Abstract

“Such is the Will of God.” This dismal refrain nicely underscores an observation made by Wendy Love Anderson (in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy), among others: in the Buffyverse, religion is usually “freaky” and sometimes even dangerous. In the context of Season Five, the “Will of God” becomes a symbol of the fanatic determination of the Knights of Byzantium to kill Buffy’s younger sister Dawn—“the Key”—whatever the moral cost or consequences of shedding innocent blood. True to form, Buffy defiantly refuses to accept this fatalistic resolve; working with her friends, she finds another way . . . and thus thwarts God’s will, at least as understood by the Knights of Byzantium.

But is it always this simple for Buffy and her friends? Is there an order to the universe—understood as fate, destiny or simply “God’s will”—against which no amount of will or effort can prevail? This panel session will investigate these questions through three paper presentations, which together place Buffy the Vampire Slayer into dialogue with diverse theological and philosophical reflections on fate, free-will and personal identity.

• In “Fate and the Knowledge of Future Contingents: What Did Cassie Know?” Paul Lachance will begin our session with the specific case of Cassie Newton in the episode “Help” (7.04). Drawing on categories from the Christian philosopher Boethius, Paul will develop a notion of divine providence that deepens our understanding of Cassie’s foreknowledge and avoids a strictly deterministic view of her fate.

• In “Self Becoming or Becoming Self? A Comparative Study of Buffy and the Hindu Saint Antal on Identity and Self-Realization,” Tracy Tiemeier will enlarge our view beyond this single case and beyond the boundaries of Christian tradition. Using the poetry of the Hindu saint Antal, Tracy will attempt to uncover a tension in the Buffyverse between a rigid, essentialist conception of the self and one that is more open to self-determination. Tracy’s paper will focus on “Becoming, parts 1 & 2” (2.21-22), “Anne” (3.01), and “Chosen” (7.22).

• In “Gosh, Joss is a Thomist!?” Agnes Curry will broaden the scope of our inquiry still further, posing question about the underlying philosophy of the BtVS series creator himself. Focusing on selected episodes from seasons six and seven, Agnes will attempt to discern the fundamental notion of freedom presumed therein. Ultimately, Agnes will argue that an “intellectualist” model of the human person corresponds better to the overarching themes of the show than would a more “voluntarist” model.

Reid B. Locklin will convene the session and offer a brief introduction to the papers. At the conclusion of the papers, Maxine Phillips will offer a response.

Panel Session Participants

Agnes Curry is an assistant professor of philosophy at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Paul Lachance is an instructor of theology at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Reid B. Locklin is an assistant professor of religious studies at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, Connecticut and the author of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Domestic Church: Re-Visioning Family and the Common Good” (Slayage 6, September 2002).

Maxine Phillips is managing editor of Dissent Magazine and the author of “The Buffy Paradigm Revisited: A Superhero and the War on Terror” (Dissent, Spring 2003) as well as “No Ordinary Girl” (Commonweal 28, November 6, 2003).

Tracy Tiemeier is a Ph.D. candidate in systematic and comparative theology at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Equipment

VCR/Monitor

Contact:       Reid B. Locklin, Ph.D.

                   Religious Studies

                   Saint Joseph College

                   1678 Asylum Avenue

                   Hartford CT 06105

                   860-231-5349

                   rlocklin@sjc.edu

                   http://www.sjc.edu/rlocklin