2018 International Theological Conference, organised by the Department of Fundamental & Dogmatic Theology within the Faculty of Theology at UM is entitled 'Resilience in a troubled world'. The Conference will be held between 7 and 9 November 2018
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 31 May 2018
Call for papers
Are ‘radiant tomorrows’ possible to imagine? Which future can one embrace in a divided world? Are faith and action enough to respond to the immediate challenges?
People come to realise that a troubled world is a common enemy that requires a collective response. Beyond personal beliefs, religions and ordinary values, humans need to pick up the pieces and go bravely together into the unimaginable.
Although predicting the future is a risky and a daunting task, in front of a troubled world, human arms must never grow slack. Resilience becomes a virtue that changes humans from ‘guilty bystanders’ to ‘catalysts for change’. Resilience equips humans with ordinary virtues to lead extraordinary lives, making them contemplatives in action.
The Department of Fundamental & Dogmatic Theology is organising an international conference that seeks to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the death of three great theologians and spiritual writers: Romano Guardini, Karl Barth and Thomas Merton.
The conference shall first explore the troubled context and times in which the mentioned thinkers lived and wrote. Guardini faced the transition of late modernity; Karl Barth resisted Nazism, while Merton reacted to the changing socio-political scenario of America in the sixties.
Secondly, the conference shall analyse the types of resilience shown in face of adversity and examine how this could enlighten us as to how to confront today’s situations. The different epochs characterised by the different authors (Guardini and Barth in between the two great wars and Merton in post-war years) are somehow echoed in today’s realities. There are things in common more than one could imagine.
Lastly, the conference shall explore how theology reaches out and seeks to dialogue with a troubled world. In this last part, a special emphasis shall be placed on theological anthropology, that is, realising that people across the globe need healing, grace and spirituality.
Resilience in a troubled world is, then, key to healing, believing, reconciliation, and solidarity on a personal and a communitarian dimension.
Contact: resiliencemalta@gmail.com
Convenor: John Berry (University of Malta)
Those intending to present a paper should submit
- a provisional title
- 5 to 8 keywords
- an outline of between 400-500 words making clear the relevance of the paper to the theme of the conference
You should also include your full name, academic position and email addresses.
Important deadlines
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31 May 2018
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 31 May 2018
Notification of abstract acceptance: 30 June 2018
Submission of full papers: 1 October 2018
Submission of PowerPoint presentations: 31 October 2018
