Isabelle Lemelin
Assistant Professor | Faculy of theology
Formed in anthropology, management, and biblical exegesis, Isabelle Lemelin is interested in martyrdom, Maccabean literature and its reception, as well as religious violence. She has published 脌 l鈥檕rigine des femmes martyres : la m猫re de 2 M 7, as well as several articles and chapters in collective works. She has also presented numerous papers in Canada and internationally, and hosted and produced the radio show 鈥淓n m茅moire d鈥檈lles鈥 broadcast on Radio VM. Thanks to a SSHRC grant, she is currently working on Maccabean/Hasmonean figures in Zionist and popular iconography. This project, which contributes to the history of reception, allows her to examine the processes of identity construction (and their resulting otherness) and the malleability of beliefs, while enabling her to further her reflections on gender representations, the use of images, and the power of emotions.
- Martyrdom and martyrology
- Maccabean literature and its reception
- Religious violence
- Biblical exegesis
- Gender representations in religious texts
- Zionist and popular iconography
- Contemporary female martyrs and violent figures
Education and Degrees
Ph.D. in Biblical Exegesis, Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al (Department of Religious Studies), 2017
Graduate Diploma in Cultural Organization Management, HEC Montr茅al, 2010
Master’s degree (Anthropology and Philosophy), Universit茅 Laval (Department of Anthropology), 2003
Certificate in Human Sciences of Religion, Universit茅 Laval (Faculty of Theology and Religious Sciences), 2002
Bachelor of Arts, Universit茅 Laval (Department of Anthropology), 1999
Additional Training
Specialized seminars, 脡cole biblique et arch茅ologique fran莽aise, 2022
Teaching the Holocaust and Human Rights in Canada, Montreal Holocaust Museum, June 27鈥29, 2018
Continuing education in university pedagogy, Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al (Centre for Academic Support Training), December 2016 to December 2017
Certificate in English as a Second Language, McGill University (Centre for Continuing Education), 2007
Research Fellowships
Researcher, 脡cole biblique et arch茅ologique fran莽aise de J茅rusalem, January to July 2022
Postdoctoral Researcher, Concordia University (Department of Theological Studies), November 2020 to November 2021
Postdoctoral Researcher, C脡GEP 脡douard-Montpetit (Centre of expertise and training on religious fundamentalism, political ideologies, and radicalization), October 2018 to September 2020
Postdoctoral Fellow, Universit茅 de Montr茅al (Institute of Religious Sciences), January to September 2018
Researcher, Institut fran莽ais de Marrakech, Centre Jacques-Berque, Universit茅 Cadi Ayyad, August to December 2015
Books
2022, 脌 l’origine des femmes martyres : la m猫re de 2 M 7, 芦 Juda茂sme ancien et origines du christianisme 禄 series, Turnhout, Brepols, 277 p.
Articles
2025, 芦 脡tude de la r茅ception de Christa 禄, Recherches f茅ministes (Interpr茅ter, cr茅er et subvertir les textes religieux), 37, p. 197-214.
2024, 芦 Dimensions in Testimony : illusion holographique et interaction par-del脿 la mort 禄, Special issue Mort, images et innovations, Revue 贵谤辞苍迟颈猫谤别蝉, 35, 1.
2021, 芦 La crainte dans le 2e livre des Maccab茅es 禄, 罢丑茅辞濒辞驳颈辩耻别蝉, 29, 2, p. 1-13.
2021, 芦 Pr茅sentation 禄, Religiologiques, 41, p. 5-25.
2021, 芦 La disparition des martyres 禄, Religiologiques, 41, p. 121-154.
2021, 芦 James W. Foley, martyr, ou comment sublimer une mort violente en ligne 禄, 贵谤辞苍迟颈猫谤别蝉, 32, 2.
2020, 芦 Entre texte et contexte : une repr茅sentation des martyrs Maccab茅es de 1850 禄, Revue Theoforum, 49, 2, p. 237-258.
2020, 芦 La r茅ception de la m猫re de 2 Maccab茅es 7 chez Ambroise, Augustin et quelques rabbins 禄, Sciences Religieuses/Studies in Religion, 49, 2, p. 216-235.
2020, 芦 Figures de terroristes = figures terroristes ? Le cas de Hanadi Jaradat dans les 艙uvres de Feiler & Feiler et Bleikh & Chak 禄, Post-Scriptum, 29.
2019, 芦 Au bord du vide : le trop-plein de l’imaginaire djihadiste 禄, 贵谤辞苍迟颈猫谤别蝉, 31, 1.
2019, 芦 Le 2e livre des Maccab茅es et son sch茅ma deut茅ronomiste 禄, Sciences religieuses/Studies in Religion, 48, 1, p. 3-23.
Book Chapters
2022, 芦 The Martyred Mother’s Testimony in 2 M 7 禄, in J. W. van Henten (ed.) The Books of the Maccabees. Literary, Historical, and Religious Perspectives, Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Loviensium 328, Leuven, Peeters, p. 485-500.
2021, 芦 Que trouve-t-on 脿 l’intersection des termes femmes martyres musulmanes ? 禄, in M. A茂t Kabboura and M. Fadil (eds.) Allah et la polis. Quel islam pour quelle identit茅 ?, Montr茅al, Presses de l’Universit茅 Montr茅al, p. 143-160.
2020, 芦 La m猫re virile de 2 M 7 : id茅al de la martyrologie ? 禄, in D. Couture, A. L茅tourneau and E. Pouliot (eds.), 脡galit茅 femme-homme et genre. Approches th茅ologiques et bibliques, Leuven, 脡ditions Terra Nova 7 (Peeters Publishers), p. 61-76.
2020, Italian translation of 芦 Femme virile ou penser la f茅minit茅 et la masculinit茅 au 2e si猫cle ANE 禄, in 脡. Parmentier, P. Daviau, and L. Savoy (eds.), La Bibbia Delle Donne. Venti teologhe rileggono i passi controversi dei testi sacri, Milan, Piemme.
2018, 芦 Femme virile ou penser la f茅minit茅 et la masculinit茅 au 2e si猫cle ANE 禄, in P. Daviau, 脡. Parmentier and L. Savoy (eds.), Une bible des femmes au XXIe si猫cle, Geneva and Montr茅al, Labor et Fides and Bayard, p. 117-135.
2003, 芦 Quand transcendance rime avec danse 禄, in A. 脡. Cliche, S. Inkel and A. Lussier (eds.), Imaginaire et transcendance, Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al, Figura, 芦 Figura 禄 8, p. 53-67.
Journal Issue Editor
2019-2022, Religiologiques, 41, 芦 Repenser le martyre par le biais des femmes 禄.
Editor-in-Chief
2023-2024, Relations, 722, 723, 724.
2011 to 2014, Lex Electronica, 16, 17 and 18.
Non-Academic Publications
2024, 芦 Souvenirs du P猫re Nodet 禄, Infolettre des amis canadiens de l’EBAF, spring 2024.
2021, 芦 La mort lib猫re鈥 m锚me les vivants 禄, Parabole, 37, 2, p. 12-14.
2021, 芦 脌 l’origine de l’茅mission En m茅moire d’elles 脿 Radio VM 禄, published January 8 on Femmes et Minist猫res.
2019, 芦 脌 l’origine du concept de martyre 禄, R茅form茅s (Journal des 脡glises R茅form茅es Romandes), April 26.
2018, 芦 Mile End : My Land, My Lord ! 禄 and 芦 375 ans d’occupation 禄, in F. Mercure-Jolette and J. Miville-Allard (eds.), Montr茅al, ville d茅pressionniste, Montr茅al, Moult 脡ditions, p. 51-63 and p. 253-257.
2017, 芦 脠ve 2050 禄, in I. Van Grimde, S. Caulfield, C. Berco and M.-H. Boudrias (eds.), Van Grimde Corps Secrets.
2017, 芦 Introduction 禄 and 芦 Foreword 禄, in P. Manach (ed.), Catalogue raisonn茅 des cartes postales du mellah de Marrakech, Marrakech, 脡ditions limit茅es de la Maison de la photographie, p. 1-2 and p. 3-4.
2009, 芦 Polisser 禄, 芦 Diaporama 禄 and 芦 Rats des villes et rats des champs 禄, in J. Miville-Allard (ed.), La Conspiration D茅pressionniste, Volumes I-V, Montr茅al, Moult 脡ditions and Lux, p. 80-82, p. 103 and p. 135-137.
Book Reviews
Review of M. A茂t Kabboura, Sayyid Qutb. Architecte de l’islamisme radical, Montr茅al, Les Presses de l’Universit茅 de Montr茅al, 2025, 224 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2026.
Review of R. M. Legault-Laberge, Quatre essais d’anthropologie des religions, Qu茅bec, Presses de l’Universit茅 Laval, 2022, 259 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2023.
Review of J.-F. Roussel, Kateri Tekahkwitha. Traverser le miroir colonial, Montr茅al, Les Presses de l’Universit茅 de Montr茅al, 2022, 228 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2023.
Review of H. Ouardi, Les califes maudits. Meurtre 脿 la mosqu茅e, Paris, Albin Michel, 2021, 365 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2022, 51, 2, p. 270-272.
Review of K. Bahloul, Mon islam, ma libert茅, Paris, Albin Michel, 2021, 199 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2022, 51, 4, p. 604-606.
Review of R. Folz (trans. by B. Leger), Les religions de la Route de la soie. Les chemins de la mondialisation pr茅moderne, Montr茅al, Les Presses de l’Universit茅 Concordia, 256 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2022, 51, 2, p. 270-272.
Review of J. Baumgarten, Le Baal Shem Tov. Mystique, magicien et gu茅risseur, Paris, Albin Michel 2020, 201 p. in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2021, 50, 2, p. 295-296.
芦 La Bible n’est pas le Kama sutra ! 禄, review of S. Doane, Sortir la Bible du placard. La sexualit茅 de la Gen猫se 脿 l’Apocalypse, Montr茅al, Fides, 2019, 200 p. in Cahiers de lecture de l’Action Nationale (Summer 2020), p. 31.
Review of C. Kuzman, The Missing Martyrs: Why Are There So Few Muslim Terrorists?, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011; Second Edition updated for the age of ISIS, 2019, in Studies in Religion/Sciences religieuses, 2020, 49, 1, p. 139-141.
Critical review of J. Dingley and M. Mollica (eds.), Understanding Religious Violence. Radicalism and Terrorism in Religion Explored via six Case Studies, 2018, London, NY, Palgrave Macmillan, in AAR’s online book review forum, Reading Religion (06.21.19).
Critical review of L. S. Cobb’s, Divine Deliverance: Pain and Painlessness in Early Christian Martyr Texts, 2016, Oakland, University of California Press, in AAR’s online book review forum, Reading Religion (03.15.19).
Review of A. K. Marshak, The Many Faces of Herod the Great, Foreword by John J. Collins, Grand Rapids MI-Cambridge UK, William B. Eerdmans, 2015, xxxii-400 p., Science et Esprit, 2019, 71, p. 139-143.
Review of S. Hirsch, M. McAndrew, G. Audet and J. Iprgrave (eds.), Juda茂sme et 茅ducation, enjeux et d茅fis p茅dagogiques, 2016, Qu茅bec, Les Presses de l’Universit茅 Laval, in Revue des sciences de l’茅ducation, 2017, 43, 3, p. 162-163.
Invited
Plenary lecture, 芦 Le Dieu interventionniste et national/iste des Maccab茅es 禄, Annual Meeting of the Canadian Theological Society and the Catholic Biblical Association of Canada, 22.05.2025 (Montr茅al, Universit茅 de Montr茅al).
Roundtable with Josselin Tricou and Youssef Benzouine, 芦 Affirmer sa masculinit茅. Le grand retour des valeurs conservatrices religieuses ? 禄, Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche sur les religions et les spiritualit茅s (CIRRES), 12.05.2025 (Universit茅 de Montr茅al).
(AC脡BAC delegate) 芦 Relecture po茅tique du martyre de 2 Maccab茅es 7 : Une ballade s茅pharade du 12e si猫cle 禄, Congress of the Association catholique fran莽aise pour l’茅tude de la Bible, 29.08.2024 (Lille, Universit茅 catholique de Lille).
Respondent to doctoral candidate Hanna Houdayer (supervised by P. Snyder, G. Gonz脿lez-Di茅guez and A. L茅tourneau) for the project 芦 Quand les femmes juives r茅pondent au Tanakh et 脿 la tradition rabbinique : le midrash moderne au f茅minin aux 脡tats-Unis, en France et en Isra毛l 禄, Master class of the R茅QEF Religions, Feminisms and Genders research site, 05.06.2024 (Montr茅al, Universit茅 de Montr茅al).
芦 R茅sister 脿 la disparition gr芒ce 脿 la doctrine de la cr茅ation ex nihilo 禄, Colloquium Interpr茅tation des r茅cits bibliques de cr茅ations et formations des identit茅s juives et chr茅tiennes au tournant de l’猫re commune, 28.04.2022 (online, Universit茅 Laval).
芦 Le devenir autre comme raison et solution 脿 la crise maccab茅enne 禄, Connected seminar of the Chair in Biblical Exegesis and SOCABI, 30.06.2021 (online, Universit茅 Laval).
芦 La port茅e r茅volutionnaire de la maternit茅 dans 2 Maccab茅es 7 禄, Colloquium Maternit茅s mystiques, spirituelles, asc茅tiques, monastiques, 20.01.2021 (online, Universit茅 Laval).
芦 脡tat de la recherche sur les repr茅sentations des femmes martyres/violentes dans les m茅dias qu茅b茅cois 禄, UNESCO Chair, 30.03.2020 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M) (cancelled).
芦 La couverture m茅diatique qu茅b茅coise des attentats perp茅tr茅s par les femmes entre 2014-15 au Nig茅ria : l’茅trange djihad de Boko Haram 禄, Colloquium Religion and radicalization in West Africa and the Maghreb, 11.09.2019 (Longueuil, CEFIR/C茅gep 脡douard-Montpetit).
芦 Une br猫ve histoire de la r茅ception de la femme de 2 M 7 禄, session Bible, femmes et histoire de la r茅ception, UQ脌M 50th anniversary colloquium, 27.08.2019 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
芦 Une Bible des femmes 禄, General Assembly of the Soci茅t茅 Catholique de la Bible, 11.05.2019 (Montr茅al, Institut de pastorale des Dominicains).
芦 Que trouve-t-on 脿 l’intersection des termes femmes martyres musulmanes ? 禄, 2nd international meeting Religions et sciences sociales, 17.11.2018 (Fez, Universit茅 Dhar El Mehraz).
芦 Le corps dans les rituels de l’Achoura 禄 following the screening of S. Elpida’s 芦 I Heard God Crying / Lamentations 禄, with S. Elpida and N. Kattan, Festival du Monde Arabe de Montr茅al, 10.11.2016 (Montr茅al, Salon de la culture).
芦 Entre esprits et images : le paysage religieux actuel d’Essaouira 禄, public lecture, 11.12.2015 (Essaouira, Institut fran莽ais).
Conferences and Colloquia
(with L. Darsigny-Tr茅panier), 芦 Plastic Hannukah 禄, European Association of Biblical Studies Annual Conference, 20-23.07.2026 (Leuven, Leuven University).
芦 Territoires maccab茅ens d’aujourd’hui : d’un paysage imaginal 脿 une g茅ographie politique 禄, Annual Congress of the Soci茅t茅 des 脡tudes Juives, 17.06.2026 (Paris, Universit茅 Sorbonne).
芦 L’茅tonnante joie d’une m猫re en deuil et face 脿 la mort 禄, Annual Colloquium of ACEBAC with RRENAB 鈥 芦 Bible, 茅motions et narrativit茅 禄, 12.06.2026 (Ch芒teauguay, Universit茅 de Montr茅al).
芦 Quand les images modifient les textes 禄, Annual Congress of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, 29.05.2026 (Sackville, Mount Allison University, participation cancelled).
With Y. Benzouine, 芦 Maccabean Figures in Popular Iconography 禄, Bible and Visual Culture section, Society of Biblical Literature International Meeting, 26.06.2025 (Uppsala, Uppsala University).
芦 Animals and animality in the 2nd book of the Maccabees 禄, European Association of Biblical Studies Annual Conference, 16.07.2024 (Sofia, Sofia University).
芦 Cuisiner des corps : le(s) r么le(s) des instruments de torture dans 4 M 禄, Annual Congress of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, 28.05.2023 (Toronto, York University).
芦 Dimensions in Testimony : illusion holographique et interaction par-del脿 la mort 禄, Colloquium Mort, images et innovations, 05.05.2023 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
芦 L’incontournable t茅moignage 茅clips茅 de la m猫re martyre du 2e livre des Maccab茅es (2 M) 禄, Colloquium-Biblicum Lovaniense 2020, The Books of the Maccabees: Literary, Historical and Religious Perspectives, 22-24.07.2020 (Leuven, Leuven University) (rescheduled online 02.02.2021).
芦 Diffusion et diffraction de la mort en ligne : Le cas de James Foley 禄, CRICIS Colloquium on Digital Technologies and Death, 01.05.2020 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M) (rescheduled 12.02.2021, online).
芦 Penser la crise du 2e livre des Maccab茅es (2 M) via la crainte et l’espoir des martyrs 禄, Biblical colloquium of Montreal universities, 29.10.2019 (Montr茅al, Universit茅 Concordia).
芦 Regina Jonas ou celle par qui le rabbinat arrive鈥 aux femmes 禄, 8th International Congress of Feminist Research in the Francophonie, 29.08.2018 (Paris, Universit茅 Paris-Nanterre).
芦 To Show or Not to Show: That is a Concern! 禄, XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology, Sociology of Religion: Media and Religious Radicalization section, 20.07.2018 (Toronto, Congress Center).
芦 Entre texte et contexte : une repr茅sentation des martyrs Maccab茅es de 1850 禄, 75th Congress of the SCT and AC脡BAC, La Bible r茅fl茅chie dans les arts visuels section, 07.06.2018 (Montr茅al, Universit茅 de Montr茅al).
芦 Le trop-plein de l’imaginaire djihadiste 禄, CEFIR Colloquium on Fanaticism and Death, 15.11.2017 (Longueuil, CEFIR鈥揅茅gep 脡douard-Montpetit).
芦 La m猫re virile de 2 M 7 : id茅al de la martyrologie ? 禄, 74th Annual Congress of the SCT and AC脡BAC, 06.06.2017 (Qu茅bec, Universit茅 Laval).
芦 The Text as Space or the Inverted World that Martyrdom Can Be 禄, SBL International Meeting, Bodies between Spaces section, 11.07.2013 (St Andrews, St Andrews’ University).
芦 The martyr’s body as alternative sacred space in the Second Book of Maccabees 禄, SBL International Meeting, 26.07.2012 (Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam).
芦 脢tre m猫re martyre pour s’accomplir totalement. Analyse des transformations identitaires de la femme anonyme dans 2 Maccab茅es 7 et 4 Maccab茅es 8-18 禄, 79th ACFAS Congress, 11.05.2011 (Sherbrooke, Universit茅 de Sherbrooke).
芦 Ce qu’il faut sauver de la disparition : Le corps de la m猫re martyre du 2e livre des Maccab茅es 禄, Interdisciplinary Colloquium in Feminist Studies, 21.04.2011 (Montr茅al, IREF/UQ脌M).
芦 脌 corps (d茅)(c)ouvert : le cas de la m猫re des martyrs Maccab茅es 禄, Student Colloquium in Religious Studies, 26.03.2011 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
芦 Commentaire du chapitre ‘Inimiti茅 par plaisir’ 禄, Roundtable on Images incandescentes. Am茅rique latine : violence et expression politique de la souffrance, 11.02.2011 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
芦 Ferror ou rendre visible les d茅mons lib茅r茅s 禄, Colloquium 25 years of religious studies, 11.04.2010 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
芦 Quand transcendance rime avec danse 禄, Colloquium Imaginaire et Transcendance, 23.04.2002 (Montr茅al, UQ脌M).
Awards
Winner of the Excellence in Research Award, Sessional Instructor category, Faculty of Human Sciences, Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al, November 2023.
Winner of the Louise-Dandurand Prize, awarded by FRQSC, May 2023.
Research Grants
SSHRC Insight Development Grant for the project Maccabean Figures in Zionist and Popular Iconography (2023 to 2026), June 2023.