Total devotion in the ancient world: emotions and narrative in radical religion

ABSTRACT Surveying the research field of radical religion, this article identifies major trends that have focused on radical beliefs, marginalisation, and societal relations. The article suggests that to understand radical religion in more depth, the focus on radical beliefs and exterior relations in radical religion research should be supplemented by addressing group-internal ideals of devotion and the role of emotionality and narrativity. I argue that these aspects are important for the formation and continued pull of radical religion, for enduring forms of total devotion that enable identity fusion and motivate costly sacrifice. I present the concept of total devotion and an approach to how shared ideals of devotion, emotionality, narrativity and in-group dynamics in radical religion can be analysed. Finally, the article calls for a historicization of the study of radical religion and highlights contributions to this thematic issue that analyse forms of total devotion from the ancient world.