Recalling our Roots and Charting the Future: Theology Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

 

April 29-30, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario

“The true people of progress are those who profess as their starting-point a profound respect for the past.” ~ Ernest Renan, Recollections of My Youth

2023 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of Saint Paul University in Ottawa. Already in 1848, before Canada existed as a country, the city of Ottawa was home to a nascent college that, in a few years, would give birth to the second-oldest theological faculty in the country. To mark the occasion, the doctoral students of Saint Paul University’s Faculty of Theology wanted to bring together emerging scholars who, from near and far, are interested in the vast constellation that is the “theological universe.” This same “universe” is constantly expanding as unprecedented and, until recently, unsuspected questions are being posed to theologians. As well as looking at the present and future of theological research—which is increasingly marked by interdisciplinarity—this symposium also aims to fully honour the roots of this discipline. Theology was not born yesterday, far from it; on the contrary, it is part of a long tradition that still needs to be better understood and continually updated.

Themes of the colloquium include, but are not limited to:

· Theology and

o Intercultural dialogue

o Feminism

o Science and artificial intelligence

o Psychology

o Religion in the public space

o Interreligious dialogue

o Ecology and environmental protection

o Relations with Indigenous peoples

o Vulnerable persons and sexual abuse

o Social justice

· Ecumenical dialogue and inter-church relations

· Biblical exegesis

· Systematic theology

· Christian spirituality and spiritual traditions

· Patristics

· Ethics, bioethics, and healthcare

· Canon law

· Liturgy, worship, and ritual practices

Doctoral students, scholars who have completed a doctorate in the last five years, and post-doctoral researchers are invited to submit proposals for presentation at the colloquium. Abstracts of about 300 words can be submitted by email to lonergan@ustpaul.ca. Presentations will be limited to 20 minutes each, with an additional 10 minutes available for questions. Submissions will be accepted until January 15, 2024. Scholars will be informed by February 15 whether their proposals have been accepted.