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Issue 11: The Atheism Issue

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS


The Other Journal: Issue 11 – The Atheism Issue

The Other Journal welcomes the submission of critical essays, reviews, creative writing, and visual or performance art that encounter life through the lens of theology and culture. In Issue #11 we seek theology, philosophy, and social justice articles; film, literature, and music reviews; poems, short stories, and creative nonfiction; and films, paintings, prints, photography, music, and sculptures that explore the relationships between theology, atheism, culture, and science.


Atheism in the West

It’s easier than ever to be an atheist: our stores are filled with how-to guides, essential readings, and philosophical treatises that proclaim the good news of atheism, insisting that science can emphatically answer the riddle of God. And with the gauntlet thrown, theists have swarmed to the debate. Wielding their own swords of science, they declare that there is ample scientific evidence to support God's existence.

In this particular duel of science, many of the arguments for and against God miss their mark. For both the atheist and the science-spawned theist, God is considered a potentially verifiable entity. Atheistic science reasons that such a super being cannot exist because it cannot be counted among or inferred from all other observable beings, and scientific theism gathers data to tilt the verdict toward the divine. The debate becomes a war of attrition as each side seeks to garner the most empirically verifiable facts in order to make God appear (or not appear) in some measurable form.

Other forms of Christianity uphold God as radically transcendent and beyond such reductions, but they may view God as so abstract, distant, and hidden that it no longer matters whether this God is or is not. There are also claims that the God of Christianity is a worthwhile supplement to science because of this God's psychological and sociological use for human survival. But all of these religious responses seem unable to truly engage and challenge the atheist's science on the question of God. Rather they unwittingly accept the terms set within this scientific way of seeing and knowing by already confining the shape of God to a range of observable possibilities or functional values.

We believe that heavily publicized science-religion debates tend to obscure the broader influence and character of modern atheism and how it might be more genuinely and critically engaged. Although currently popular atheists may disguise atheism as the result of scientific thinking, atheistic roots predate modern science—and what is more, famous atheists like Voltaire, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, who potentially offer a more rigorous challenge to Christianity, tend to argue from a larger cultural ethos rather than a specific scientific position.

Therefore, in this issue we seek to pursue greater insight into the question of atheism by moving beyond the walls of this narrow science-religion debate and reintroducing a historical perspective. We encourage our writers to explore how modern atheism may be far more than merely an intellectual position within a certain scientific framework, but rather a more pervasive cultural ethos. Moreover, we wish to search out how this ethos has settled deep within the structures that underwrite and organize the shape of all modern social reality.

Through such explorations we wish to free up space in order to ask more poignant questions with regard to the modern phenomenon of atheism rather than to provide answers before the tribunal of a narrow science. This would mean considering questions that are no longer confined to measurable facts or the use-value of something like god but that instead seek a more critical and creative consideration of the value of a humanity that has forgotten, in a certain way, God.

 


Submission Types

 

Theology Articles (Examination Section)

We are seeking articles by theologians, philosophers, pastors, and writers to provide a cultural and academic assessment of the atheism phenomena. We are especially interested in work that speaks prophetically and redemptively about these topics. Theology articles should be between 3,000 and 5,000 words.

Social Justice Articles (Praxis Section)

We are seeking articles by men and women who are working to promote social justice through their work for or on behalf of those who suffer. We are especially interested in articles that offer insight into how modern atheism affects social justice movements and policies affecting advocacy for the marginalized. Social justice articles should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words.


Film, Literature, and Music Reviews (Perspective Section)

We are seeking thoughtful reviews on current literature, film, and music. We are especially interested in reviews of media that deals with the themes of atheism. Reviews should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words.


Poems, Short Stories, and Creative Nonfiction (Imagination Section)

We are seeking creative writing that thoughtfully considers the relationships between belief, superstition, doubt, and science. We are especially interested in work that explores these themes in the context of atheism or Christianity. We welcome poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Fiction submissions may include short stories or self-contained novel excerpts, and creative nonfiction submissions may include personal essays or memoirs. There are no specific word limits for creative pieces, but writers are encouraged to consider online readability when submitting their work.


Films, Paintings, Prints, Photography, Music, and Sculptures (Creation Section)

We are seeking artwork that confronts the role of atheism, science, religion, and culture. Artists should submit an exhibit that includes 5 to 10 images of artwork that explore these themes. Visual art exhibits should be submitted as jpeg images, videos should be submitted as Quick Time files, and music should be submitted as mp3 files. Please include a Microsoft Word or rich text format document with an introductory paragraph (no more than 300 words) describing the exhibit. If you are submitting a visual art exhibit, also include individual captions that correspond to each of the images. If you are submitting music, please include album and song information.

Submission Process

Completed critical essays, reviews, creative writing, and visual or performance art should be submitted to submissions@theotherjournal.com by February 21st, 2008.

Written submissions should be sent electronically in Microsoft Word or rich text format.

Critical essays should adhere to The Chicago Manual of Style. Essays should use endnotes with full bibliographic information and should not include a separate bibliography.

Articles that require links or other specific html tags should include this information within the document. For more information on html, visit http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/.

Because we receive a large number of quality submissions, we may not be able to respond directly to all submissions. If we have accepted a contribution, we will contact the author within 4-6 weeks of the submission.


Payment

The Other Journal is a non-profit organization with a meager budget. Therefore, we do not typically offer honorariums for writing. However, we are happy to discuss the possibility of a modest honorarium for individuals who support themselves through their writing and art work.


Please see our general Submission Guidelines page for more information.


Thank you for considering submitting to The Other Journal!

 


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