Call for Papers: Toronto 2025 (extended)
Ecclesiology & Ethnography North American Conference
May 8-10, 2025 | Toronto School of Theology, Toronto, Canada
The Ecclesiology and Ethnography Network is a global community of scholars working at the intersections of theology and ethnography. Together with Regis-St Michaels College, Toronto School of Theology, and Emmanuel College in Toronto, Canada, we will be holding our third annual North American conference in May 2025. This conference will be intimate and dynamic, fostering creative conversations across diverse specialisms and learning at the intersection of qualitative research, theology, and the world church.
A sibling to the annual conference in Durham UK (which can often be difficult for North American scholars to attend due to its location and timing), we keep the community spirit of that meeting alive by prioritizing the work of doctoral students and early career scholars. This will be an excellent place to workshop one’s project as a post graduate student, early career researcher, or pastor/scholar in ministry in conversation with prominent senior scholars including Pete Ward, Durham; Natalie Wigg-Stevenson, Emmanuel College; and Christian Scharen, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago. Expect a collaborative space of generous learning and supportive critique.
This conference is being co-sponsored by Regis-St. Michaels College, Emmanuel College, and the Toronto School of Theology.
Submit a proposal
You may still submit a proposal — it can be for the academic paper track (presentation with Q&A), the workshop track (discussion of works in progress), and both can be presented on ground or online.
We will begin a rolling notification of acceptance of proposals starting in the week of February 10, 2025. Keep in mind the organizers seek to accept as many papers as possible to assure a robust conversation at the gathering.
Due to limited on-campus housing, conference registration is open now. Those wishing to reserve housing must register early to assure a low-cost, on-campus housing option.
Submission Guidelines
For our third annual EENA meeting, we invite proposals at the intersection of theology and qualitative research, and related work connected to this intersection of academic fields. With this year’s conference location in Toronto, we are lifting up themes focused on:
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In honour of the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)’s final report, consider issues that relate to Indigeneity, Indigenous-settler relations and theologies of the land.
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Explore ethnographic projects and methods from diverse faith traditions.
Proposals may relate in some way to the theme, and they can also be focused on other topics.
Two tracks are available: a traditional academic paper track with presentation and Q&A, and a workshop track for projects in progress, with shorter presentation time and open discussion of the projects. Therefore, in addition to more polished paper proposals, you may submit a proposal on a project in progress, an idea for a project, or methodological and theoretical considerations that do not, as yet, entail an in-process research project. Doctoral students and early career scholars are especially welcome to submit proposals.
