Memory, Identity, and the Sermon on the Mount

The communities of the Plateau Vivarais-Lignon in France have become famous for their efforts to rescue refugees fleeing from authorities during WWII. One of the leaders in particular, pastor André Trocmé, has received considerable attention. This presentation centres upon Trocmé’s interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount at various points in his life, and explores how social memory and identity figure significantly in the interpretation and use of biblical texts.