CHRISTIAN CONVERSION AND EVANGELIZATION
XXXI INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM
14-16 APRIL 2010
CONFERENCE THEME
In the field of religious studies, the term conversion refers to a rich and variegated reality, interpreted in varied ways according to the different historical epochs, cultural milieus, and theological traditions. In a general sense, the term refers to the human being's turning towards God, through adherence to a new religion or return to a religious tradition earlier abandoned (through neglect, indifference, etc.). In Christian theology, conversion is understood to have two fundamental modes: passage from a state of ignorance or denial of God into that of belonging to Christ and his Church; or returning to God after having fallen away through sin.
A certain mistrust towards the phenomenon of conversion is noticeable in present-day culture. This is due to various convergent factors: the widespread critique of past instances of forced conversions and religious violence; popular repugnance towards illegitimate means employed by sects and religious groups in order to gain adherents; a prevalent agnostic atmosphere that makes anything involved with religious commitment be viewed with suspicion.
Alongside such factors, certain theological and pastoral theses derived from a pluralistic theology of religion have become influential in recent decades. By questioning the uniqueness and universality of salvation offered by Jesus Christ and the Church, such theses have led to a weakening of the Christian summons to conversion and rendered partially ineffective Christ's mandate of proclaiming the Good News to all nations. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in an effort to clarify the theological problems involved in modern-day evangelization, issued a Doctrinal Note on some Aspects of Evangelization on 3 December 2007.
The actual context described above would seem to justify a Symposium centered on the genuine nature of conversion, as an occasion to look with a fresh gaze on the necessity and legitimacy of Christian evangelization, and on fundamental aspects of human existence (the meaning of life, the search for truth and good, the meaning of human freedom), social and political life (religious freedom, secularization and secularism), and theology itself (interfaith relations, ecumenical dialogue and "proselytizing", etc.)...
Since religious conversion -and more specifically Christian conversion- is a complex and articulated phenomenon, it is convenient to adopt an interdisciplinary approach, wherein theological reflection is enriched by knowledge from the human sciences (psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, etc.) as well as findings of recent research on religious conversion by the experimental sciences (neurosciences, biogenetics).
EXPLANATION OF THE PROGRAM
The first day of the symposium will be devoted to analyzing the specific nature of Christian conversion.
The second day will deal with the Church's evangelizing mission, considered from the historical, ecclesiological and anthropological points of view.
The third day will continue to explore the theme of the previous day, focusing special attention on Christian testimony as a privileged mode of evangelization.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
President: Prof. Jutta Burggraf
Prof. José Alviar
Prof. Juan Alonso
Prof. Fernando Milán
Secretary: Eduardo Flandes
PAPERS
Registered participants may present oral communications related to the conference themes. Those who wish to do so must submit a summary of their communications to Professor Fernando Milán (fmilan@unav.es) before 1 March 2010. Only communications approved by the Organizing Committee will be presented orally. Each author will be allotted a maximum of 15 minutes (around 1,500 words) for the presentation. The Organizing Committee will decide the eventual inclusion of any given communication in the published Proceedings.
REGISTRATION
Registration as Symposium participant: 100 euros (members of the Alumni Association and students of the University of Navarra: 50 euros). Registration entitles the participant to receive all documentation issued in the Symposium, a certificate of participation, and the published Proceedings.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
If you wish to register for the Symposium, kindly fill out and send this form:
