Liberation Theologies in Comparative Perspective

March 20-21, 2022, Boston College

Sunday, March 20: Conference Day One

12:30-1:00pm

1:00-2:10pm

Welcome & Check-In McElroy Commons, Room 237

Panel One

“On the Vulnerability of Religious Knowledge as a Starting Point for Comparative Theology”

Elisa Koch (she/her), University of Edinburgh

“Cultivating Our Fear: Comparing Al-Ghazali’s The Book of Fear and Hope & Aquinas’ ‘Gift of Fear’ within Quaestio 18 of the Secunda Secundae”

Kathryn (Kate) Middleton, Catholic University of America

2:10-2:25pm

Break

2:25-3:35pm

Panel Two

“Liberative Theology of Religions: Christian-Muslim Perspective”

Theodore Nnorom, University of St. Michael's College, Toronto

“Qur'an and Liberation Theology: Farid Esack as an Example”

Ghada Ghazal, Catholic University of America

3:35-3:50pm

Break

3:50-5:00pm

Panel Three

“Living with(in) Tension: Migration Experience through Paul Tillich and Daoism”

Xiaodi Wu, Boston University School of Theology

“A Retrieval of Forgotten Treasures: Johann Baptist Metz’s Political Theology”

Catherine (Cait) Duggan, University of Notre Dame

5:00-5:45pm

Dinner

6:00-7:00pm

Keynote Gasson Hall, Room 100

“Gendered Necropower and Transformational Liberation in the Age of COVID-19”

Tracy Tiemeier, Associate Professor of Theological Studies

Loyola Marymount University

7:00-8:00pm

Reception following Keynote Gasson Hall, Room 100

Monday, March 21: Conference Day Two

8:30-9:00am

9:00-10:10am

Light Breakfast McElroy Commons, Room 237

Panel Four

“Finding the Spirit in Unfamiliar Places: Seeking Embodied and Affective Criteria for Discerning the Spirit in the World and in Religions”

Susan McElcheran, University of St. Michael's College, Toronto

“Humility, Sincerity, and Unity: Finding Freedom in the Mystical Theologies of Teresa of Avila and A'ishah al-Ba'uniyya”

Aisha Subhan, Chicago Theological Seminary

10:10-10:25am

Break

10:25-11:35am

Panel Five

“The Eternal Now: Nishida Kitaro, Paul Tillich, and Richard Rohr”

Sam Scheidt (he/him/his), Independent Scholar

“Indian Christians or Hindu Christians? A Study of the Identity Formation of the Thomas Christians of South India”

Akhil Thomas (he/him/his), Harvard University

11:35am-12:35pm

Lunch

12:35-2:05pm

Panel Six

“Naruto, Jinchūriki, and Animal Liberation: A Pre-methodical Resource Towards Comparative Theology of Animality”

Abel Aruan, Boston University School of Theology

“Kyai Ibrahim Tunggul Wulung: Liberative Motive in Syncretism”

Perdian Tumanan, Villanova University

“A Comparative Study of Migration Theology and Theologies of Liberation”

Daniel Montanez, Boston University School of Theology

2:05-2:20pm

Break

2:20-3:30pm

Panel Seven

“Parallel Transformations and Liberations: The Islamic Comparative Theology of Esra Akay Dag”

Esther Reiser, Emmanuel College, Toronto

“Rethinking Monotheism and Polytheism: Divine Mystery in Simultaneous Oneness and Multiplicity”

Viveka Hall-Holt (she/her), St. Olaf College

3:30-3:40pm

Closing Remarks

Keynote

"Gendered Necropower and Transformational Liberation in the Age of COVID-19"

Tracy Tiemeier, Associate Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University

Please note that this conference has a $40 attendance fee for all participants, which can be paid here.

Theme of the Conference

In responding to the recent global uprisings for justice, contending with social and economic inequity, and navigating the complexities of interdependency, Engaging Particularities XIX invites scholars to submit proposals that draw upon liberation theologies in conversation and conjunction with comparative theology. Topics can include considering comparative theology as liberatory, liberation theologies in comparative perspective, and comparing liberation theologies. We are especially interested in submissions that privilege embodied and epistemological perspectives of the historically marginalized, and may include such resources as feminist, postcolonial, disability, Asian, Latine and/or Black theology. We will consider proposals from comparative theology, interreligious dialogue, theology of religions, religious studies, missiology, and related subject matters.

Engaging Particularities XIX invites scholars working in the fields of comparative theology, interreligious dialogue, theology of religions, religious studies, and missiology, to submit comparative proposals that consider the place of ritual in our world today, paying particular attention to the role rituals play in the formation of our identities, both personally and communally.

We also invite proposals on critical issues and themes from various disciplinary perspectives (such as but not limited to ethics, systematics, historical studies, biblical studies, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, etc.) in four areas: comparative theology, interreligious dialogue, theology of religions, and missiology.

To submit a proposal, please email an abstract of no more than 250 words to epbcsubmissions@gmail.com by January 15, 2022. Please indicate whether you are submitting for the special focus or general call, and include your contact information, institution, and program. For more information or questions, please reach out to the planning team at epbcsubmissions@gmail.com, or visit engagingparticularities.com.

Sponsored by:

Comparative Theology Area, Theology Department at Boston College

Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium

U.S. Jesuit Assistancy for Mission and Interreligious Dialogue