The Devil’s Party: Satanism in Modernity

Abstract

Self-declared Satanism is a controversial topic, which has largely been neglected by academia. This book fills that gap, with twelve scholars presenting cutting-edge research from the emerging field of Satanism studies. Topics covered range from early literary Satanists like Blake and Shelley over the Californian Church of Satan of the 1960s to the radical developments the Satanic milieu have undergone in recent decades. With a levelheaded and detached approach, the contributors analyze facets of the phenomenon such as conversion to Satanism, connections between Satanism and political violence, 19th century decadent Satanism, transgression, conspiracy theory, and the construction of Satanic scripture. A wide array of methods are employed to shed light on the Devil's disciples: statistical surveys, anthropological field studies, philological examination of The Satanic Bible, contextual analysis of literary texts, careful scrutiny of obscure historical records, and close readings of key Satanic writings. The book will be an invaluable resource for everyone interested in Satanism as a philosophical or religious position of alterity rather than an imagined other.