KU Leuven, Belgium, 30 May-2 June 2018
The annual conference of the Mystical Theology Network.
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The Institute for the Study of Spirituality and the Theology in a Postmodern Context Research Group invite abstracts for a conference that seeks to bring historical and contemporary theology into dialogue. In addition to commemorating Beatrice of Nazareth, the conference seeks to explore themes related to Beatrice’s text and context, but also to address theological issues that continue to resonate in contemporary debates. Both the historical- and contemporary-theological questions will be clustered around three main themes, but we strongly encourage interdisciplinary approaches that engage both historical and contemporary conversations.
Historical theological themes:
“Female theology” and “female mysticism”
- Women’s medieval education and their contribution to the history of ideas and intellectual development.
- Medieval reflections on embodiment.
- Problematizing the idea of “women’s mysticism and theology.”
Vernacular theology and vernacular authors
- Relationships between vernacular, monastic, and scholastic theology
- The social and spiritual context of poverty movements in the medieval Low Countries.
- Under-studied vernacular mystical authors and texts.
Medieval texts and sacramental theology
- Liturgical feasts (e.g. Corpus Christi) and their connection to mystical texts (cf. Hadewijch’s Visions).
- Devotion to the humanity of Christ in the later Middle Ages.
- The body and/or community as a locus of spirituality and mysticism.
Contemporary theological themes:
Theology of Eros/Agape
- The phenomenological appropriation of eros and its potential to be of use in fundamental theology.
- Eros and questions of embodiment from a contemporary theological perspective.
- Love and desire in contemporary thought.
Mystical consciousness and critical-theological thought
- Mysticism and political theology.
- Mystical consciousness and social movements and transformations; reflections on mystical theology and the “kingdom of God” (as related to Agape and Eros); social critique.
- Engagements with critical theory, hermeneutics and hermeneutical theology.
Mysticism and sacramentality
- Balancing the irreducible particularity of the sacraments with the universality of 'experience' or ‘consciousness’ (mystical or otherwise).
- Interconnection and interanimation between sacramental and mystical discourse.
- The Eucharist and mystical theology.
Call for papers deadline: 31 January 2018.
Keynote speakers:
Bernard McGinn (University of Chicago)Amy Hollywood (Harvard University)
Carolyn Muessig (University of Bristol)
Alessandra Bartolomei Romagnoli (Pontifical Gregorian University)
Robyn Horner (Australian Catholic University)
Mark De Kesel (Radboud University, Nijmegen)
With an organizers' introduction by Lieven Boeve & Rob Faesen
Practical information:
Travelling to Leuven AccommodationFor more information, please email: John Arblaster or Derrick Witherington
