The Buffy Paper That Was Never Meant To Be....
Unfortunately, my abstract for an academic paper on Joss Whedon, theology, and the Buffyverse was turned down. I'm not gonna lie, I'd really hoped to get a green-light - because where else am I going to come across a call for papers about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and theology? - but also not gonna lie, I'm so strapped for time, I'm not sure if I would've been able to fit it in, if they did give me the greenlight.
In any case: here it is. My very first academic abstract. Any publications interested in seeing this, just give me a ring....
Souls Clothed inDemonic Flesh: The Divided Natures of Angel & Spike
by Kevin Lucia
"Youdon't havea Soul. You area Soul. You havea body." - C.S. Lewis
Christianphilosopher C. S. Lewis couldn't have imagined the Buffyverseinthis quote,but it offers eerie resonance concerning the cases of Angel andSpike, two vampires who, throughout their existence possess soulshoused in demonic flesh, conditions that offer ample material fordiscourse on the topics of damnation, redemption, salvation, and theconflict between Good and Evil that exists within us all.
Even more intriguing is howthese vampires obtain their souls. Angel is cursed with his aspunishment for past sins, while Spike wins his (depending onperspective), in order to prove his worth to Buffy as a person. Angel's soul is dependent on his eternal torment, subject to removalshould he ever obtain happiness. Spike's soul is permanent, though itmust endure a painful assimilation - that of his demonic vampiricnature, weaker human nature and an idealized, "hero" figure, intoa whole being.
Complicatingmatters is the "Shanshu Prophecy" from Angel,stating a vampire with a soul will play a pivotal role in theapocalypse and win back its humanity. When Spike joins the Angelcast for its final season, an interesting conflict emerges: whichvampire with a soul most deserves their humanity most? One cursedwith a soul for its evil deeds, or one given their soul for enduringarduous, torturous trials?
Ipropose examining Angel and Spike's soul-body constructs through avariety of belief systems: Catholicism, Protestantism, Zoroastrianism, Deism and even Humanism. Theintent, however, will not be to pigeonhole Spike or Angel into aparticular belief, but to examine and consider the possibility thatof all the inhabitors of the Buffyverse,Angeland Spike are the most emblematic of our eternal, spiritual strugglebetween Good and Evil.
So. Any takers?
In any case: here it is. My very first academic abstract. Any publications interested in seeing this, just give me a ring....
Souls Clothed inDemonic Flesh: The Divided Natures of Angel & Spike
by Kevin Lucia
"Youdon't havea Soul. You area Soul. You havea body." - C.S. Lewis
Christianphilosopher C. S. Lewis couldn't have imagined the Buffyverseinthis quote,but it offers eerie resonance concerning the cases of Angel andSpike, two vampires who, throughout their existence possess soulshoused in demonic flesh, conditions that offer ample material fordiscourse on the topics of damnation, redemption, salvation, and theconflict between Good and Evil that exists within us all.
Even more intriguing is howthese vampires obtain their souls. Angel is cursed with his aspunishment for past sins, while Spike wins his (depending onperspective), in order to prove his worth to Buffy as a person. Angel's soul is dependent on his eternal torment, subject to removalshould he ever obtain happiness. Spike's soul is permanent, though itmust endure a painful assimilation - that of his demonic vampiricnature, weaker human nature and an idealized, "hero" figure, intoa whole being.
Complicatingmatters is the "Shanshu Prophecy" from Angel,stating a vampire with a soul will play a pivotal role in theapocalypse and win back its humanity. When Spike joins the Angelcast for its final season, an interesting conflict emerges: whichvampire with a soul most deserves their humanity most? One cursedwith a soul for its evil deeds, or one given their soul for enduringarduous, torturous trials?
Ipropose examining Angel and Spike's soul-body constructs through avariety of belief systems: Catholicism, Protestantism, Zoroastrianism, Deism and even Humanism. Theintent, however, will not be to pigeonhole Spike or Angel into aparticular belief, but to examine and consider the possibility thatof all the inhabitors of the Buffyverse,Angeland Spike are the most emblematic of our eternal, spiritual strugglebetween Good and Evil.
So. Any takers?
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