Comparative Theology Unit

The Comparative Theology Unit of the AAR seeks proposals on the following topics for its session at the 2021 Annual Meeting.

The names listed here are contacts for the purpose of networking and organizing panels. If you have a paper or panel idea related to a topic listed below, the contact can help you network and form a panel proposal.

Climate Justice. We suggest a possible panel on Global warming and its effects on those most vulnerable. The issue may be considered in various ways. One avenue is how a given religious comparative exchange might mutually assist our posture towards those most vulnerable, particularly in its understanding of both the environment and the imperative to address the needs of the marginalized. Another possible avenue is, given that many climate scientists have conceded that global warming will be a fact and that we now need to address how to ameliorate its worst-case scenario, how would a comparative project deepen our understanding of this moral imperative?—Peter Feldmeier peter.Feldmeier@utoledo.edu

Disease in Comparison. I can help connect scholars interested in approaches to disease form a panel proposal. The pandemic challenges all religions to think theologically about their understanding of disease and suffering--broadly understood as physical, emotional, and spiritual. What new dimensions can a comparative approach contribute to your tradition?— Bede Bidlack, bbidlack@anselm.edu

Comparative, Liberation, and Contextual Theology: Solidarity and Communion.
In line with the 2021 AAR Theme, "Religion, Poverty and Inequality: Contemplating Our Collective Futures,” we are seeking papers or a panel on the theme of liberation theology, solidarity, and communion. In a time of increased inequality and inequities, as manifest in the recent pandemic, the global neoliberal order, and racial, ethnic, and religious oppression, how do various theologies mutually challenge and inspire each other to provide frameworks and resources for greater solidarity and communion? We are particularly interested in papers proposing contextual theologies that may provide necessary correctives to comparative or liberation theologies. —Axel Marc Oaks Trakacs, axelmarcoaks.takacs@shu.edu

Comparative Nondualisms. I would like to connect scholars interested in religious nondualisms, broadly defined as fundamental ontologies of sacred relation. In order to place various nondualisms into relationship with one another, I have begun The Nondualism Project. The project advances the idea of inseparability, even in this age torn by ideologies of separation. This could be a co-sponsored session with the Open and Relational Theologies Unit---Jon Paul Sydnor, sydnorjo@emmanuel.edu

Theology, Literature, and the Arts. Proposals may include but are not limited to: Literary and artistic approaches to theological works, theological analysis of literary texts and art, rituals and art, music and theology. If successful, this will be organized as a co-sponsored session with the Unit of Arts, Literature and Religion--Gloria Maité Hernández: ghernandez@wcupa.edu

We also encourage panel or paper proposals on the following themes that were offered at the business meeting:

• Liturgy and ritual comparative work
• Hagiography in comparison
• Texts from Prison: using prison as a site for comparative theology (perhaps consider Hong Kong’s situation)
• Artificial Intelligence and non-human consciousness: This could be a comparative between AI and humans or such issues as angels and demons (etc.) in comparison interreligiously.
• Comparative theology and post-colonialism. This may become a collaboration with the Interreligious Studies group. This could also address how comparative theology can act as an example of western hegemony. (A concern was raised that in the past such projects tended to be either non-theological or non-comparative.)

Panel proposals must include a diversity statement wherein the conveyor explains in what ways the panel is diverse or the rationale for a lack of diversity.

Method:
INSPIRE

Process:
Proposals are anonymous to chairs and steering committee members during review, but visible to chairs prior to final acceptance or rejection

Leadership:
Chair
• Bede Bidlack, bbidlack@anselm.edu
• Wilhelmus Valkenberg, valkenberg@cua.edu

Steering Committee
• Axel Takacs, atakacs@mail.harvard.edu
• Catherine Cornille, cornille@bc.edu
• Francis X. Clooney, fclooney@hds.harvard.edu
• Marianne Moyaert, m.moyaert@vu.nl
• Mark Edwards, markmythoughts@gmail.com
• Peter Feldmeier, peter.feldmeier@utoledo.edu