History of Christian Life and Thought

2022 Call for Papers

Sandra Ham, Independent Scholar (NY)

sandra.ham@ncis.org 

Sara Hulse Kilby, DeSales University (PA)

Sara.Hulse@desales.edu

Christianity was founded upon a mingling of nationalities and ethnicities: Jews and Gentiles. St. Paul declared that "we are all members of one body" and are one under the same Spirit, having been "baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12:12-13). Since the church has been cosmopolitan since its earliest missions, religious communities have a long history of having to negotiate the challenges of building peaceful relationships between majority and minority ethnic groups under one umbrella of faith.  

The section on The History of Christian Life and Thought invites proposals that address the conference theme: “‘Why we Can’t Wait’: Racism and the Church.” This call invites papers that speak to the convention theme. We welcome proposals that explore one of the many historical expressions of this theme in religious contexts and theology. We are particularly interested in exemplars of historical solutions that could illuminate tacks for how the Church might navigate the turbulent waters in which she currently finds herself.  

Consistent with the theme, we invite proposals in the following areas:

• ·       What are some historical resources for constructively approaching the issues of race, bias, privilege, and otherness today?
• ·       What role has the Church historically played in healing secular racial and ethnic divides?
• ·       By what paths did people of different ethnic groups come together to profoundly understand their shared "one faith, one Church, one baptism" and one God over all?
• ·       Use an example of a rift in which the historical record claims that God intervened to help solve the problem. Through whom did Divine Providence act? How? Did Providence act proactively or following a delay? Reconstruct the timeline for the drama.
• ·       What is an example of “timeless wisdom” — an insight related to human nature and human relationships with God which shaped dialogue among peoples of different ethnicities that we can rely on today?
• §  Explore any historical theologian or topic related to Christian life and thought.

Proposals of approximately 500 words should include the scholar’s name, position, institution, and CTS membership status, and should be emailed to both conveners.