Religious Research Association
Call for Papers
2008 Annual Meeting, October 17-19
Seelbach Hilton Hotel, Louisville, KY
Conflict and Renewal/Stability and Tradition:
What is a (Religious) Body to Do?
The emergence of new religious movements, efforts at religious renewal and restoration, and efforts by
religious organizations and individuals to impact society all necessarily involve conflict. Conflict can occur
between organized religious groups, between individuals acting on religious beliefs and between groups,
individuals and the larger society. Amidst the religiously sanctioned or motivated fighting over the right
way to operate, believe or obey, there is substantial inertia for maintaining existing religious rituals,
symbols, beliefs, organizational structures and behaviors. As other religious institutions change and the
context in which religious groups exist evolves, how can sacred rituals, symbol systems, traditions, beliefs
and behaviors be maintained and retain their meaning and efficacy?Here are some examples of the kinds of topics/questions that might be of special interest:
- Conflict within denominational structures
- Congregational conflict and identity transformation
- Religious leadership and the exercise of power and authority
- Denominational renewal movements and schisms
- Independent churches and churches that act independent
- Religious bodies and power politics
- The use and efficacy of religiously-inspired terrorism
- “Maintaining the revolution” in older, formerly revolutionary religious bodies
- The critical role of organ music and old German hymns in mainline renewal
- The challenges of being under 100: economics and organizational necessities in small
congregations- Gender, religious leadership, and change.
- Conflict over LGBT concerns, other polarizing social issues, and the intersections of generation
and ethnicity- Secularization and sacralization within competing populations
- Religious change and the maintenance of religious meaning
- The role of symbols in religious revival, renewal and conflict
- Population dynamics and the future of religious bodies in America
- Growth through diversity: Implications for conflict and transformation
As always, we solicit papers on all topics of a practical or theoretical nature relating to religion, especially
(but not limited to) organized religions, denominations, and congregations. However, this year we
especially encourage, sessions, papers, and panels that touch in some way on questions related to
conflict, renewal and/or the maintenance of tradition among religious organizations and persons acting
from their religious beliefs.
Send all proposals to: Kirk Hadaway, The Episcopal Church Center, khadaway@episcopalchurch.org
or Adair Lummis, alummis@episcopalchurch.org
815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Include email addresses and affiliations of all participants/authors on proposals
Session proposals due: January 15, 2008
Paper proposal due (title and abstracts of 150 words or less) March 15, 2008
Completed papers: September 30, 2008