Systematic Theology

2025 Call for Papers

Kristi Haas, University of Notre Dame (IN)

khaas3@nd.edu

Hector Varela-Rios, Villanova University (PA)

hector.varela.rios@villanova.edu

David Dawson Vázquez

ddawsonvasquez@gmail.com

In accordance with the Convention theme, the Systematic Theology Section invites proposals that consider theological vocation throughout the breadth and width of Christian theology. Said otherwise, we seek to explore what vocation means and what is at stake for theologians, be them academic and/or lived, from the dawn of Christianity up to today, from all/any context(s) and multiple theoretical, empirical, and/or practical approaches While all proposals are welcome, we will likely preference those that are particularly invested in the conference theme.

• 1.     Witness of theological vocation and its place in ecclesial history.
• 2.     Accounts of theological vocation and methodology in relation to the magisterium and/or the spiritual life.
• 3.     Reflection on the theological vocation in the local church, specifically in relation to the bishop, and as practiced within the lay, ordained, or consecrated state of life.
• 4.     Lessons on theological vocation from traditional or contemporary systematic/constructive thought.
• 5.     Theological vocation and Christocentric/revelational or anthropocentric/correlational approaches.
• 6.     Exploration of the plurality/multi-dimensionality in theological vocation(s).
• 7.     Intersections between academic and non-academic theological vocation, for example, the experience of non-academic theologians in the academy (for one, the university), and academic theologians in non-academic contexts (for one, the church).
• 8.     Experiences with commonalities/differences in theological vocation between academic settings, for example, between college/university departments and seminaries, as well as experiences of contingent faculty status and alternative-academy careers as sites for the theological vocation.
• 9.     The praxical in/from theological vocation, and the influence of natural/cultural happenings (e.g., climate change, war, institutional conundrums, AI) on theological vocation: the politics of theological vocation.
• 10.  Creative efforts to ‘rescue’ theology from academic oblivion and theological vocation.
• 11.  Pedagogy and theological vocation: between teacher and theologian.
• 12.  Critical musings on the future of theological vocation.
• 13.  Panel discussions of recent monographs on theological vocation.

Proposals should be around 250 words in length and include the proposer’s current institutional affiliation and position. Proposals should be emailed by December 15, 2024 to Kristi Haas (khaas3@nd.edu), David Dawson Vázquez (ddawsonvasquez@gmail.com), and Héctor M. Varela Rios (hvarelar@villanova.edu). Scholars will be notified of their proposal status by mid-January. Please see the Convention Call for Papers and the CTS website for more details (such as other sections’ call for papers) at https://collegetheologysociety10.wildapricot.org/Annual-Convention. Scholars who are invited to present their work at a national convention of the College Theology Society must be current members of the CTS in order to appear in the program.  No person may submit more than one proposal for consideration nor will submissions to multiple sections be considered.  Failure to observe these policies may result in the scholar's disqualification to present a paper at the Annual Convention.