Thirteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society entitled ‘Religion in the Public Sphere: From the Ancient Years to the Post-Modern Era’ [20-22/6/23]

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Laboratory of Pedagogy and Religious Education of the Department of Theology, School of Theology, University of Athens, organize the Thirteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society entitled ‘Religion in the Public Sphere: From the Ancient Years to the Post-Modern Era’. The opening ceremony of the conference will take place on Tuesday, 20 June 2023, at 18:00, at the ‘Alkis Argyriadis’ Amphitheatre of the University of Athens (main building, 30 Panepistimiou st).

PROGRAMME

– Address by the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Meletios-Athanasios C Dimopoulos

– Welcome address by the Dean of the School of Theology of the University of Athens, Associate Professor Christos G Karagiannis

– Speech by the Conference Chair, Associate Professor of Pedagogy and Religious Education at the Department of Theology, School of Theology, University of Athens, Marios Koukounaras-Liagkis

– Speech by Dr Luis G Roger-Castillo, Research Network Chair, Centre of Byzantine, Modern Greek and Cypriot Studies, University of Granada, Spain

– Speech by Dr Phillip Kalantzis-Cope, Chief Social Scientist, Common Ground Research Networks, USA

The full programme of the conference is available at the following link: https://religioninsociety.com/2023-conference

Invitation and programme of the opening ceremony

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The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Dean’s Office of the School of Theology and the Laboratory of Pedagogy and Religious Education of the Department of Theology cordially invite you to the Thirteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

20-22 June 2023

Title: Religion in the Public Sphere: From the Ancient Years to the Post-Modern Era

Athens, School of Theology + Online

Languages: English and Spanish

Call for papers: https://religioninsociety.com/2023-conference/call-for-papers

From the ancient years, religion has been a crucial factor in humans’ culture and personal and social life. Although modernity wanted religion marginalized to private spheres, religious traditions and faith communities are still in the public sphere, and as Habermas indicated they gained ‘unexpected political importance’. In different contexts worldwide different forms of relations between religion, civil society, the private sector, and the state have emerged while religion has its role in education, health care, social or charity institutions, and public services. Religious debates and conflicts as well as terrorism and fundamentalism related to religions appear as well. This year’s conference calls on researchers from religious studies, political science, theology, education, cultural studies, historical studies, philosophy, and law to explore the role of religion in the public sphere, from the ancient years to the postmodern era, the identity construction, the development of narratives, legal, political and human rights issues related to religion and faith, the public image of religious groups, the contribution of religion to culture and education.

THEME 1: INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES

THEME 2: HUMAN RIGHTS AND POLICY

THEME 3: NARRATIVES AND IDENTITY

THEME 4: CULTURE AND EDUCATION

Plenary speakers

Gert Biesta, Professor of Educational Theory and Pedagogy, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK

James Walters, Founding Director, Faith Centre and the Religion and Global Society Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Aristotle Papanikolaou, Professor of Theology, Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture, Co-founding Director, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, New York, USA

Niki Tsironi, Institute for Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Greece; Associate in Byzantine Studies, Center for Hellenic Studies, Harvard University, Washington, DC., USA; Adjunct Professor in Byzantine Studies, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada

Conference Chair

Marios Koukounaras-Liagkis, Associate Professor of Pedagogy and Religious Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Organizing Committee

Christos Karagiannis, Associate Professor of Old Testament, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Dimitrios Moschos, Professor of Church History, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Ioanna Stoufi-Poulimenou, Professor of Christian Archeology and Art, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Kostas Kornarakis, Professor of Christian Ethics and Bioethics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Christos Karakolis, Professor of New Testament, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Ioannis Panagiotopoulos, Associate Professor of General Church History, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Kirki Kefalea, Professor of Comparative Religious Literature, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Sotirios Despotis, Professor of Interpretation of the New Testament, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Irini Christinaki, Professor of Canon Law, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Registrations: https://religioninsociety.com/2023-conference/registration

Special discounts for NKUA and other Universities and researchers in Greece: Presenter US$ 150, Student Presenter US$ 100

Additional information: https://religioninsociety.com/2023-conference