Divine Antecedents of Contemporary Borders

Keywords: boundaries, boundary markers, borders, border barriers, mythology, exclusion, national identity
Session Type: Virtual Poster
Day: Thursday
Session Start / End Time: 4/8/2021 09:35 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) - 4/8/2021 10:50 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 52

Abstract

Despite the secular nature of many contemporary governments, God and country are frequently intertwined in the popular consciousness. This poster considers how ancient religious history informs our contemporary understanding of national borders. In Western political lineage, the Roman god of boundaries Terminus was an animistic character who resided in boundary stones and reflected the importance of providing heavenly protection for private property, and by extension the limits of Rome and the Roman Empire. Romans also consecrated pomerium or a sacred boundary around their cities, marking a clear line between cities themselves and territory beyond. But backing up political dividing lines with religious authority was not unique to the Romans. The Old Testament, various other Indo-European cultures, and many non-Western traditions demonstrate that the roots of divine justification for borders and bordering processes are more diverse and go much farther back in time. Today’s claims of celestial authority and protection for borders draws on and parallels these ancient experiences.