International ESCT-Congress 2013 God in Question - Philosophisch ...

International ESCT-Congress 2013
in Brixen, South Tyrol (Italy)
Congress (29.08. – 01.09.)
Junior-Conference (28.08.)
God in Question:
Religious Language and Secular Languages
Invitation to the Congress 2
Call for Papers for the main conference/thematic sessions 4
Call for Papers for the Junior Conference 5
Essay Competition for emerging scholars 6
Book Prize: “Theological Book of the Years 2011-2012” 8
www.et-kongress.info

INVITATION TO THE ESCT-CONGRESS 2013
Dear Colleagues,
dear doctoral candidates,
Europe is often portrayed today as a secular continent. In many ways
secularization and religious indifference characterise public life. Many
people understand themselves to be “religiously unmusical”, and in
some places we encounter new and striking forms of atheism, which
are often shaped by the natural sciences. At the same time we also observe signs of a
“return to religion”. Many people set out on a deliberate search for spiritual meaning and
engage seriously with religious traditions. In European society we more and more hear
everyday of religions other than Christianity and questions are raised in the public sphere
about the meaning of religion.
The next International Congress of the European Society for Catholic Theology (ESCT) will
focus on the dialogue in Europe between believers, searchers and unbelievers. With the
theme “God in Question: Religious Language and Secular Languages”, the Congress will face
the challenges referred to above: how can we as church members and as theologians speak
about God so that the message of Jesus Christ can be made intelligible and attractive to
people today, and so play a positive part in the social cultural and political shape of Europe.
In conversation with, for example, philosophers, journalists and politicians, the opportunities
and challenges will become clear.
The academic part of the Congress will comprise the following elements:
- main papers followed by open discussions;
- the presentation of research projects with the possibility of establishing international
networks (“Thematic Sessions”);
- the presentation of short papers on the theme of the conference (“Parallel Papers”);
- the award of prizes to Junior Scholars for the best essays on the theme of the
Congress, and the award of the prize of “Theology Book of the years 2011-2012”;
- meetings of national sections.
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The European Society for Catholic Theology supports theology throughout Europe as an
academic discipline alongside other disciplines. The Society represents the full breadth of
theology in all its specialist areas and in all the countries of Europe. It promotes
interdisciplinary cooperation and creates networks which strengthen theology as an

academic and European pursuit. Through its activities it promotes the work of junior
scholars and so helps its members to contribute to the resolution of real problems in society
as well as in the church.
As Vice-President responsible for the Congress, I warmly invite you to the Congress, which
will take place in Brixen in the South Tyrol of Italy from 29 August to 1 September 2013.
Doctoral and post-doctoral students are also encouraged to participate in the ESCT-Junior
Conference on 28 August 2013. The Junior Conference offers all junior scholars the
opportunity to present their research projects and to enter into discussion with colleagues
from other countries. The papers do not have to be on the theme of the main conference.
The papers will be grouped in sessions that will be led by members of the ESCT committee.
It gives me great pleasure to be hosting the Congress with the “Philosophisch-Theologische
Hochschule Brixen” and I look forward to greeting you in Brixen together with theologians
from all over Europe.
Professor Dr. Martin M. Lintner OSM
Vice-President of the ESCT
Brixen, in September 2012
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N.B.:
The detailed programme for the Congress and the procedures for registration will be sent
out and published on the ET-Congress webpage in February 2013.
www.et-kongress.info

CALL FOR PAPERS
for the Main Conference/thematic sessions
1. Parallel papers on the theme of the main conference:
The call for papers begins on 1.10.2012.
From this date, papers can be sent in on the theme of the Congress.
After a review process, authors who have been selected will be invited to submit the full
text of their proposal.
Please send your paper to the ET Vice-President, Martin M. Lintner:
martin.lintner@hs-itb.it
Abstracts:
Deadline for abstracts: 31.3.2013.
Length of abstracts: maximum 5,000 signs.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
Papers:
Deadline for papers: 15.7.2013.
Length of papers: the presentation should take no more than 15 minutes.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
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2. Thematic Sessions
In addition to single papers, the Congress also offers the possibility of presentations on
research projects, and reports from working parties and networks of theological
faculties. This is intended to support international cooperation.
Please send proposals for such presentations to the ET Vice-President, Martin M Lintner:
martin.lintner@hs-itb.it
Abstracts:
Deadline for abstracts: 31.3.2013.
Length of abstracts: maximum 5,000 signs.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
Papers:
Deadline for papers: 15.7.2013.
Length of papers: the presentation should take no more than 15 minutes.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
www.et-kongress.info

CALL FOR PAPERS
for the ESCT Junior Conference
The call for papers begins on 1.10.2012.
From this date, papers can be sent in on the theme of the Congress or on your own research
projects.
After a review process, authors who have been selected will be invited to submit the full text
of their proposal.
Please send your paper to the organiser of the Junior Congress, Slavomir Dlugos:
slavomir.dlugos@univie.ac.at
Abstracts:
Deadline for abstracts: 31.3.2013.
Length of abstracts: maximum 5,000 signs.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
Papers:
Deadline for papers: 15.7.2013.
Length of papers: the presentation should take no more than 15 minutes.
Languages: German, English, French or Italian.
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www.et-kongress.info

ESSAY COMPETITION
of the European Society for Catholic Theology
for emerging scholars
In order to stimulate theological reflection in Europe and help young theologians to make
themselves known, the European Society for Catholic Theology, on the occasion of its next
international conference, announces for a third time, following on from the conferences of
2009 and 2011, an international Essay Prize. This has the purpose on promoting creative
research among young European theologians and supporting up and coming theologians. A
team under the leadership of Professor Eamon Conway has been commissioned to
implement it. The theme of the essay is the same as the title of the 2013 Congress: “God in
Question: Religious Language and Secular Language”.
1. All students of theology and all who are continuing academic work, who are studying or
working in Europe, can participate for the award. Graduates in theology who already
have a teaching post must have received their doctorate within the last five years,
reckoned from 1.12.2012.
2. Submissions can come from any country in Europe and from any discipline within
theology.
3. The limit of 5,000 words should not be exceeded and the essay should be written in one
of the ET Committee’s official languages (French, English or German). However, young
theologians are also permitted to submit their essay in their mother-tongue. A selection
committee will then select the best three. These will then be translated, where
necessary, into French, English or German, or into the language of the place of the
Congress: Italian.
4. Through theological reflection and the author’s research, the essay should make a
notable contribution to the future of theology and its particular theological discipline
within the context of university research, the church and society in Europe. In order to
engage with society at the present time, contributions should deal with the theme of
the coming Congress of the European Society for Catholic Theology from a theological
standpoint: “God in Question: Religious Language and Secular Languages”.
5. The text of the essay must be original and must not yet have been published.
6. The closing date for submissions is 30.1.2013. Contributions should be sent by E-mail to
the General Secretary of the Society, Pierre van Hecke:
pierre.vanhecke@theo.kuleuven.be
7. An international, interdisciplinary jury will evaluate the submissions by the following
criteria:
thematic originality
academic quality
comprehensibility
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8. The decision of the jury is binding and final. The jury members are Professors Eamon
Conway (Chairman, University of Limerick, Ireland), Joachim Schmiedl (Philosophisch-
Theologische Hochschule, Valendar, Germany), Marie-Jo Thiel (University of Strasbourg,
France), Juan Pablo Garcia Maestro (University of Salamanca, Spain) and Geoffrey
Turner (Leeds, England). In a first round, the jury will nominate (preferably before the
end of April 2013) between two and five of the essays that have been selected as the
top three contributions in each country (see point 3). From these nominees, the winner
and the second- and third-ranked contributions will be chosen in a second round.
9. The first prize is a stipend for the cost of residence, travel and registration for both the
next Junior Congress (28.8.2013) and also the full Congress (29.8 – 1.9.2013) in Brixen,
South Tyrol, Italy.
The second- and third-ranked essays will receive a book prize.
The Society reserves the right to publish the winning essays in its journal, ET Studies,
after a revision of the text by the authors, if required.
If any young theologians are known to you, who could enter this competition, please tell
them about it.
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www.et-kongress.info

BOOK PRIZE: „Theological Book of the Years 2011-2012“
Thanks to generous sponsorship, ET is in a position to award up to two prizes for outstanding
theological books at the coming international Congress of the European Society for Catholic
Theology in Brixen on 29.8 – 1.9.2013.
General Stipulations:
1. The book must have a theological theme.
2. A book can be proposed by its author or any ET member.
3. It must be a European book, either its theme, or with regard to its sources, or because its
author comes from Europe, or is working in Europe.
4. Applicants can be established or emerging scholars.
5. The book must be written in a European language.
6. The book must have been published between 1.1.2011 and 31.12.2012.
Acceptance of the adjudicating panel`s decisions with regard to the application of the above
criteria is a condition of application.
Application Procedures:
1. The proposer must present a short biography of the author and a summary of the book
that sets out the central thesis and main arguments in 3,000 to not more than 5,000
words. This text must be in one of the official languages of the European Society for
Catholic Theology (English, French, German) or the language of the country in which the
Congress will take place (Italian).
2. The person nominating the book must also submit clear reasons why the book should be
considered for the prize and how it fulfils the general conditions for a submission. This
explanation must be in one of the official languages of the European Society for Catholic
Theology (English, French, German) or the language of the country in which the Congress
will take place (Italian).
3. Three copies of this text and three copies of the book must be sent to Pierre van Hecke by
30 April 2013 at the latest:
Pierre van Hecke
Sint-Michielsstraat 4 – box 3101
3000 LEUVEN
Belgium
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Evaluation Criteria:
The book must meet the standards of quality expected of the academic discipline to which it
belongs. Over and above that, a proposed book will be judged by whether it fulfils at least one or
all the following criteria:
1. The book should be able to interest a broad public in theology.
2. The book should bring theological research into dialogue with current public issues, such
as social, political or economic problems.
3. The book should make a clear and significant contribution to the scholarly development of
theological research.
Evaluating Committee and prize:
The Presidium has appoint four scholars to be members of the committee: Lieven Boeve
(President), Katica Knezovic, Hans-Joachim Sander and Paolo Gamberini. The committee will
work towards a recommendation for the Presidium that will determine the award of the prize.
The prize consists of an amount of 3,000 Euro.