Profs and Pints Richmond presents: “Speak of the Devil,” a discussion of Satan over the ages, with Mikki Brock, associate professor of history at Washington and Lee University and scholar of demonology, witchcraft, and early modern Scotland.
[Attendees must show either a completed COVID-19 vaccination card or proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of the event. They are asked to wear a mask when interacting with staff and when not eating or drinking.]
Prepare for one hell of a Richmond debut by Profs and Pints, the innovative social enterprise with a mission of democratizing access to higher learning and providing scholars with new audiences. Professor Mikki Brock, a historian whose engaging talks have earned her a big following among Profs and Pints fans in Washington D.C., is coming to Gallery5 with a talk that will bring warmth from brimstone to a January day, a look at the history of belief in the wicked one.
The devil is one of the most recognizable figures in America and Europe. He looms large in religion, art, literature, popular culture, and even political rhetoric. From gory medieval images of Satan roasting sinners in hell to the tragedy of the early modern witch hunts to modern Satanic panics, one encounters the devil at every turn in our past and present. Indeed, we cannot understand the history of Christianity—and thus the history of the world—without him.
But what is the true story behind our collective interest in the evil one? Why does the demonic continue to capture our imaginations? And what does our demonic fascination reveal about our deepest, darkest selves?
Come explore the history of one of Christianity’s most frightening and captivating figures with Professor Brock, who teaches a class on the history of the devil and is the author of Satan and the Scots: The Devil in Post-Reformation Scotland, c.1560-1700. You’ll understand why Profs and Pints has legions of fans in other cities, and her talks are one of the hottest tickets in town. (Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, or $13 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)