Sacred Texts and Ethics Unit

The Sacred Texts and Ethics Unit invites proposals from scholars and scholar-activists that closely analyze the use of sacred and foundational religious “texts” (broadly conceived)—e.g., scriptures and commentaries, images and rituals, performances and mass media—in ethical or political discourse (contemporary or historical). We welcome individual papers and panel proposals engaging all methodologies and religious traditions—e.g., Abrahamic, African(a), East Asian, South Asian, indigenous traditions, new religious movements—which involve constructive ethical reflection with a textual or media basis.

Proposals on all topics related to sacred texts/media and ethics are welcome. 
This year, we are particularly interested in the following issues related to the presidential theme of ‘freedom’:

1. The US Election 
   How have sacred texts been used and abused in the 2024 US election and its aftermath? How can attention to sacred texts illuminate some of the religious dimensions of the buildup and aftermath of the election? And might our sense of the sacrality of these texts be affected by their use in politics? Building on our session from last year, these sacred ‘texts’ can include not only written artefacts but also images, rituals, films, and other media. 
2. Israel/Palestine
   Invoking the 2025 presidential theme of ‘freedom,’ we are asking to consider all forms of sacred text in the context of the ongoing war in Israel/Palestine. Questions to consider include, but are not limited to: how have scriptures been used in the context of war, freedom, and violence? How can (shared) scriptural readings become loci of formation, solidarity, or resistance in the context of Israel/Palestine? How might other forms of ‘texts’ shed light on the ongoing suffering, destruction, and maybe hope? 
3. The Environment/Anthropocene 
   On top of the political upheavals around the world, we are– across humanity– entering a new phase of climate instability, change, and injustice. How are sacred texts sources of resistance, comfort, and change in these increasingly challenging times that disproportionately affect already vulnerable communities? What is the relationship of money, scripture, and the environment? How might previous scriptural practices have been complicit in our environmental destruction or still are?

The Sacred Texts and Ethics Unit is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Pre-arranged panels should reflect gender and racial/ethnic diversity as well as diversity of field, method, and scholarly rank as appropriate. We especially welcome session proposals and presentations that are comparative, collaborative, and engage the audience dialogically. Finally, we expressly welcome the participation of scholar-activists and scholar-clergy.