Call for Papers & Workshops

Religion and theology can contribute to cultures of sexism, exclusion, and violence. They can also offer an important counterpoint, providing resources, practices, and communities dedicated to inclusion and justice. How can we make sense of the interaction between religion, theology, culture, and violence? Recent research suggests that Christian theologies that focus on men’s headship and women’s submission can support inequality and violence, while other studies also indicate that religious practices and communities can be places of healing. Nonetheless, National Church Life Survey data demonstrates that Australian church leadership remains predominantly male and religion is often left unexamined in social research on gender, gendered norms, and gendered violence. 

To better understand the dynamic relationship between theology, culture and gendered violence, this interdisciplinary conference, hosted by The Wesley Centre, will consider a range of questions, such as: 

• How is theology implicated in maintaining sexism, gendered inequality, and violence? 
• Which religious resources support or undermine patterns of thinking that lead to gendered violence? What does our Australian context contribute to these theological and cultural questions?
• How do gendered violence, colonial violence and theology intersect? 
• What are the challenges and opportunities presented by doing theology on Aboriginal land and in multicultural settings? 
• What do terms such as ‘gender’, ‘violence’, and ‘theology’ actually encompass? 
• How might new practices emerge within religious settings to counter sexism, critique exclusive theologies, or support survivors?