Canadian Theological Society
Call for Papers
2026 Annual Meeting
Monday, June 1 – Wednesday, June 3, 2025
In-person | St. John’s College, Winnipeg, Manitoba
The theme of the inaugural Canadian Theology and Religion Colloquium, Common Places, Contested Spaces: Religion and Theology in Canada and Beyond, offers the opportunity to rethink what it means to do theology and religious studies in Canada and beyond.
Recent geopolitical events have forced people across the world to reconsider the places and spaces where we live, and those which intersect with our day-to-day lives. At this year’s annual meeting, the Canadian Theological Society (CTS) invites papers which are grounded in interrogating both common and contested spaces, locally and globally. What does it mean to call a place our own, or to welcome in another, or to participate in places that are not our own?
This call invites us to propose new ways of reflecting on our unique and shared places and spaces, recognizing our shared creatureliness as well as the particularities that make each being unique. Thinking about common places and contested spaces offers both opportunities and challenges. Opportunities to envision new ways of being together, and challenges to overcome historic and current wrongdoings.
- How are theologians, theological schools and churches called to rethink our roles and responsibilities in light of our changing world, both locally and globally?
- How are we called to reframe and rework our relationships with other humans, the environment, and technology in a world marked by fragmentation, polarization, climate crisis, and rapid technological advancement?
- What models of togetherness are we called to interrogate and overcome? How can we model togetherness in ways that respect and celebrate diversity and that foster the flourishing of all?
- Which voices should we prioritize as we think through the diversity of perspectives in a given place?
- What theological resources exist for rethinking unity and the common good in a world marked by increasing polarization and exclusivism?
- How are we challenged to question traditional knowledge hierarchies both within the church and beyond and how are we called to collaborate with and learn from others in this process? What voices and insights have we neglected or rejected?
- How are religious believers challenged to rethink their relationships with creation in light of ecological devastation but also with those marginalized peoples most affected by it?
- How do technological advances like the rise of AI force us to reframe what it means to be human and our relationship to one another?
The CTS invites reflection and engagement on questions such as these. We welcome proposals on all topics in theology, and in all of the theological disciplines, including biblical, constructive, liturgical, moral, pastoral, philosophical, and systematic theology.
The CTS is committed to providing fair representation of Canadian diversity within and beyond the theological community. Women, Indigenous, and Black scholars as well as members of other underrepresented groups are therefore especially enjoined to submit proposals. We also welcome papers engaging a variety of racialized, cultural, and religious perspectives, including Indigenous, Black, Latina/o/x, Womanist, 2SLGBTQIA, critical disability, anti-racist, post-/decolonial, Marxist, non-religious theologies/spiritualities, and environmental and animal studies.
Proposal Formats
The Canadian Theological Society invites proposals in two formats:
Individual Presentations (10-12 minutes)
We invite presentations of 10-12 minutes that will be part of roundtables involving 3 presentations and 20 minutes of discussion. Typically, the presentation will be an account of a larger research project. In addition to academic papers, presentations may take the form of artistic expressions, such as performance or film, incorporation of images with the Pecha Kucha 12×12, or other creative formats. 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 250 words (with word count), which includes an abstract, the problem your scholarship engages, and the contribution you plan to make;
- Indication of need to display slides, images, or videos during presentation (PowerPoint or other format);
- On a separate page, please include:
- Presenter’s name, institutional or professional affiliation, and contact information.
N.B.: Conference sessions will not be recorded.
Group Panels (50 minutes total)
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 include diverse voices and perspectives and foster dialogue among the panelists as well as with those attending in the audience. We discourage panels that consist only of reading several papers.
Submission
Submit a proposal that includes:
- Title of panel;
- Length of panel (total of 50 min, including 30 min for presentations and 20 min for discussion/conversation);
- Proposal of a maximum 250 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;
- Indication of need to display slides during presentation (PowerPoint or other format);
- 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 (max. of 4) of the panel;
- Either the name and contact information of the moderator, or a request that CTS provide a moderator.
N.B.: Conference sessions will not be recorded.
All proposals should be submitted in a Word or PDF file by email attachment by January 31, 2026, midnight ET to: canadiantheologicalsocietyinfo@gmail.com. Presenters whose first language, or whose primary language for work, is not English are invited to submit their proposal in their preferred language along with an English translation.
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, contact Daniel Rempel at daniel.rempel@prov.ca
Presenters will be allowed to give only one paper. Due to the limited number of sessions, the selection process may be more selective than in previous years.
Selection Criteria
In selecting proposals for 10-12 min 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 the work of CTS members and other Canadian theologians. All presenters and attendees are encouraged to participate in as much of the program as possible. All presenters must be members in good standing of the CTS prior to the Annual Meeting. Membership dues must be paid prior to registering for the conference. We welcome all members, students, and other interested persons to join us this year.
STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST
Canadian Theological Society / Société théologique canadienne
Subject: “Common Places, Contested Spaces” or another topic in theology
Eligibility: Any student currently registered in a Canadian university/theological college
Length: 15 pages, typed and double spaced (4,000 words)
Due Date: January 31, 2026 (by email)
Essays need not be written originally for this contest and may be assignments from a course in theology or religious studies. The topic, however, must be theological in nature. This year’s theme invites further consideration of the importance of confronting what prevents Canadians from building lasting, meaningful and life-giving relationships with one another (for more details, please see the 2026 CTS Annual Meeting Call for Papers).
A letter or email from a member of the theological or religious studies department to which the student belongs, indicating that the student is in good standing with the university or college, must also be submitted for each applicant.
The author of the winning essay will receive: $200; an invitation to read the paper at the annual meeting of the Canadian Theological Society at St. John’s College, June 1-3, 2026; payment of meeting registration fees; and a subvention for travel and accommodation costs.
Send essays by e-mail no later than January 31, 2026 to
Daniel Rempel daniel.rempel@prov.ca
Please include with your submission: institutional affiliation, mailing address, phone number(s), and e-mail address. Submit all document via e-mail attachment in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
Send letters verifying a student’s registration in a theological college or university to the above email address.