Revealing the Hidden: Apocryphal Texts and the Shaping of Religious Thought

Dear Colleagues, 

Apocrypha are not just books that did not form part of the canon of Holy Scripture. In a much broader sense, they are all texts inspired by the Bible, i.e., theological discourses, some historiographies and hagiographies, some sermons, and some folk tales. Such texts serve as a testament to the reception of biblical history and have played a significant role in shaping the religious imagination over the centuries. The alternative narratives and interpretations that filled the gaps in the canonical texts satisfied the curiosity of audiences in different eras. Apocryphal texts have inspired spirituality, art, and literature. They have influenced the development of folk culture, while also drawing from it. Their presence in religious culture testifies to the need to find the right medium of communication for people's curiosity and desire to supplement biblical stories and make use of them.

Once referred to as religious romance or Erbaungsliteratur, today it is sometimes called “fan fiction”. This Special Issue aims to explore the relationships between apocrypha (in the broad sense) and literature, language, culture, liturgy, spirituality, religion, and folklore, both in history and in the present. We aim to examine the role of apocrypha in shaping the spirituality of societies and their use in Church teaching. We also aim to examine the vernacularisation of religious texts, translations of apocrypha into national languages and vice versa, and the use of apocrypha in the creation of religious literature in past eras. Contributions from multiple disciplinary perspectives are encouraged.

In this Special Issue, we are pleased to invite original research articles and reviews in this field. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Apocrypha concerning religion and/or folklore;
• The role of apocrypha in the development of literature and language;
• Apocrypha and the formation of spirituality;
• Apocryphalness as a cultural feature;
• Translation of apocrypha as a research problem;
• Apocrypha and digital humanities.

We hope that this Special Issue will stimulate new multidisciplinary research based on apocrypha.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, or to the Assistant Editor of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Please send it to the Guest Editor, or to Dr. Ana Vujković Šakanović (vujkovic.sakanovic@mdpi.com), Assistant Editor of Religions.

Prof. Dr. Dorota Rojszczak-Robińska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• apocrypha and pseudepigrapha
• parabiblical tradition
• biblical exegesis
• devotional literature and culture