Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The Journal of Religions is pleased to invite you to contribute to a Special Issue entitled “Theological Metaphysics and Scriptural Interpretation”. This edition seeks to facilitate an integration of two constructive theological domains: (i) the function of metaphysics vis à vis the doctrine of God and (ii) the theological interpretation of Scripture.
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 February 2024
This Special Issue aims to engage in the methodology of Scriptural interpretation with respect to the underlying metaphysical substructure of that work. The question Jonathan Rowlands has addressed to those engaged in the study of the historical Jesus—namely to examine the underlying metaphysical assumptions of their work—is a question that ought also to be posed to systematic theologians in their interpretation of Scripture. In this, we welcome submissions that enquire into how the work of the theological interpretation of Scripture is affected if approached from, for the sake of argument, the basis of God as pure actuality as opposed to God’s absolute pronobeity (or vice versa). For example: how does the way in which the being of God is held in connection to the history of God’s act affect the way in which the interpreter of Scripture engages with the narrative of Scripture? Or, if God is God for us without remainder, then how does Scripture function in relation to the interpreter?
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The relationship between metaphysics and the doctrine of God.
- The intersection of the doctrine of God and Scriptural interpretation.
- The role of metaphysical presuppositions in Scriptural interpretation.
- Constructive proposals for theological interpretation of Scripture from a range of perspectives regarding the relationship between metaphysics and the doctrine of God.
- Constructive proposals concerning the relationship between metaphysics and historiography (with particular attention to historiographical questions concerning Jesus of Nazareth).
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Alex Irving
Dr. Chris Tilling
Dr. Jonny Rowlands
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI’s English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alex Irving E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
St Mellitus College, East Midlands, Leicester LE1 5PZ, UK
Interests: historical theology (4th century trinitarian theology; 20th century theology); doctrine of god; christology

Dr. Chris Tilling E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
St Mellitus College, East Midlands, Leicester LE1 5PZ, UK
Interests: christology; the trinity; the apostle paul and his theology; historical-critical exegesis; theology of scripture

Dr. Jonny Rowlands E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
St Mellitus College, East Midlands, Leicester LE1 5PZ, UK
Interests: theological hermeneutics; historical Jesus research; the doctrine of scripture; the book of Hebrews