Abstract
Religious imagery, biblical quotations, and hymn singing all figured prominently in the flow of events that took place in Washington, DC, on the day of Epiphany, 2021. Some in the crowd sang the hymn “Amazing Grace.” Others waved banners that bore the image of a lion under which was written “Proverbs 30.30”—a biblical reference that some in the crowd might have recognized as containing the words “The lion in you never retreats.” Still others called upon God in song to “Crush the Enemy” on behalf of his people–presumably the protesters congregated to “Stop the Steal.” What might these scenes, preserved by their perpetrators and published by the Uncivil Religion project (among others), suggest about orderly or disorderly political protest? How does the hymnodic and biblical literature engaged by the crowds advance their purposes in challenging power, or in manifesting empowerment, as they approach the cradle of democracy on the day of Epiphany? These are the questions this paper explores.
Presenters
Theodore TrostProfessor, Religious Studies and New College, University of Alabama, Alabama, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus—Democratic Disorder: Disinformation, the Media and Crisis in a Time of Change
KEYWORDS
Protest, Song, Trump, US Capitol, Disorder, Media Identities
