2014
International Conference on Pentecostalism in Contemporary Africa
Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
International Conference on Pentecostalism in Contemporary Africa
Venue: Bindura, Zimbabwe,
Dates: August 7-8, 2014
Background
The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU), a private Christian university established by a Pentecostal multi-national church movement, ZAOGA (FIF) whose niche to humanity is ‘Developing a Total Person’ has mandated the Department of Theology and Religious Studies to spearhead an inaugural international conference whose theme is ‘Pentecostalism in Contemporary Africa’. To this end the Organising Committee of the ZEGU is pleased to announce the first Call for Abstracts for a conference that will be held in Bindura, Zimbabwe from August 7-8, 2014.
Pentecostal Christianity is currently the largest renewal movement within the mainstream Christian faith that places special emphasis on the direct personal relationship with God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. From a Pentecostal perspective, there is a ‘hot line’ between a believer and God. Like other forms of evangelical Protestantism, Pentecostalism adheres to the inerrancy of Scripture and the necessity of accepting Christ Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. Pentecostal Christianity is distinguished by belief in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as an experience (this is separate from conversion) that enables a Christian to live a Holy Spirit-filled and empowered life. From sotereological perspectives, this empowerment includes the use of spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and divine healing that leads to one’s Deliverance (literally, Phuma Sathani !).
Because of their commitment to biblical authority, spiritual gifts, and miracles, Pentecostals tend to see their movement as reflecting the same kind of spiritual power and teachings that were found in the Apostolic Age of the early church during the New Testament times. There are several brands of Pentecostal churches in Africa and some use the tag such as Apostolic Church of…or Full Gospel Church of… or Church Assemblies of … or International Church of…and the like. Internationally, the Pentecostal churches have taken millions of people by ‘tremendous storm’, especially in the Third World that includes part of humanity living in Africa, Latin America and Oceania. The Conference was conceived and organized to probe why there is this perceived ‘tremendous storm?’
The Conference will present a podium for scholars, civil society, faith agencies and service providers to explore how the Pentecostal churches in Africa are aligned (or lack of it !) to deal with the critical issues, among them: the contemporary gendered/human rights abuse, human/child vulnerability, church-State relations and interreligious dialogue in the African context. The conference will specifically provide a rare platform for children themselves, for instance, the girl child, to dialogue and engage directly with the stakeholders on issues that affect (oppress?) them in society. This is in line with keeping with the human rights (notably, children’s rights or women’s rights) to be heard and taken seriously in contemporary society.
Conference objectives
The objectives of the conference are to:
• Disseminate and widen research on contemporary Christianity and Pentecostal theology in Africa
• Promote national and international ecumenical linkages on new and old Departments of religion and theology
• Promote cooperation on research among the young scholars and senior scholars in the field of religion and theology.
It is envisioned that the Conference will culminate in innovative and feasible approaches that lead to the emergence of the human values of ubuntu, justice, integrity, honesty and the re-invention (transformation) of society for the better and that it will ignite the processes towards ‘developing a total person’ for all humanity
Conference Sub-themes:
The conference has four sub-themes from which authors can choose topics to focus their abstracts on:
• Sub-theme 1: Pentecostal doctrines/beliefs/practices and African Traditional Religion
• Sub-theme 2: Pentecostalism, Human Rights and Dignity (including children, women, disabled persons and the elderly people)
• Sub-theme 3: Pentecostalism, State Relations and Pan Africanism (including land reform movements, conflict management and reconciliation initiatives)
• Sub-theme 4: Pentecostalism, Health and wellbeing (including HIV and AIDS epidemic).
Papers will be presented in English through oral and poster presentations. All papers will be peer reviewed and published.
Abstract Submission
Scholars, civic society and church leaders interested in the study of Pentecostal Christianity/Pentecostal theology are invited to submit Abstracts of not more than 350 words by 07 April 2014.
Abstracts must be clearly articulated in terms of the research question/problem statement; hypothesis; methodology; theoretical framework and major findings.
Author(s) should:
• indicate the sub theme and the mode of presentation.
• provide full name(s) of author(s), institutional affiliation, e-mail address, and
• 5-7 keywords.
Conference Fees
• Full registration: $100
• Student registration: $50
• The above fees cover the costs for breakfast, refreshments and lunch over the two days of the conference
Accommodation
• There are hotels and lodges available in close proximity of the Conference venue.
• The average overnight charge is US$50.00
Important Deadlines
• Abstract Submission Deadline: 07 April 2014
• Notification of Accepted Abstracts: 17 April 2014
• Full Paper Submission: 4 July 2014
• Early Bird Registration Commences: 2 June 2014
• Registration Ends: 7 August 2014.
For further inquiries, kindly contact Conference Organizers on the following:
zeguconferenceinfor@gmail.com
Abstracts can be submitted electronically to:
zeguconference@gmail.com
zeguconference2014@gmail.com
zeguconferenceinfor@gmail.com
2014
SSSR Annual Meeting, 31 October-2 November 2014, Indianapolis, USA
SOCIETY FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION,
Annual Meeting, 31 October – 2 November 2014, Indianapolis, Indiana (USA)
Conference Theme: Building Interdisciplinary Bridges in the Study of Religion
Session: Visual Bridges: Visual Research and the Study of Religion
Call for Session Papers
Organizer: Roman R. Williams, PhD (Calvin College); roman.williams@calvin.edu
Deadline for Proposals: 28 March 2014
Paper Session Description
The potential of visual research techniques for the study of religion is vast, but largely untapped. This comes as a surprise, however, given the visual, symbolic, and material nature of religion and spirituality. Houses of worship, for example, are a prominent feature of the modern landscape and images permeate religious culture. Everyday faith and practice are materially present in everything from clothing and jewelry to artifacts found in people’s homes and workplaces. Not only is the symbolic and material presence of religion palpable throughout society, religion also informs behaviors, practices, and attitudes which are embodied and enacted throughout the many domains of everyday life. Standard research methods that rely on words and numbers alone, however, are not sufficient to capture important dimensions of religion and spirituality in the contemporary cultural landscape. This paper session explores the potential of visual research methods to bridge academic disciplines, cross the qualitative-quantitative divide, connect academic and non-academic audiences, and extend knowledge related to the study of religion. Papers addressing these themes and/or reporting on relevant research are welcome.
Submitting Proposals
Proposals must be submitted to Roman Williams (roman.williams@calvin.edu) by 28 March 2014 and include the following information:
(1) Name and institutional affiliation of author (and co-authors)
(2) Contact information (email address of first author)
(3) Title of proposed paper
(4) Abstract (up to 150 words)
2014
36th ASRSA Annual Congress, 27-29 August 2014, Potchefstroom, South Africa
This is the Call for Papers (CFP) for the 36th Annual Association for the Study of Religion in Southern Africa (ASRSA) Congress. This year the congress will take place at North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) from 27-29 August 2014. The theme for this year is “Religious Freedom and Human Rights: Law, Education and Civil Society”.
Note that the closing date for abstract submission is 1 July 2014.
You will also find included in the CFP important information regarding registration as well as a list of possible accommodation venues.
2014
Celebrating Chinua Achebe’s Legacy, University of London, 24-25 October 2014
We are organising a conference to commemorate Chinua Achebe’s work and influence, and to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Arrow of God, which many consider Achebe’s greatest novel. The conference will be held at the University of London Senate House, October 24-25, 2014, and will consist of keynotes and readings by leading writers, alongside a round table discussion featuring Professor Simon Gikandi and other distinguished academics.
We also envisage several carefully selected panel discussions, one or more focussing on Arrow of God , and one or more considering Achebe’s legacy and influence. We invite proposals for 20 minute panel presentations, and are particularly interested in papers which offer new and innovative approaches to Arrow of God or which examine contemporary writing.
Please send abstracts of not more than 200 words to Professor Lyn Innes (cli@kent.ac.uk) no later than April 16, 2014. Those chosen to participate in the panels will be notified by the end of May.
Conference Organizing Committee: Dr Alastair Niven (Chair); Professor Lyn Innes; Dr Mark Mathuray(Royal Holloway, London); Dr Zoe Norridge (Kings College London); Dr Ranka Primorac (Southampton)
2014
8th GloPent conference on ‘Pentecostalism & Development’, SOAS, London, 5-6 September 2014
Conference Theme
Pentecostal Christianity (including its many variants) has undoubtedly become one of the major religious forces in the so-called “developing world”. This has major implications for numerous parameters crucial to development initiatives, such as politics, social relations, inter-religious affairs, gender roles, and household economics. However, the academic analysis of these implications has been constrained by a number of factors. First, Pentecostalism’s emphasis on individual conversion and its outer-worldly ontology have tended to eclipse the multiple and even contradictory ways the movement has engaged with the practice of development. Second, the academic debate about Pentecostalism’s impact on development has been controversial, with opinions varying between attributing Pentecostals with a new “Protestant Ethic” leading to an “upward social mobility” and seeing them complicit with the development failures of the “gatekeeper state”. Finally, in development studies the role of religions has largely been seen as problematic or simply ignored, which is a lack now gradually being addressed by new publications and development programmes.
Given this current re-appraisal of the role of religions in development studies and the need for a reassessment of Pentecostalism’s influence on development initiatives, the conference addresses a highly relevant theme. Three keynotes will frame the conference debate by addressing the most pressing conceptual questions from the disciplinary vantage points of cultural anthropology, development studies, and religious studies. Issues of practice will be explored in a panel discussion featuring experts actively involved in development initiatives with Pentecostal actors. In addition, the conference will offer workshops in two parallel sessions, addressing specific themes of the conference topic and presenting ongoing research on Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
Call for Papers
We invite contributions to the parallel session workshops at the conference.
Papers may address the conference theme and/or present current research projects on Pentecostal and Charismatic movements worldwide. The parallel sessions will be grouped according to topical focus and with a special interest in interdisciplinary exchange. Should you wish to organize a full panel, please contact the conference organizer before soliciting and submitting abstracts.
Please send your title and a 150-200 word abstract to joerg.haustein@soas.ac.uk by 30 April. Selections will be confirmed by 31 May at the latest.
