CFP: Spiritual Ecologies and New Cosmologies Convergence
You might find the following topic interesting:
Spiritual Ecologies and New Cosmologies Convergence
Seeking scholarly and creative submissions including but not limited to papers, panels, dialogues, rituals, liturgies, sermons, pilgrimages, meditations, poetry, films, art, or plays that address the diverse themes of Spiritual Ecologies or New Cosmologies.
Dates Monday September 22 to Thursday September 25, 2014 (We will hold continuous sessions from approximately 4:00pm to 8:00pm each day. A more detailed schedule will be posted once the schedule is filled with your projects!)
Location Liu Institute for Global Issues University of British Columbia, Vancouver
The spiritual dimension of ecological issues, cosmology and even sustainability are increasingly being addressed within and outside of academic venues. Although Western scientific discoveries have shifted our views of the history and structure of the universe, our current problems point to a broad moral failing by Western civilization to account for the earth as a whole.
The fields of Religion and Ecology, Spiritual Ecology and New Cosmology are growing rapidly within academic, faith based and civil society circles as a response to this failing, and because it has been recognized that engaging people of faith is a crucial part of working toward a sustainable future for the planet. The Spiritual Ecologies and New Cosmologies Converge seeks to provide an open space where scholars, students, activists, people of faith, and members of the community can come together to engage these important themes. Because each spiritual tradition brings a different perspective to our place in the cosmos, valuing and caring for the earth, and humanity’s place here, we have used the plural for ecologies and cosmologies.
The Convergence seeks to explore the following questions: 1) What research is being done on issues of spiritual ecologies/new cosmologies among scholars in this region?
2) How are regional communities of faith uniquely engaging questions of ecological sustainability and ideas of spiritual ecology?
3) Similarly, how are communities of faith in this region integrating and responding to the picture contemporary science is presenting of the universe that some are calling the ‘New Cosmology’?
4) With an increase in unaffiliated spiritualities, has a ‘crisis of meaning’ emerged in contemporary society? How might science and religion work together to address this aspect of human well being?
Desired Outcomes:
● Better understand and connect what research has been and is being done on spiritual ecology, religion and ecology and cosmology in this region. This could lead to the publication of an edited volume or simply better regional networking.
● Engage Vancouver theology schools in the ongoing conversation about ecological theology and its implications.
● Bring civil society and communities of faith together to share ideas, resources and support.
● The creation of a region wide ‘Interspiritual Ecology Network’ Submissions
Please send an email with SUBMISSION SENC in the subject line and discuss the following:
Name(s)
Institutional affiliation(s)
Title and an up to 200 word description of the presentation/project, the issue/question it addresses and what will be needed to present
Send to Jason Brown (jason.minton.brown@gmail.com) and Elaine Hsiao (citizenof1world@gmail.com) by July 1, 2014.
