CALL FOR PAPERS: Theology, Religion and Crisis - Journal of the Oxford Graduate Theological Society: Call for Papers
About the Journal
The Journal of the Oxford Graduate Theological Society (JOGTS) is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes scholarly articles in the field of theology and religion.
Each issue divides contributions into two categories:
(1) those which respond to the theme in the Call for Papers
(2) those which come under the general scope of the journal
As an affiliate of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, the scope of the journal is defined by the breadth of research undertaken by fellows and postgraduate students of the faculty. As such, articles address questions pertinent to the critical study of theology and religion from a variety of disciplines and methodologies, including (but not limited to): biblical criticism, modern systematic theology, philosophy of religion, patristics studies, ecclesiastical history, anthropology and sociology of religion.
The journal also publishes critical book reviews, media reviews, and featured articles.
Theme: Theology, Religion and Crisis
2020 has been a year of intersecting crises. From the distress of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic fallout of national lockdowns, to the urgent cry of Black Lives Matter and the mounting seriousness of ecological collapse, this past year has been one unlike any other in recent memory. As in previous times of crisis, theologians and scholars of religion feel the pressure of these events acutely; through the institutional voices of certain religions, through challenges to the subject’s critical and intellectual framework, and simply through the disruption of their day-to-day lives. In light of this, key questions persist about the role of theology and religion in such times of crisis. How should theologians and scholars of religion engage with and react to the crises which have characterised the year 2020? What insight can the subject offer in response to these events, both practically and conceptually? In what ways might religions and religious institutions themselves be in crisis? For this edition of The Journal of the Oxford Graduate Theological Society, the Editorial Board invites papers exploring these questions and the broad theme of ‘Theology, Religion and Crisis’ from a variety of (inter)disciplinary perspectives.
Papers may wish to respond to one of the following questions:
– How have theologies and religions throughout the ages responded to outbreaks of disease and pandemic?
– What can we learn from times of crisis within scriptural and religious texts?
– What role does worship play in times of crisis?
– How do crises of oppression figure within theological and religious traditions? To what extent can religions be held accountable for the crises we find ourselves in today?
– What role can theologies and religions play in helping to think through, and respond to, the contemporary climate crisis?
– From the perspective of theology and religion, what opportunities and dangers arise in moments of crisis?
– To what extent do fundamental theological and religious beliefs and doctrines rely on a notion of crisis?
Featured Contribution
Professor Christopher Key Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, and former editor of Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology (Brill), on Theology, Religion and Crisis in light of today’s environmental crisis.
And a special interview with historian and anthropologist Professor Alan Macfarlane, Emeritus Professor of Anthropological Science and a Life Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge, on his experience of crisis and modernity, based on Magic and Modernity, the first part of a two part autobiographical series to be released in the summer of 2021.
Book Reviews
Book reviews for JOGTS should be between 800 and 1200 words long. JOGTS publishes only those reviews that are relevant to each issue’s theme, so all reviews submitted for this issue must demonstrate how the book they discuss pertains to ‘Theology, Religion and Crisis’. Reviews should survey the structure, substance, and methodology of the book they discuss and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each of these elements: reviews must analyse, not merely summarise. At the end of the review, please provide: (1) your name, (2) your program of study, qualification, or position, and (3) your institutional affiliation, including, if applicable, your college.
Submission
The deadline for submissions (including reviews) is 23 April 2021. Publication is scheduled for Summer 2021. Submissions can be made through the online platform, accessible here:
http://jogts.org/index.php/jogts/about/submissions
Authors are advised to consult the Author Guidelines on the same page. https://www.jogts.org/index.php/jogts/announcement/view/4