Call for Conference Papers

Following the example and guidance of their teacher, the disciples of Jesus have been educating and forming persons for discipleship and mission ever since his earthly ministry. The shape of that education – formal or informal – has inherently been theological, but the focus has shifted over time as Christians have responded to emerging questions and challenges in different historical, geographical, and social contexts. Some of these initiatives and the practices and institutions that have arisen to serve them have been congruent with the Gospel and others have been deeply at odds with the Christian vision. This conference aims to analyze and assess the past and present of Christian education, including elementary, secondary, and higher education, with an eye to renewing its promise for the future.

The Centre for Christian Engagement at St. Mark’s College invites proposals for academic papers that explore Christian education ‘yesterday, today, and tomorrow,’ including the following themes:

Ancient and Medieval Christian Education:

• origin and history of Christian education
• Jesus and Jewish education
• the nature and history of catechesis
• the development of the university in the medieval period

Navigating Pathways to Holistic Christian Education:

• the role of theology in Catholic universities
• inculturation and interculturality
• the Residential/Boarding School System in Canada and the US
• decolonization/Indigenization of Christian education
• educating for citizenship and the common good
• care for creation in Christian education

Christian Education and Society:

• Christian education and law
• Christianity and literature
• the challenge of secularization
• Christian education and religious pluralism
• the nature of Christian higher education

Bridging Tradition and Innovation in Christian Education:

• Christian education, philosophy, and liberal arts
• theology in the digital and online worlds
• the future of the Catholic university
• AI in Christian Education

Submission Details

We encourage graduate students, practitioners of Christian education at all levels, and established scholars to submit proposals for 20-minute presentations that engage these or other themes pertaining to the past, present, and future of Christian education. Registration and banquet fees will be waived for graduate students whose papers are accepted for presentation.

For consideration, paper proposals must be submitted to [email protected] no later than October 1, 2024, and should include the following information:

• title of paper
• an abstract no longer than 250 words plus a 100-word precis for the conferenceprogram, if your proposal is accepted
• institutional affiliation (if relevant)
• email address

Presenters will be notified of acceptance by October 15, 2024. Accommodation and additional logistical details will follow in late Fall 2024.

The names of the four plenary speakers will be released in the near future.