University of Portland, Oregon, June 3-6, 2010

Richard Crane, Messiah College, RCrane@messiah.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cameron Jorgenson, Campbell University, jorgensonc@campbell.edu This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The NABPR Region-at-Large welcomes proposals from NABPR and CTS members on topics related to the conference theme, "Religion, Culture, and Economics in Conflict and Conversation." Possibilities for paper proposals include, but are certainly not limited to, themes and issues such as:

1.       Culture, Economic Realities, Theology, Ecclesial Practices
How have cultural and economic realities influenced contemporary or past theological reflection and interpretation of Christian doctrinal themes such as salvation (atonement, grace, justification, etc.), Christology, God, Trinity, church, sin, etc.? What is the impact of culture, and in particular, forms of social imagination (e.g., consumerist practices, competitiveness) produced by a society dominated by the capitalist market, on contemporary Christian life, worship, community, and other ecclesial practices? How do cultural and economic factors shape past and current Baptist life and thought?

2.       Re-visiting Christ and Culture
In our context(s), how should we think about faithful ecclesial witness in relationship to the classical questions raised by H. Richard Niebuhr's Christ and Culture? How should the church understand itself and position itself vis-à-vis the nation-state, corporations, the global economy, and efforts to construct alternative (e.g., local and small-scale) economic practices, etc.?

3.       Theology and Biblical Studies in the Classroom
How do economic realities and culture, in all its complexity, impact the way theology and biblical studies are taught, and how these subjects are engaged by students, in college, university, or seminary classrooms?

4.       Saints
Since the NABPR Region-at-Large Presidential Address will take up the theme of "saints," proposals on this topic are also welcome. Is there an "unofficial" hagiography in Baptist life in North America or other Baptist contexts? How might an emphasis on the lives of saints contribute to ecclesiological reflection among Baptists or Baptist theologians?

5.       Portland, Oregon and Urban Planning
Since the conference is located in Portland, Oregon, an interesting possibility for paper proposals, which, of course, is closely related to the conference theme, is the question: does Christian thought have something to contribute to scholarship, reflection, and political debates concerning the range of issues associated with urban planning in relationship to concerns such as environmental sustainability, the construction of spaces to facilitate community, and quality of life issues?

Proposals on other topics not listed are also welcome. Please email Richard and Cameron by December 1 for full consideration.