secular

Posted on by katieaston Calls for Papers, News and Events

CFP: Alternative Salvations, 18 September 2012

Space for secular and non-religious readings of salvation, particularly for those working in a variety of Christian cultural contexts.
One Day Conference, Sept 18th 2012, University of Chester

The conference will explore how ‘unorthodox’ readings of sacred texts inform salvation experience; how life
transformations outside of religious contexts might be considered spiritual; how ideas of this-worldly salvation
are politicised; how ideas of salvation are simultaneously secularised and infused with new power; what alternative salvations can be discovered within Christianity and how might they be practised? In particular, we are seeking to  explore the ways that alternative religious, spiritual and secular understandings of the notion of salvation already shape, and have the potential to shape, how people live and act in Christian and post-Christian contexts .

This exciting conference breaks new ground in exploring alternative approaches to salvation. Proposals for
short papers are invited on any aspect of the theme of ‘alternative salvations’ as outlined here. Papers will normally be 20 minutes in length with an additional 10 minutes for discussion. Applications to submit a short paper should include:
• Proposer’s name and affiliation
• a title for the paper
• a 200 word abstract
• Details of any audio-visual equipment you will need to deliver your paper
Short paper proposals should be submitted to alternativesalvations@chester.ac.uk by no later than 4:00pm on 16th April 2012.

Applicants should know the outcome of their proposal by 18th May 2012.
Conference costs: £28 (£18 for unwaged and students) inclusive of lunch and refreshments.

If you would like any further information, please contact: alternativesalvations@chester.ac.uk

Posted on by katieaston News, Publications

The Social Science of Secularity – Frank L. Pasquale writes up the study of non-religion to date and predicts a “coherent and enduring field of enquiry”

The Council for Secular Humanists has published a paper by Frank L. Pasquale, titled “The Social Science of Secularity”

Following a failure of irreligious studies to get off the ground in 1971, the purposeful study of the non-religious has again attempted flight and seems to be rocketing, as a subject in its own right, as much NSRN work can attest. This is a fact championed by Pasquale who gives the NSRN a good write up as an “innovative organisation”.

Pasquale gives a useful overview of the breadth of current research and the genesis of organisations such as the NSRN and CAR (Center for Atheist Research). He pays particular attention to key areas needing serious consideration from researchers, including the thorny issue of terminology, accurate description and characterisation. Other key areas include  health, pluralisation of world-views and all “will increasingly need to direct attention to the vast and apparently growing mass of “seculous,” “religular,” or “fuzzy” types in between”.