Tag: CFP

Call For Papers, Master Category

CFP: For special issue of Religious Studies

Special Issue Guest editors:
Meghan D. Page, Loyola University Maryland,
US Ignacio Silva, Universidad Austral, Argentina

Religious Studies in collaboration with the SET Foundations Project calls for papers that integrate practice-based philosophy of science with topics in philosophy of religion and theology. The best submitted paper, as judged by a committee, will receive a prize of $5,000. That paper, along with others selected, will be published in a special issue of Religious Studies.

Although both practice-based philosophy of science and philosophy of religion and theology explore topics such as causation, explanation, laws of nature, natural kinds, representation, models, and evidence, there is a significant lack of constructive dialogue between them. However, we believe that deeper theological and philosophical interaction with practice-based philosophy of science is likely to produce novel approaches to the big questions in theology and philosophy of religion.

This new approach encourages scholars to explore general questions regarding the aims and methods of scientific practice
rather than emphasize specific scientific theories or theses. We are particularly interested in work by philosophers of religion and theologians that engages with recent literature in practice-based philosophy of science, exemplified by questions such as: How do scientific explanations work? How do scientists use models? How do causal concepts vary across different domains of scientific inquiry? What are scientific “laws” and do all scientific theories employ them? How do we determine what counts as “good” science? We take this approach to be distinct from theory-based philosophy of science, which focuses on the metaphysical implications of particular scientific theories.

We do not intend to privilege any style or tradition of theology or philosophy. We hope scholars from across the globe will integrate philosophy of science into their preferred theological or philosophical approach. We view this engagement as one aspect of a rich and complex theological methodology, to be appropriately paired with historical, social, and textual analysis. We

invite philosophers of religion and theologians to submit papers that

Examples of possible paper topics include:

  • What counts as evidence for claims in theology and philosophy of religion?
  • How do we understand the content and meaning of theological or religious terms? Do we gather our understanding of these terms from experience?
  • What role do models play in theology? Is doctrine best thought of as a kind of model? Or is it something else?
  • Can experience confirm or undermine theological claims?
  • Are there multiple, distinctive strands of evidence used in • theology? What are they?
  • Can scientific evidence be used as support for theological views?
  • Do multilevel explanations (which integrate more than one scientific theory) offer a path for integrating multiple levels of explanation in theology (e.g. reconciling human and divine action)?
  • Are theological models like scientific models? Can scientific models offer a template for new models in theology?

Deadline for submissions: April 1, 2023

Full papers should be submitted via the Religious Studies Portal (a special section has been established for papers for this issue). Visit the Religious Studies homepage for a description of the journal and instructions to authors. More at setfoundations.com.

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Call For Papers

Open Theology (Call for Papers) – Cultural Trauma and the Hebrew Bible.

Open Theology (https://www.degruyter.com/OPTH) invites submissions for the topical issue “Cultural Trauma and the Hebrew Bible,” edited by Danilo Verde (KU Leuven) and Dominik Markl (Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome).

Deadline – March 31, 2022

In his work titled Trauma: A Social Theory, American sociologist Jeffrey C. Alexander argues: “Cultural trauma occurs when members of a collectivity feel they have been subjected to a horrendous event that leaves indelible marks upon their group consciousness, marking their memories forever and changing their future identity in fundamental and irrevocable ways” (p. 19). From this perspective, the mere occurrence of historical catastrophes or collective traumas does not necessarily result in cultural trauma, since cultural trauma only emerges when a collective catastrophe indelibly shapes a group’s collective memory and produces a profound revision of that group’s collective identity. Cultural trauma studies by no means constitute a single, monolithic research paradigm; yet, scholars in this field largely agree that cultural traumas “are for the most part historically made, not born” (Neil J. Smelser, Psychological Trauma and Cultural Trauma, 37), in the sense that they are the result of complex social processes.


Assuming the perspective of cultural trauma studies in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament scholarship involves understanding how texts and traditions that eventually formed the HB/OT both represented and shaped ancient Israel’s collective identity as profoundly disrupted and in need of recreation. The HB/OT frequently refers to collective experiences of disasters and crises. We accept papers that investigate the interrelationship between biblical representations of collective suffering and the creation of collective identity in ancient Israel and early Judaism in light of cultural trauma theory. Authors will explore biblical texts such as collective laments, curses, narratives, etc. not only as texts representing and voicing the community’s experience of catastrophic events, but also as tools to shape cultural trauma in ancient Israel and early Judaism. Authors are also encouraged to explore relevant texts as “equipment for living” (see  Kenneth Burke, Literature as Equipment for Living, 593-598) for the addressed community, namely as the literary and religious heritage through which the carrier groups of biblical texts attempted to build social resilience by coping with and giving meaning to collective suffering. Among others, topics or areas of focus might include:

  • Representations of collective trauma in the HB/OT: Narrative texts
  • Representations of collective trauma in the HB/OT: Poetic texts
  • Biblical strategies for the shaping of cultural traumas
  • Biblical strategies for the shaping of social resilience
  • Cultural trauma in the HB/OT and in ancient near Eastern literature: Patterns and motifs
  • Carrier groups of cultural traumas and their agendas in ancient Israel and early Judaism
  • Cultural trauma hermeneutics and historical critical approaches
  • The use of the Bible in shaping cultural trauma in the history of Judaism and Christianity

Authors publishing their articles in the topical issue will benefit from:– Transparent, comprehensive, and efficient peer review.

– Free language assistance for authors from non-English speaking regions. Because Open Theology is published in Open Access, as a rule, publication costs should be covered by so called Article Publishing Charges (APC), paid by authors, their affiliated institutions, funders or sponsors. Authors without access to publishing funds are encouraged to discuss potential discounts or waivers with Managing Editor of the journal Katarzyna Tempczyk (katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com) before submitting their manuscripts.


HOW TO SUBMIT – Submissions will be collected by March 31, 2022, via the on-line submission system at http://www.editorialmanager.com/openth/
Choose as article type: Cultural Trauma and the Hebrew Bible
Before submission the authors should carefully read over the Instruction for Authors, available at: 
https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/OPTH/downloadAsset/OPTH_Instruction%20for%20Authors.pdf

All contributions will undergo critical peer-review before being accepted for publication.
Further questions about this thematic issue can be addressed to Danilo Verde at danilo.verde@kuleuven.be. In case of technical or financial questions, please contact Managing Editor of the journal Katarzyna Tempczyk at katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com

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Call For Papers

Open Theology (Call for Papers) – After the Theological Turn: Essays in (New) Continental Philosophical Theology

(This announcement is a second call)

“Open Theology” (https://www.degruyter.com/opth) invites submissions for the topical issue “After the Theological Turn: Essays in (New) Continental Philosophical Theology”, edited by Martin Koci (University of Vienna).

DESCRIPTION

This topical issue aims to explore, interrogate and reflect on the ways in which contemporary continental philosophy, and phenomenology in particular, unfolds and advances the development of philosophical theology. What does it mean to practice theology after the philosophical return to religion? During the last few decades, the renewal of theology has been much discussed in light of philosophical lectures that have revisited fundamental Christian concepts. However, the debate seems to be stuck on rather formal questions about whether the theological turn happened or not, whether it has been a legitimate or illegitimate development, and whether theology and philosophy can benefit at all from reconsidering their disciplinary borders. Moreover, from the theological perspective, crucial issues continue to be unresolved: What should the proper propaedeutic framework for theological work be in a secular context? How to formulate theologically valid as well as contextually plausible truth-claims? What kind of grammar should be employed in theology to create not only rational but also credible discourse? The working hypothesis behind this thematic issue is that philosophical—in particular phenomenological—engagement with theological concepts transforms the fundamental theological practice, revisits its rigor, and provides the possibility of developing an intelligible grammar for articulating normative theological claims. 

     We invite scholars in theology and continental philosophy of religion to address the following questions: Is phenomenology a suitable ancilla theologiae to provide theologians with sufficient philosophical grammar? Is it possible to develop, after the demise of metaphysics, a phenomenological theology? How does theology look after Marion, Henry, Chrétien, Lacoste, Falque et al.? Does theology benefit from philosophical reconsiderations of fundamental Christian concepts such as Revelation, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, etc.? The nerve and, at the same time, novelty of raising the question about after the theological turn is a critical application of explicit theological perspectives to thus test both the potential of and limits to philosophical reconsiderations of the theological for formulating plausible as well as credible theology.

Authors publishing their articles in the topical issue will benefit from:

– transparent, comprehensive and fast peer review,

– free language assistance for authors from non-English speaking regions.

Because “Open Theology” is published under an Open Access model, as a rule, publication costs should be covered by Article Publishing Charges (APC), paid by authors, their affiliated institutions, funders or sponsors.

Authors without access to publishing funds are encouraged to discuss potential discounts or waivers with Managing Editor of the journal Katarzyna Tempczyk (katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com) before submitting their manuscripts. 

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submissions will be collected until April 15, 2022, via the on-line submission system at http://www.editorialmanager.com/openth/.

* Choose as article type: “After the Theological Turn”
* Before submission the authors should carefully read over the Instruction for Authors, available at: https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/OPTH/downloadAsset/OPTH_Instruction%20for%20Authors.pdf
* All contributions will undergo critical peer-review before being accepted for publication.

Further questions about this thematic issue can be addressed to Martin Koci at martin.koci@univie.ac.at. In case of technical or financial questions, please contact journal Managing Editor Katarzyna Tempczyk at katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com.

Call For Papers

“Death & Religion” CFP by Open Theology (second call)

 A call for papers has been issued by Open Theology for a topical issue on “Death and Religion”

This is a (second call). Submissions will be collected until April 30, 2022

    “Open Theology” (https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/OPTH/html) invites submissions for the topical issue “Death and Religion”, edited by Khyati Tripathi, Jennifer Moran Stritch and Peter G.A.Versteeg.

    Death and religion share an interdependent relation. Where death is an event or state that threatens to disintegrate worlds and meaning, religion can be seen as a practice that categorizes, consoles and makes sense of this kind of disintegration. According to Oxford dictionary, death is defined as “end of life”, but behind this simple definition, there is a web of complex ideas that could be understood from not just biological but also religious or cultural perspectives. Death has been conceptualized differently in different religious traditions as their texts and practices demonstrate. According to Lifton, religion is ‘life power’ and dominates death. Similarly, Davies put forth rituals as culture’s ‘words against death’.

     The relationship between death and religion should be seen as a broad scholarly query, which includes philosophical and theological questions, as well as more applied perspectives such as social work. Although death is a clinical process of organs that cease to function, dying and death are events that are surrounded by various sense-making practices, ranging from intricate traditional ceremonies as part of established religious repertoires, to more personal, individualized rituals. Social-cultural context, therefore, is of utmost importance to understand how we interact with dying persons and dead bodies, and why we do it in that particular way.

    In theology we see how faith traditions historically account for the reality of death, reflecting upon its existential meaning and thus trying to understand how to deal with the event of death. As such, a theology of death raises both practical (e.g. in spiritual care) and systematical (e.g. in ethics) questions regarding death and dying.

     In psychology death anxiety or fear of death invited a great deal of interest starting in the late 1950s with Fiefel’s work on death anxiety and religion. Different studies pointed at different relationships between death anxiety and religiousness; some studies found a positive relationship between the two while others found an inverse relationship.  Some research argued for a curvilinear relationship between death anxiety and religiousness, explaining that moderately religious participants have more death anxiety than those who are extremely religious or not religious at all. The relationship between religion and death anxiety has been an inconclusive one because of the multidimensional nature of both religion and death anxiety. There is, however, a lack of scholarship on death anxiety and religion in non-western cultures.

    In cultural anthropology, death studies have developed into a substantial research niche. There has been ample attention for practices pertaining to e.g. the process of dying, death as transition, as well as to the interaction with the dead body. Important here, too, is the global perspective on death, also in the sense of engaging with ontologies of life and death outside of the established scientific-medical spectrum.

    This special issue encourages scholars from different disciplines, not just restricted to the ones we mentioned, to contribute to this debate. Of special interest are situations in which religion becomes overbearing and a burden to carry forward in times of death, or if religious practices are obstructed, for example, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How do these crisis situations affect the relationship between religion and death? This special issue aims at invoking curiosity, enquiry and interest in looking at the different facets of this topic.

     The special issue on ‘Death and Religion’ invites empirical (qualitative and quantitative), review/conceptual and analytical papers focusing on the different facets of this relationship from scholars in different disciplines such as: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Theology, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Thanatology, Health Humanities, Social Care and Social Work. Among others, topics or areas of focus might include:

  • Death anxiety and religiosity in non-western cultures
  • The different perspectives to ‘Extrinsic Religiosity’
  • Is ‘Intrinsic Religiosity’ really the reliever of anxiety?
  • Psychological/sociological/psychosocial significance of death rituals
  • The changing nature of death rituals
  • Personal religious beliefs and ideas about death
  • Belief in afterlife and death anxiety
  • The changing relationship between death and religion due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The non-religious traditions and death
  • Autoethnographic accounts of performing/witnessing death rituals
  • Death as latent and religion as evident in Freudian texts
  • Religious Literacy and the end of life care
  • Extinction as ultimate death and other morbid anxieties of the Anthropocene

Authors publishing their articles in the topical issue will benefit from:

– transparent, comprehensive and efficient peer review,

– free language assistance for authors from non-English speaking regions.

Because “Open Theology” is published in Open Access, as a rule, publication costs should be covered by so called Article Publishing Charges (APC), paid by authors, their affiliated institutions, funders or sponsors.

Authors without access to publishing funds are encouraged to discuss potential discounts or waivers with Managing Editor of the journal Katarzyna Tempczyk (katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com) before submitting their manuscripts.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submissions will be collected until April 30, 2022, via the on-line submission system at http://www.editorialmanager.com/openth/

Choose as article type: “Death and Religion”

Before submission the authors should carefully read over the Instruction for Authors, available at: https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/OPTH/downloadAsset/OPTH_Instruction%20for%20Authors.pdf

All contributions will undergo critical peer-review before being accepted for publication.

 Further questions about this thematic issue can be addressed to Khyati Tripathi at khyatitripathi27@gmail.com. In case of technical or financial questions, please contact journal Managing Editor Katarzyna Tempczyk at katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com

Call For Papers, Master Category

Open Theology – Call for Papers: “Death and Religion.”

The theological journal, Open Theology invites submissions for the topical issue – “Death and Religion”. (https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/OPTH/html)

Edited by: Khyati Tripathi, (UPES, India), Jennifer Moran Stritch (Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland) and Peter G.A.Versteeg (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands).

Flyer: https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/OPTH/downloadAsset/OPTH_CFP%20Death%20and%20Religion.pdf

    Death and religion share an interdependent relation. Where death is an event or state that threatens to disintegrate worlds and meaning, religion can be seen as a practice that categorizes, consoles and makes sense of this kind of disintegration. According to Oxford dictionary, death is defined as “end of life”, but behind this simple definition, there is a web of complex ideas that could be understood from not just biological but also religious or cultural perspectives. Death has been conceptualized differently in different religious traditions as their texts and practices demonstrate. According to Lifton, religion is ‘life power’ and dominates death. Similarly, Davies put forth rituals as culture’s ‘words against death’.

     The relationship between death and religion should be seen as a broad scholarly query, which includes philosophical and theological questions, as well as more applied perspectives such as social work. Although death is a clinical process of organs that cease to function, dying and death are events that are surrounded by various sense-making practices, ranging from intricate traditional ceremonies as part of established religious repertoires, to more personal, individualized rituals. Social-cultural context, therefore, is of utmost importance to understand how we interact with dying persons and dead bodies, and why we do it in that particular way.

    In theology we see how faith traditions historically account for the reality of death, reflecting upon its existential meaning and thus trying to understand how to deal with the event of death. As such, a theology of death raises both practical (e.g. in spiritual care) and systematical (e.g. in ethics) questions regarding death and dying. 

     In psychology death anxiety or fear of death invited a great deal of interest starting in the late 1950s with Fiefel’s work on death anxiety and religion. Different studies pointed at different relationships between death anxiety and religiousness; some studies found a positive relationship between the two while others found an inverse relationship.  Some research argued for a curvilinear relationship between death anxiety and religiousness, explaining that moderately religious participants have more death anxiety than those who are extremely religious or not religious at all. The relationship between religion and death anxiety has been an inconclusive one because of the multidimensional nature of both religion and death anxiety. There is, however, a lack of scholarship on death anxiety and religion in non-western cultures.

    In cultural anthropology, death studies have developed into a substantial research niche. There has been ample attention for practices pertaining to e.g. the process of dying, death as transition, as well as to the interaction with the dead body. Important here, too, is the global perspective on death, also in the sense of engaging with ontologies of life and death outside of the established scientific-medical spectrum.

    This special issue encourages scholars from different disciplines, not just restricted to the ones we mentioned, to contribute to this debate. Of special interest are situations in which religion becomes overbearing and a burden to carry forward in times of death, or if religious practices are obstructed, for example, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. How do these crisis situations affect the relationship between religion and death? This special issue aims at invoking curiosity, enquiry and interest in looking at the different facets of this topic.

     The special issue on ‘Death and Religion’ invites empirical (qualitative and quantitative), review/conceptual and analytical papers focusing on the different facets of this relationship from scholars in different disciplines such as: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Theology, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Thanatology, Health Humanities, Social Care and Social Work. Among others, topics or areas of focus might include:

  • Death anxiety and religiosity in non-western cultures
  • The different perspectives to ‘Extrinsic Religiosity’
  • Is ‘Intrinsic Religiosity’ really the reliever of anxiety?
  • Psychological/sociological/psychosocial significance of death rituals
  • The changing nature of death rituals
  • Personal religious beliefs and ideas about death
  • Belief in afterlife and death anxiety
  • The changing relationship between death and religion due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The non-religious traditions and death
  • Autoethnographic accounts of performing/witnessing death rituals
  • Death as latent and religion as evident in Freudian texts
  • Religious Literacy and the end of life care
  • Extinction as ultimate death and other morbid anxieties of the Anthropocene

Authors publishing their articles in the topical issue will benefit from:

– transparent, comprehensive and efficient peer review,

– free language assistance for authors from non-English speaking regions.

Because “Open Theology” is published in Open Access, as a rule, publication costs should be covered by so called Article Publishing Charges (APC), paid by authors, their affiliated institutions, funders or sponsors.

Authors without access to publishing funds are encouraged to discuss potential discounts or waivers with Managing Editor of the journal Katarzyna Tempczyk (katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com) before submitting their manuscripts.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Submissions will be collected from September 1 to October 31, 2021, via the on-line submission system at http://www.editorialmanager.com/openth/

Choose as article type: “Death and Religion”

Before submission the authors should carefully read over the Instruction for Authors, available at: https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/OPTH/downloadAsset/OPTH_Instruction%20for%20Authors.pdf

All contributions will undergo critical peer-review before being accepted for publication.

 Further questions about this thematic issue can be addressed to Khyati Tripathi at khyatitripathi27@gmail.com. In case of technical or financial questions, please contact journal Managing Editor Katarzyna Tempczyk at katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com

Find us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OpenTheology

Call For Papers, Master Category

Call for Papers: The Spirit, the Kingdom & Ecumenism – Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Doctrine of the Church.

The theological thought of Wolfhart Pannenberg has generated significant conversations, since  the publication of Revelation as History in 1961. Since his passing in 2014, dozens (269) of doctoral dissertations written in English have engaged his corpus, launching a new generation of  scholars who have been impacted by his life and work. 

In an effort to gather scholars interested in the legacy of this seminal thinker, the Pannenberg Symposium will host a conference on March 25 & 26, 2022, in collaboration with Loyola University Chicago, Institute for Pastoral Studies and the Hank  Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage. 

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the publication of Systematic Theology, Vol. 3 in English, this conference will address the following theme: 

The Spirit, The Kingdom, and Ecumenism—Wolfhart Pannenberg’s Doctrine of the Church. 

Thus, we would like to extend a Call for Papers engaging Pannenberg’s thought particularly as developed in Vol. 3 of his Systematic Theology. Potential topics include: 

  • Pneumatology: Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
  • Ecclesiology: Nature and Purpose of the Church, doctrine of election
  • Eschatology: The coming kingdom of God and its establishment in history
  • Sacramental Theology: Ecumenical scope, presence of the Spirit in the Eucharist, ministry/ordination
  • Ecumenism in his doctrine of the Church and his work with the World Council of Churches
  • The Church and Society
  • Pannenberg’s political theology and engagement with liberation theology
  • Natural law
  • Theodicy and the coming of Justice

We are especially interested in engaging scholars from a diversity of denominational, cultural, and theological perspectives  to create a critical and constructive conversation about the significance of Pannenberg’s theology for contemporary thought.  Proposals from a wide range of theological approaches are encouraged. 

To respond to the call for papers, please send a proposal of no more than 500 words to pannenbergsymposium@gmail.com.  Proposals will be evaluated on the contribution they could make to the symposium theme, the clarity of the proposed research  plan, and their significance for the study of Pannenberg’s theology. Proposals should be submitted by July 1, 2021 and will be  subject to a blind review process. Doctoral students and junior scholars are encouraged to submit a proposal. A limited number or registration scholarships are available for those in need. 

The organizers for the conference also have two hopes for future efforts growing out of this conference. First, they will be  seeking publication for a selection of the best papers coming out of the conference as part of an edited volume. Second, our  hope is that the conversation generated by the attendees may give rise to further meetings of the Pannenberg symposium on  a regular basis. Scholars who are interested in such an ongoing project are also encouraged to notify the organizers of their  interest in this broader effort.

Call For Papers Cover Image for Scripture & Theology Panel of the European Academy of Religion
Call For Papers

Call For Papers: Scripture & Theology Panel of the 2021 European Academy of Religion Conference.

(This post was taken entirely from the S&T website here.)

Christianity relates to the Bible. Yet here the questions begin: How have the Christian Scriptures been received theologically throughout the Christian tradition? How can biblical studies and systematic theology fruitfully interact and produce tenable arguments for the Christian faith in the context of the 21st century? What is the theological status of the Bible? How does the Bible function as a norm for theological reflection and within theological construction?

The 2021 panel of the study group, “Scripture & Theology,” aims to address questions like these with a particular focus on the relevance of science (or: the sciences). While there is a long-standing tradition of exploring the relationship between theology and science, there has been a lack of attention to the role of science in the triad of scripture, theology and science in general. In the 2021 panel, the Scripture and Theology study group will bring together scholars from a wide range of countries to focus on questions pertaining to the unique relationship of theology and science.

We invite contributions to two tracks:

#1: The general track is for contributions reflecting the relation between scripture and theology in general.

#2: The focus track for contributions reflecting on the role of science(s). Contributions to this track could, for example, address any of the following questions:

  • Can theology live up to the demands which science imposes on theology?
  • How can theology incorporate current research in the fields of evolutionary biology or the neurosciences?
  • How are scripture and theology informed by the sciences? How can the philosophy of science help to understand this process?
  • Can scripture or theology provide a grammar or paradigm for science?
  • In what way does theology presuppose and underlie current scientific endeavours?
  • What does scripture/theology say about the origin and perception of knowledge?
  • How does one’s methodology influence the conclusions drawn from a biblical or theological perspective?
  • From a historical perspective, how have biblical scholars and theologians interacted with science?
  • What are challenges and/or critiques from various scientific fields to scriptural interpretation, theology, and hermeneutics?
  • How does the scientific field understand the role and contribution of Biblical Studies and Theology?

Interdisciplinary research is encouraged as well as contributions from particular disciplines, given the connection to the general issues (track 1) or the relationship between science and religion (track 2) is evident. Contributions from the theological disciplines, such as biblical studies, historical theology, or systematic theology are welcome, as are contributions from the philosophy of science, neurosciences, biology, chemistry, physics and other fields of study. Transdisciplinary contributions are possible as well. In any given case, we ask that potential presenters (a) present original research in the context of the given state of the art(s) and sciences; and (b) prepare papers that make their content accessible to an audience consisting not only of experts in the given field(s).

History of S&T

The first meeting of the study group “Scripture & Theology” was part of the second Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion, EuARe 2019. The second meeting took place in 2020. Currently we are preparing a first publication, based on the papers presented in the last two years.

In 2021, the study group again convenes scholars from various countries, denominations and fields for research at EuARe 2021. We continue to aim at a critical-constructive dialogue regarding how to be responsible practitioners of theology in dialogue with the entire scientific field.

S&T Steering Committee

  • Tomas Bokedal (NLA Bergen, Norway & University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom)
  • Michael Borowski (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
  • Ludger Jansen (University of Münster & University of Rostock, Germany)

S&T Programme Committee

  • Nikolaos Asproulis (Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Greece)
  • Gijsbert van den Brink (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
  • Hans Burger (Researchgroup BEST, Theologische Universiteit Kampen, The Netherlands)
  • Mark Elliott (University of Glasgow, United Kingdom)
  • Georg Fischer (Universtiy of Innsbruck, Austria)
  • Arnold Huijgen (Researchgroup BEST, Theologische Universiteit Apeldoorn, The Netherlands)
  • John Milbank (University of Nottingham, United Kingdom)
  • Thomas Söding (Ruhr University Bochum, Germany)

Organizational Team of S&T 2021

  • Michael Borowski (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
  • Brandon Watson (University of Heidelberg, Germany)

Submissions                                                         

The panel welcomes contributions from all theological traditions. Papers will be selected via a peer-review process based on scholarly quality and relevance for the panel. Given that the panel will consist of several slots, we will assemble sub-topics for each slot.

If you wish to present a paper at the workshop, please submit a PDF file with an abstract of 500 to 1000 words, plus a short summary of up to 150 words, plus references via Easychair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=st2021) before March 21. We will notify authors of the acceptance of their paper before April 21.

Abstracts of accepted contributions will be made available to participants to be pre-read before the panel, in order to allow better preparation and feedback for the presentations.

We intend to publish a selection of the papers together with other contributions in a collected volume edited by the study group.

Please direct all questions regarding the workshop to Michael.Borowski@gmx.de.

For registration and other organisational matter regarding the conference of the European Academy of Religion, and for information about the academy itself, please refer to https://www.europeanacademyofreligion.org/euare2021.

Updates on the panel are posted on https://scriptureandtheology.home.blog/

Formal Requirements

  • Abstracts for review: PDF file with 500 to 1000 words, plus a short summary of up to 150 words, plus references
  • After acceptance, abstracts may be revised and extended.
  • Papers for publication: 5000 to 7000 words
  • Oral presentations: 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes discussion (including up to 5 min response by an invited respondee).

Important Dates 

March 21: Deadline for submissions of abstracts

April 21: Acceptance notification

June 6: Deadline for submitting revised (and possibly extended) abstracts

Aug 30 – Sep 2, 2021: EuARe 2021 (in Münster or – if necessary – online)

Dec 31, 2021: Submission of camera-ready version for collected volume

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships

Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology. University of St. Andrews – Upcoming Deadlines 31 Oct. 2020 and 28 Feb. 2021.

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St Andrews has announced two new rounds of course development grants in Science and Theology. This posting is a reminder of the upcoming deadline:

Deadline 31 October 2020 and 28 February 2021 

Our project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with empirical science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants and offer stipends of £2,000.

For full details including how to apply: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/.

Fantast World Image
Call For Papers

Call for Papers: Fantasy, Theology, and the Imagination – Due Oct 15, 2020

Call for Papers: Fantasy, Theology, and the Imagination
Edited by Austin M. Freeman, Andrew D. Thrasher, and Fotini Toso

In the world of High Fantasy, authors create fictional worlds that often reflect human religiosity and theological themes in new and creative ways. Through theological and religious analyses of high fantasy and fantasy series, the editors invite paper proposals for a volume on the intersection of fantasy and theology. While the editors acknowledge that fantasy has roots extending backwards past the Victorian age, the genre of high or heroic fantasy has made its most indelible mark from the Twentieth Century to the present. As such, the editors are looking for contributions from this time period with a focus on methodological and thematic approaches to fantasy and theology, and for contributions that focus on the intersection of religion and theology in particular fantasy authors and series. Authors such as Tolkien, Peake, Jordan, Le Guin, Pratchett, Eddison, Rice Burroughs, Alexander, Haggard, Sanders, and more engage in a mythopoeic enterprise which invite discussions along the interstices of literary criticism, philosophy, theology, and religious studies. Such a volume might be wide ranging, and the authors invite chapters which fall into one of three organizational categories listed below.

(1) Methodologies & Approaches: larger scale engagements with the concepts of theology, fantasy, and the imagination, or with major critics of he fantasy genre such as Manlove, Jackson, etc. Topics might include:

  • On Fairy Tales: Contextual Theologies and Classical Fairy Tales
  • Creating Worlds: Ethical, Methodological, and Theological Implications of the Fantasy Creator
  • Worldview, Ressourcement, and Re-enchantment: Traces of Religion in the Purpose o Fantasy
  • Myth and the Social Imaginary: The Intersections between Created Mythologies, Imagined Worlds, and the Contemporary World

(2) Themes: theological explorations of major themes in fantasy such as dragons, quests, heroes, etc. Topics might include:

  • Dragons, Vices, and the Satanic
  • The Quest and the Hero: Narrative Theology and Character/Identity Formation in Fantasy
  • Theological Anthropology and Ethics of Otherness: Deities, Immortality, and Fantastic Creatures
  • Magic, Magick, and Miracles
  • Theology and Hierarchies of Divinity in Fantasy
  • Atheism in Fantasy

(3) Works: focused theological and religious analyses of specific authors and books. Topics might include:

  • Christian Symbolism in The Chronicles of Narnia
  • Moral Theology in The Lord of the Rings
  • Theology, Apologetics, and Modernity in the Fantasy and Fairy Tales of William Morris and George Macdonald
  • Inter-Religious Dimensions in Robert Jordan and David Eddings
  • Theological dimensions of Dungeons and Dragons
  • Theological analyses of Jorge Luis Borges, Ursula Le Guin, Eric Eddison, H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Brandon Sanderson, and Terry Pratchett


The editors are not looking for submissions on the subjects of teen fiction, supernatural romance, Harry Potter (see forthcoming volume), or Game of Thrones (see forthcoming volume). Because of the overabundance of literature, the editors wish to downplay work on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien so that lesser known and more contemporary fantasy may be addressed. However, the editors do welcome submissions of quality on these two authors. The editors gladly invite submissions on, but not limited to, these topics for a volume titled Theology, Fantasy, and the Imagination to be published by Lexington Press in the Theology and Popular Culture book series. Book editors include Austin M. Freeman, Andrew D. Thrasher, and Fotini Toso. Proposals may be sent to Fantasyandtheology@gmail.com.

Proposal Due Date: October 15, 2020.
Chapter Submission Due: March 15, 2021.

Austin M. Freeman (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is a theologian who focuses on J.R.R. Tolkien and, more broadly, on theology and fantasy. He is the contributor or editor for several scholarly books on these subjects, and the author of a forthcoming study on Tolkien’s systematic theology published by Lexham Press. He teaches medieval literature and classics in
Dallas.

Andrew D. Thrasher is a Post-Graduate Researcher at the University of Birmingham, U.K. and teaches religious studies at George Mason University and Tidewater Community College in Virginia. He holds a ThM in Christian Theology and an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies and has a background in comparative philosophy and philosophical theology. He is a regular contributor to the Theology and Popular Culture book series and is published in a festshrift on Raimon Panikkar.

Fotini Toso (PhD, University of Divinity Australia) is an early career researcher in Melbourne, Australia with a research focus in Old English literature, theology and literature, pop culture, and ethics. She holds an MA (Research) in English Literature from the University of Melbourne and
also has a background in publishing and editing.

Call For Papers

Theologica Call for Papers on Theological Explorations in Time and Space (Deadline: May 31, 2020)

R.T. Mullins (University of St Andrews) David Anzalone (University of Lucerne) Ben Page (Durham University) With the cooperation of the Society for Philosophy of Time  have issued a call for papers in regards to a special issue in Theologica an International Journal for Philosophy of Religion and Philosophical Theology:

CFP: THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN TIME AND SPACE 

In 1969, T.F. Torrance published Space, Time, and Incarnation. This brought together recent work in philosophy and science on the nature of space and time in order to explore the implications for theology. Torrance’s theology engaged with the scientific thought of Albert Einstein and James Clerk Maxwell, as well as the temporal logic of A.N. Prior. The influence of this work on subsequent theology cannot be overstated. Yet, a great deal has changed since 1969, and most contemporary discussions in theology show little awareness of recent advancements in the metaphysics of time and space. The field of analytic theology has started to make progress in these areas, but much work remains to be done. 

We invite papers that offer a theological or religious engagement with philosophical issues related to time and space. Papers can be from any religious, theological, or atheological tradition. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following: 

1) God’s relationship to time and space. Defences of traditional understandings of timelessness and omnipresence using recent work in temporal ontology, such as the moving spotlight. Alternative models of the God-world relationship that engage with the metaphysics of time and space.
2) Divine foreknowledge, providence, and temporal logic. This could include theological explorations of the open or closed future, or alternative ontologies such as fragmentalism.
3) Religious perspectives on personal identity over time. Papers could include discussions on the doctrines of the resurrection, salvation and enlightenment, Samsāra, and eschatology.
4) Theological explorations of hypertime and hyperspace.
5) Time, space, and the incarnation. 
6) Does time have a beginning? Papers could debate rival doctrines of creation, the kalpas, or Sunyata. 

Deadline for submissions: May 31st 2020. 

Full papers should be submitted via our website: https://ojs.uclouvain.be/index.php/theologica/index or sent to: managingeditor.theologica@gmail.com. In order to contribute equally to scientific international discussions held in several languages, articles written in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish are accepted. Visit the TheoLogica homepage for a description of the journal and instructions to authors. 

Yours sincerely, 

R.T. Mullins, David Anzalone, and Ben Page 

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology. University of St Andrews – Deadline 30 June, 2020.

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St. Andrews has announced a new round of course development grants in Science and Theology.

Deadline 30 June 2020. 

Our project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with empirical science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants and offer stipends of £2,000.

More information can be found here: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/“.

Call For Papers, Master Category

Call for Papers – EJPR Special Issue: The Philosophy & Theology of Karl Christian Friedrich Krause

GUEST EDITORS: Benedikt Paul Göcke (Ruhr-Universität Bochum), Claus Dierksmeier (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen ), Ricardo Burgos (Universidad Pontificia Comillas)

DESCRIPTION: Up to date many Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin-American philosophers esteem Karl Christian Friedrich Krause (1781-1832) as the progenitor of a socially progressive cosmopolitanism with important lessons for today. Expanding and combining the Kantian project of a self-critical philosophy of freedom and a Spinozistic monistic metaphysics, Krause arrived at an inclusive and liberal panentheistic system of philosophy, which not only combines classical theism and pantheism, but, due to the divinity of the whole of reality, is directed to any and all persons. From this angle, Krause already considers – at the outset of the 19th century – issues such as the legal representation of unborn children, minors, the disabled, disenfranchised peoples, and future generations. Moreover, based on his panentheism, Krause argued also for applying the concept of personhood and certain concomitant rights to animals. Last, not least, concerning plants and inorganic matter, Krause advocated for policies of ecological sustainability that were to safeguard an intact environment not only for present but also for future generations.

Despite this impressive array of positions and apart from the acknowledged fact that Krause introduced the term “panentheism”, Krause’s philosophy and theology is met with neglect in the Anglophone world. But even in his homeland, Germany, his philosophy is often set aside, although to both Immanuel Hermann Fichte and Nicolai Hartmann it was evident that Krause’s work belonged to the highlights of classical German philosophy. Since Krause, who directly influenced Arthur Schopenhauer and developed a Begriffsschrift long before Gottlob Frege did (and one very similar to it), is still understudied in the German and English speaking world, this special issue aims to reengage with his thinking through systematic and historic reflections on the validity and genesis of the philosophy and theology of Karl Christian Friedrich Krause.

SUBMISSION:

We invite the submission of papers focusing on Krause’s philosophy of religion and systematic theology but not restricted to topics such as:

  • Panentheism: Krause developed the first explicitly panentheistic system of philosophy based on transcendental reflection.
  • Krause and Classical German Philosophy: Krause provided insightful critiques of the theological works of Schelling, Fichte, Hegel, Jacobi, Schleiermacher etc..
  • Interreligious Thinking: Krause mediates between agnostic/atheistic schools of thought and theistic/pantheistic world views with his own panentheistic metaphysics.
  • Transculturality: Krause’s philosophy is based on intercultural and religious studies (e.g. on the wisdom traditions and religious writings of India and China) and migrated from Germany to the Iberophone world, where it shaped constitutional law, economic policy and social systems from about 1860 until today, especially in Argentina and Uruguay.
  • Cosmopolitanism: Based on his theological panentheism, Krause advocated a theory of world citizenship rights, which he concretized formally (through model constitutions for a European Union and a League of Nations) as well as materially (compensation for colonial injustice and common ownership of the earth, etc.).
  • Methodological Innovation: Krause advocated a “constructive” combination of descriptive and normative methods in science, and in philosophy of religion in particular. His approach is also participative-dialogical and integrative towards marginalized interests.
  • Theology and Ethics of Diversity: Methodological inclusion led to substantial inclusiveness. As early as 1803, Krause fought for the rights of women and children, of unborn life, of senile persons and people with disabilities, of future generations and, not least, for animal rights.

PRELIMINARY TIMETABLE:

Deadline for submission: April 30, 2021
Deadline for paper reviews: June 30, 2021
Deadline for submission of revised papers: August 30, 2021
Notice of acceptance/rejection: November 30, 2021

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

All papers will be subject to double-blind peer-review, following international standard practices. Manuscripts should be submitted exclusively through EJPR’s online submission system in the category “articles”. Articles must be in English with a maximum word count of 8.000, including title, abstract and references. The author must then select the special article type: “Karl Christian Friedrich Krause” from the selection provided in the submission process. This is needed in order to assign the submissions to the Guest Editors. All relevant information regarding the registration and submission process and the author guidelines are to be found here: https://philosophy-of-religion.eu/ For any further information please contact: Benedikt Paul Göcke (benedikt.goecke@rub.de)

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships, Master Category

University of St. Andrews – Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St. Andrews has announced a call for course proposals in Science and Theology.

Deadline 29 February. 

The project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with behavioral science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants.

Full information about the Course Development Grants can be found here: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/.”

Call For Papers

CFP: Gerald Bray Essay Prize for “Churchman”

The Church Society is delighted to announce this new essay competition in honour of Gerald Bray. Professor Bray is a world-leading evangelical Anglican theologian and church historian who has faithfully served as Editor of Churchman for 35 years. The prize is designed to encourage new evangelical authors. The winner will receive £300 and the winning essay will be published in Churchman. Essays should be 5-7,000 words in length, including footnotes, and may be from any theological discipline and on any subject, but must be in accordance with the aims of Churchman as described below.

The deadline for submissions is 1 October 2019.

Churchman is a journal for the Church of England and global Anglicanism. Each issue aims to promote the faith of the Holy Scriptures and such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal, in line with the doctrinal position of Church Society.Churchman is a journal committed to excellence in upholding high academic standards in its articles, book reviews and editorial.Churchman is an ecclesiastical journal that aims to speak to the pastoral needs of the contemporary church.

Churchman aims to equip ministers, students and lay people to persuade others of the eternal truths of our faith in Jesus Christ and the need for them to be applied today for the renewal of the church and the conversion of the world.

Submission Guidelines:

• Entries must be submitted electronically in BOTH Word and pdf formats to admin@churchsociety.org
with ’Gerald Bray Essay Prize’ in the subject line by 1st October, 2019.
• Entries must be accompanied by the entry form available from the Church Society website and must include a signed declaration that the essay is entirely the entrant’s own work.
• Entrants must not have previously had an article published in Churchman, but may have contributed book reviews.
• Entries must not have been previously published elsewhere or be in the process of consideration for publication elsewhere.
• Entering the competition shall be taken as submission of the article for publication in Churchman but any such publication shall be subject to the judgment of the editorial board.
• Entries should follow the Churchman house style. Guidelines can be downloaded from the Church Society website: churchsociety.org
• The judges’ decision shall be taken as final.