Canadian Theological Society 2016 Annual Meeting, University of Calgary

Call for Papers: Canadian Theological Society 2016 Annual Meeting

Monday, May 30 – Wed., June 1, 2016

University of Calgary. Calgary, Alberta.

The theme for the Canadian Theological Society for 2016 is “Energizing Communities.” This theme invites reflection on the relationship between local and global communities, or various kinds of communities. The potential for such reflections is manifold and may involve theological engagement on ecclesiology, communities within and beyond the church, what makes for vital churches, and charismatic theologies and pneumatologies. Do religious communities “energize” the wider society and vice-versa? In what way are religious communities’ energies circumscribed in the current political economy? Is there evidence of “energized communities” emerging in Canada that are religious or may have something to say to religious communities? What might the energies of such movements as Idle No More bring to the religious landscape and theological inquiry in Canada? This theme—and Congress’s setting–also encourage reflection on sources of energy—oil and gas and renewable energy. How does theology respond to calls for divestment in oil and gas, and how does it understand stewardship in a context in which the land and communities (particularly First Nations communities) have been destroyed by such sources of energy? How might theologies of providence, gift and creation respond to or critique an economy so heavily reliant on non-renewable forms of energy?

The Canadian Theological Society invites proposals pertaining to these and related themes. We also invite proposals on any topic in theology. We invite submissions in two formats:

1. 20/20 Presentations

We will again follow the 20/20 format used in previous years, inviting presentations of twenty minutes with twenty minutes of discussion to follow. Typically the presentation will be an account of a larger research project. Since members work in a variety of fields and specializations, attention should be given to presenting advanced work in an accessible way.

Submission

Submit a proposal that includes:

Title of presentation;
Proposal of a maximum 300-400 words (with word count), which includes an abstract, the problem your scholarship engages, and the contribution you plan to make;
Requests for audio-visual equipment (A/V equipment will be available only if it is requested in the proposal);
On a separate page, please include:
Presenter’s name, institution or professional affiliation, and contact information.
2. Panels

We invite panels on issues that are relevant to members, especially as related to the theme of the annual meeting. Panel proposals should be developed to foster dialogue among the panelists and with those attending in the audience. Thus, we discourage panels that consist only of reading several papers.

Submission

Submit a proposal that includes:

Title of panel;
Length of panel (40 or 80 minutes);
Proposal of a maximum 300-400 words (with word count), which includes an abstract, the problem your scholarship engages, the contribution you plan to make, and how you plan to foster dialogue among panelists and audience (e.g., use and allotment of time);
Requests for audio-visual equipment (A/V equipment will be available only if it is requested in the proposal);
On a separate page, please include:
Convener’s name, institution, and contact information. The convener will be the link between the panel and the CTS;
Names, institutions and contact information of all members of the panel;
Either the name and contact information of the moderator, or a request that CTS provide a moderator.

All proposals should be submitted in a Word or pdf file by email attachment by January 29, 2016, 4 p.m. CST to:

Jane Barter, CTS Program Chair

We will confirm receipt of all proposals submitted by email. If you do not receive such an email confirmation within three days of submitting your proposal, call Jane Barter @ 204-789-1453.

Selection Criteria

In selecting proposals for 20/20 presentations or for panels, the committee will consider:

The clarity and significance of the proposal;
The quality of the contribution to scholarship;
The relationship of the presentation to the thematic focus of the annual meeting;
The contribution of the presentation to a diversity of perspectives and approaches;
The potential for inspiring discussion and engagement among the members.
Our goal as a Society is to foster collegial discussion of members’ work and of the work of other Canadian theologians. All presenters and attendees are encouraged to participate in as much of the program as possible. We welcome all members, students, and other interested persons to join us this year at the annual meeting in Calgary, Alberta.

http://cts-stc.ca/2015/call-for-papers-canadian-theological-society-2016-annual-meeting/