The Theo-Aesthetics of Demonic Depiction; Chapter 4: “Your Sons and Daughters will Prophesie”: Gothic Dreams; Chapter 5: “Test the Spirits”: Ghosts and Apparitions of the Gothic; Chapter 6: “If Ye Live After the Flesh, Ye Shall Die”: Embodied Immortality and Damnation; Conclusion.