Religion and Literature

Abstract

The contributors to this religion and literature feature have interpreted both terms liberally to present us with a stimulating and varied set of papers. The first three pieces focus on Australian works: Elaine Lindsay looks at Barbara Hanrahan and her works as expressions of personal spirituality; Peter Bentley discussed the portrayal of clergy characters in the works of Peter Carey in the light of recent Australian studies of masculinity; John Foulcher illustrates from the work of several post-War poets the strong, conservative, often explicitly christian nature of modern Australian poetry. In a deeply insightful piece, John Wren-Lewis theorises on the religious significance of detective fiction. The two final pieces concentrate on religion in Eastern literature; Tony Johns considers impediments in the Western world which have, disguised the literature of the Qur'an; Garry Trompf looks at the treatment of the Divine Woman in Eastern literature.