Religion Call for Papers | @relcfp

NABPR Region-at-Large Call for Papers

CTS/NABPR-RAL 2026 Meeting

Villanova University in Pennsylvania, May 28-31, 2026

The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion (NABPR) Region-at-Large welcomes paper proposals for the 2026 College Theology Society Annual Meeting related to the conference theme of “Reclaiming Faith amid Christian Nationalism.”

Christian nationalism fuses religious identity with nationalist fervor, deploying Christian symbols and rhetoric to advance a political agenda. It is not a religious movement; rather, it is a political movement cloaked in religious language, seeking to wield power and reshape culture according to a particular way of life. As J. Kameron Carter insightfully observes, Christian nationalism is merely “the tip of the iceberg.” Beneath it lies a larger, more insidious force: what Carter calls “the whiteness of religion.” This “whiteness” hides beneath the “sheep’s clothing of religion,” presenting itself as normative and divinely ordained while promoting exclusionary and harmful ideologies. This often includes challenging the scriptural fundamentalism that is usually coupled with authoritarianism, militarism, and opposition to social reforms (e.g., gun control, family structures, etc.).

In this climate, academia has a crucial role to play. Through rigorous research and critical reflection, scholars can expose the duplicity of Christian nationalism and articulate an alternative vision of Christianity rooted in authentic sources and traditions.

Related to these observations, this section is interested in proposals related to the following topics:

• Historical analyses of past and present nationalistic sentiment or conflation in Baptist or baptistic traditions
• Theological reflections on the substance and relevance of Walter Shurden’s “Four Fragile Freedoms” for Baptist life and thought today
• Theological analyses of the everyday material of Christian Nationalism in Baptist and baptistic contexts (e.g., the ubiquitous presence of the American flag behind the pulpit or altar)
• Scriptural studies analyzing and/or critiquing how scripture has been used to fund and/or inform perspectives on nationalism/Christian nationalism
• Constructive theological proposals for public and political engagement in a nonnationalistic or counter-nationalistic vein
• Theological reflection on how ecumenical dialogue (especially Baptist-Catholic ecumenism) can subvert Christian Nationalism and/or its theological underpinnings

Proposals focused on questions unrelated to the conference theme will also be considered. There is also possibility for virtual/hybrid participation in NABPR (this does not apply to CTS sessions). Proposals should be 250-500 words in length and include a title, the proposer’s institutional affiliation, and any anticipated AV needs. Send proposals to Steven Harmon ([email protected]) and Jason Hentschel ([email protected]) by December 15, 2025. Scholars will be notified of proposal status by January 15, 2025.

Inquiries about the call for proposals can be directed to either of the co-conveners.