Old and/or Revived European Religions Panel (Emma C. Sørlie Jørgensen)

Ruptures, whether destructive or liberating, have shaped the religious landscapes of Europe for millennia. Ruptures could be caused by wars, conquest, natural catastrophes, critique, or cultural shifts. During the first millennium CE, the spread of Christianity initiated ruptures across Europe, fracturing ancient religions such as Greek, Roman, Norse, and Celtic religion. Yet, these religions also resisted, adapted, and left marks in material culture and cultural memory. In recent times, efforts have been made to suture these splits and tears, and to revive ancient religions, shaping new forms of religious life.

This panel calls for contributions willing to focus on ruptures within and around old and/or revived European religions. We welcome papers that address, but are not limited to, the following questions: What caused ruptures? How did individuals and communities respond to religious disruptions? In what ways did ancient religions resist, negotiate with, adapt to, or surrender to ruptures? How do ruptures appear in modern reconstructions of pre-Christian religions, and in what ways do these movements both disrupt dominant cultural orders and seek to make connections with fragmented pasts?

Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words and a short biography to Emma C. Sørlie Jørgensen (Aarhus University) at ej@cas.au.dk no later than 31st January, 2026.