NABPR Region-at-Large Call for Papers - College Theology Society

Dear NABPR colleagues,

We hope the fall semester has started well for each of you. The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion Region-at-Large is excited to once again join the annual convention of the College Theology Society. The 2023 convention will be held June 1-4, 2023, at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. The theme is ”Theology and Media(tion): Rendering the Absent Present.” We write today to share the RAL Call for Papers (also found here).

We encourage proposals of papers from the NABPR membership that address the following themes:

1. How do Baptists approach Scripture in the broad trajectory of mediation?
2. What are Baptist systematic/constructive theological expressions that explore encounters between humanity and the divine?
3. What ethical frameworks inform Baptist understandings of absence and presence between humans and the divine, humans and one another, and humans and Creation?
4. How do Baptists approach how mediation has shaped and been shaped by questions of social location such as race, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity?
5. How does Baptist theology render the presence or absence of marginalized communities?
6. How have Baptist communities interacted with various forms of media?
7. What is the role of mediation in Baptist practices?
8. What Baptist approaches to spirituality and formation inform developing conversations around media?
9. How do Baptists respond pastorally to the gifts and challenges of creating community and caring for one another in a digitally mediated world?
10. How do social media, digital scholarship, and hybrid modalities of gathering impact a variety of learning communities and ecclesial communities?
11. What is the role of technology and media in the theological classroom, and how does it relate substantively to content?
12. What is the role of media/mediation in the pursuit of justice?
13. When we center “presence and absence” and reflect on “media and mediation,” what new lines of inquiry, ways of thinking, modes of teaching, and approaches to Baptist theology and practice emerge?
14. Other proposals related to the conference’s general theme

We encourage members to collaborate on their sessions. For example, papers and presentations may be co-authored; individual papers may bring together multiple disciplines in addressing the convention themes; and panel submissions are encouraged. We also invite proposals, session ideas, or panels that function as a roundtable or workshop, or that offer a curriculum. We especially encourage scholars new to the academy, independent scholars, pastors, and practitioners to submit proposals. Proposals should be 250-500 words in length and must include one’s name, email address, and current institutional affiliation and position.

Proposals should be emailed to conveners Kathryn House ([email protected]) and Spencer Boersma ([email protected]) no later than December 15, 2023. Scholars will be notified of the status of their proposals by Sunday, January 22, 2023. Please reach out to Kathryn and Spencer with any questions. We look forward to receiving your proposals and to our time together in 2023.