History of Christianity Unit

In keeping with the 2026 Presidential theme, “FUTURE/S,” the History of Christianity Unit invites papers that offer explorations of Christian history in light of the question “what is the importance of future thinking (futuring, as some would have it) in the work of religious scholarship in this time?” We especially welcome chronological diversity with a special call to pre-modern issues. We are open to full panel proposals on new approaches (e.g., material culture) and locations for pre-modern Christianities. While we are open to other panel proposals and roundtable sessions, we are especially interested in proposals on the following topics:

• Papers or panels addressing pedagogical issues, challenges, and opportunities for the future of teaching the history of Christianity at the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
• Proposals taking up the “History of the present, the futures of the past.” Ways of knowing about the past, historiographical issues, uncertainties of/in the past, history of the present for the future study of Christianity.
• Proposals taking up the role of digital humanities and AI in the future of the history of Christianity. This may include questions of sources, big data, data mining, and the ethics of historical research.
• 100th anniversary of first public TV demonstration: the future of Christianity and mass communication with attention to media production in the spread of Christianity (ancient and modern).
• Proposals on the 800th anniversary death of St. Francis. In particular, questions of ecology and Christianity.
• Reflections on two years since the death of Pope Francis.
• (Re)envisioning histories (past-present-future) of Global Christianity. Particular focus on Christianity in Africa and Asia (past-present-future).