Comparative Theology Unit

The Comparative Theology Unit of the AAR seeks proposals on the following topics for its session at the 2026 Annual Meetings. 

We encourage panel or paper proposals on the bulleted themes listed below. We suggest that interested scholars reach out to the contact person connected to each theme. They may be able to connect you with others who are interested or otherwise answer any questions. However, you need not feel compelled to reach out. 

The CT Unit runs a listserv (Google Group) that may also be used to connect with others in constructing a panel. To be added to the group, please contact Axel Takacs (takacsax@shu.edu). 

——

Themes

• Comparative Theologies of Belonging and Community: Ecclesiology remains a rich category of comparison in ecumenical Christian theology. However, in comparative theology, this category remains Christian-centric. How might comparative theology employ this category constructively and (self-)critically? How do various theologies of belonging and community in religious traditions mutually challenge how theologians understand the construction of group identity? What are the concepts in other religious traditions that are analogous to “ecclesiology” and how might they be constructive and critical sites of theological comparison?
   
• Theologizing from Sacred Spaces – Sacred spaces reflect materially the theology of the communities who practice in them. Globally, shared sacred spaces are relatively common, such as South Asian Hindu-Christian-Muslim shrines. In the European and North American context, Christian churches and houses of worship sometimes share their space with other religious communities. Historically, incoming religious communities—often by conquering or colonialism—appropriate sacred spaces of the previous religion. How can comparative theology proceed through the experience or analysis of the sacred space of another community? What can comparative theology learn from experiences of shared sacred spaces and/or how might we perform comparative theology from these experiences? (Contact: James Farwell, jfarwell@vts.edu)
   
• Aesthetics, Poetics, Imagination, and Futures: Theological aesthetics, comparative theologies of the imagination, and the poetics (creativity) involved not just in imagining but embodying futures remain a rich site of comparison. This includes the genre of futurisms, such as Afrofuturism, indigenous futures, and so forth, including science fiction. (Contact: Axel Takacs, takacsax@shu.edu).
   
• Deification/Divinization/Theosis and Transhumanism in Comparative Theology: Arguably, nearly all religious traditions provide technologies of the self intended to render the human more-than-human: superhuman, transhuman, and so forth. Transhumanism more popularly refers to a philosophical movement advocating for the enhancement of the human condition through advanced technology (AI, “downloading consciousness,” etc.) to overcome biological limitations and extend human capabilities. This proposal seeks to bring the classical understanding in conversation with the modern. (Contact: Thomas Cattoi, tcattoi@pust.it)
   
• Comparative Eco-Theologies and Futures: What can we learn from eco-theologies regarding theological, political, and ethical futures in comparison? (Contact: Katie Mahowski Mylroi, mahowskm@bc.edu)
   
• Jewish Comparative Theology / Comparative Theology and Jewish Traditions: It has been a few years since the CT unit has had a panel on comparative theology and/with the Jewish traditions. This year, we are seeking in particular Jewish scholars/theologians who engage in comparative theology to propose papers from their own religious tradition: Jewish-Christian, Jewish-Hindu, Jewish-Muslim, Jewish-Buddhist, Jewish-Indigenous, etc. (Contact: Domenik Ackermann, ackermannd@moravian.edu)
   
• Comparative Dystopias and Comparative Apocalyptic Imaginations: There is no dearth of contemporary short stories, graphic narratives, novels, film, and TV that fall within the genre of dystopia. Yet, the apocalyptic imaginations of religious traditions were arguably the first to invent and popularize the genre. Proposals relevant to this theme are welcome. (Contact: Jason Welle, wellej@bc.edu).
   
• Comparative Theology in the Gen Z Classroom: It has been 10 years since Mara Brecht and Reid Locklin published their co-edited volume, Comparative Theology in the Millennial Classroom. What has changed? What remains the same? What new opportunities and challenges exist in the Gen Z classroom? What is the future of comparative theology, especially in the undergraduate classroom today, now and in the future?

These are proposed themes, but one need not feel restricted by them, so long as the proposal concerns comparative theology. 

Proposal descriptions must be written in such a way as to allow for anonymity during the selection process. However, panel proposals must include a diversity statement that explains in what ways the panel is diverse or the rationale for a lack of diversity. Diversity here may include, but is not limited to, religion, gender, race, disability, nationality, and/or academic status (graduate student, senior scholar, etc.). 

The CT Unit seeks to provide opportunities for constructive/confessional or meta-confessional theological proposals from various traditions. If appropriate, proposals should be forthright about the author’s religious tradition, i.e., whether they are writing as a Buddhist, or as a Muslim, or as a Hindu, et cetera (or some other hybrid identity).