deBuren

Last September Marita Mathijsen, lecturer in modern Dutch literature at Amsterdam University, wrote in her monthly column in the NRC Handelsblad newspaper that religious writing is no longer outmoded. In her view, twentieth-century writers were naturally atheistic. Faith had become a taboo in intellectual circles and religious books were only written by the occasional regional novelist.

Times have changed however. Religious writing is no longer backward-looking. One only has to think of the huge success of Knielen op een bed violen by Jan Siebelink. Never before in the history of Dutch literature has a book sold more than three hundred thousand copies in one year. Equally remarkable, and a sign of the times, is the fact that the new Bible translation was awarded the NS Public Prize in 2005.

deBurenwill be holding a discussion evening on the role of religion and faith in the work of Jan Siebelink and Stefan Brijs. The moderator will be Kester Freriks, writer and correspondent on the NRC Handelsblad newspaper.