Curses and Prayers: An International Conference, University of Göttingen, 3–6 September 2025
An international conference devoted to examining the relationship between curses and prayers will be held at the University of Göttingen from 3 to 6 September 2025. The event is organised by Susanne Luther (Göttingen), Michael Hölscher (Bochum), and Markus Lau (Würzburg).
“I conjure you by the holy name that cannot be spoken” (PGM IV 455). The language and stylistic features of numerous ancient curse tablets (defixiones) and related texts often evoke parallels with what is termed ‘prayer’ in the biblical-Jewish tradition. When supplications, vows, or even desperate lamentations are inscribed onto the lead surfaces of defixiones, the affinity with prayer becomes particularly evident. It is likely not coincidental that some scholars have described certain defixiones as ‘prayers of vengeance.’ Currently, there is considerable scholarly debate regarding whether ‘prayers for justice’ should be regarded as a distinct subcategory within the corpus of defixiones.
The Göttingen conference is dedicated to exploring the intersections between curses and prayers. It seeks to address questions such as: How can prayers and defixiones be distinguished from one another? How were these forms perceived within ancient cultures? And how might biblical texts be more fully understood when considered in light of the interplay between curses and prayers? This conference is the third in a series that has examined the relationship between curse tablets (defixiones) and New Testament texts from various perspectives.
The conference is entitled: In the hour of need we turn to … curses! Interfaces between prayer and cursing in ancient defixiones, early Christian texts, and contexts: questions of genre, materiality, rituality (Not lehrt fluchen. Schnittstellen zwischen Gebet und Verfluchung in antiken defixiones, frühchristlichen Texten und Kontexten: Gattungsfragen – Materialität – Ritualität).
The complete conference programme is available here:
Registration for participation may be completed by contacting: elke.schikora@theologie.uni-goettingen.de
OpenEdition schlägt Ihnen vor, diesen Beitrag wie folgt zu zitieren:
Michael Hölscher (27. Juni 2025). Curses and Prayers: An International Conference, University of Göttingen, 3–6 September 2025. Entzauberte Rituale. Abgerufen am 13. Februar 2026 von https://doi.org/10.58079/1484t


