An International, Interdisciplinary Conference organized by The World Christianity & History of Religions Program (Department of History & Ecumenics)

Recent decades mark a significant watershed in the study of world Christianity as an emerging field, its development into an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary endeavor in particular. Reflection on the complexity of Christianity as a pluricultural, global phenomenon has become robust. Framed loosely in terms of the seminal insights of Dale Irvin, who conceptualizes the study of world Christianity as a crossing of three borders—borders of culture, borders of confession, and borders of religion—our first two conferences (2018 and 2019) focused on historiography and ethnography, leaving other religions as the last of three major sub-fields still to be explored. Accordingly, and based on the premise that Christianity never emerges cross-culturally from a vacuum but always reciprocally in a variety of global contexts already conditioned by pre-existing religions (whether African, Amerindian, Caribbean, Chinese, Indian, or Islamic, to mention but a few of the myriad possibilities), we invite proposals for papers and panels on this multifaceted, wide-open topic from scholars in all branches of the academy. While critical reflection is encouraged on “religion” as a construct having a complex European genealogy problematizing all scholarship on Christianity in extra-European contexts, we particularly welcome proposals that address the problematics through the prism of contextualized case-studies (contemporary or historical). As before, the conference seeks to reflect on the state of the field, critique past practices, and explore innovative approaches that push the edge on world Christianity scholarship. Panels on such themes as conversion, translation, identity, missions, materiality, migration, diaspora, intercultural theology and interreligious dialogue, are only a few of the many possibilities. In short, the conference seeks to provide an interdisciplinary space for intellectual encounter and exchange.

Conveners
Afe Adogame, Professor of Religion and Society
Raimundo Barreto, Assistant Professor of World Christianity
Richard F. Young, Associate Professor of the History of Religions

• Paper or panel proposals should be submitted using the following links:
  • Paper submission
  • Panel submission
• Proposal Deadline: September 30, 2019. Include: name, institutional affiliation and status, email address, contact phone, paper/panel title, and abstract (not to exceed 250 words).
• Notification of successful proposals will be made by October 20, 2019.

Download Call for Papers (pdf)

REGISTRATION

Early-bird registration begins on October 25 and ends on December 31. A higher fee will be charged thereafter.

FEES

Includes refreshments, lunches, and the conference banquet

• $155.00 – early bird / $185.00 – late registration (faculty based in USA, Canada and Europe)
• $100.00 – early bird / $120.00 – late registration (faculty based in the Global South, graduate students/retirees)

ACCOMMODATIONS

Limited availability (single/shared rooms) at The Erdman Center on the Princeton Seminary campus. Other options for accommodation will be announced later.

Limited travel subsidies will be available for selected participants from the Global South with accepted paper/panel proposals.

See the full announcement here: https://www.ptsem.edu/events/world-christianity-conference