20th European Conference on Science and Theology (ECST XX)
2024-08-28 - 2024-09-01 | University of Split, Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Theme: “Sciences, Theologies, fictions. The construction of narrative in science and religion”
Date: August 28 – September 1, 2024
Place: University of Split (Croatia)
Conference homepage: https://theoscifi.com/
Call for papers: https://theoscifi.com/call-for-papers/
Organiser: ESSSAT (European Society for the Study of Science & Theology)
Plenary Speakers:
Dr Franziska Kohlt (University of Leeds, UK)
Dr Zoe Lehmann (University of Bern, Switzerland)
Dr Renny Thomas (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, India)
Dr Petar Tomev Mitrikeski (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Croatia)

24th Conference of the European Society for Philosophy of Religion – Human Nature and Religion
2024-09-05 - 2024-09-07 | University of Trento, Department of Philosophy and Literature, Via Calepina, 14, Trento, 38122, Italy
The 24th Conference of the European Society for Philosophy of Religion (ESPR) will take place at the
University of Trento, Department of Philosophy and Literature, Trento (Italy) from September 5 – 7, 2024.
For detailed information (program, registration, accommodation, etc.) see the conference website: https://event.unitn.it/espr24/
Participants are invited to present short papers at the conference. The Call for Papers you’ll find here: https://event.unitn.it/espr24/CALL_FOR_PAPERS.pdf
Deadline is March 31, 2024.
Contact e-mail for enquiries: esprconference2024@gmail.com
Keynote speakers
Anna Brożek, University of Warsaw
Roberto Di Ceglie, Pontifical Lateran University, Rome
Fiona Ellis, University of Roehampton
Sebastian Gäb, University of Munich
Massimo Giuliani, University of Trento
Jan-Olav Henriksen, Norwegian School of Theology
Christoph Jedan, University of Groningen
Cornelia Richter, University of Bonn
The ESPR Conference 2024 will focus on the theme of “human nature” from the perspective of the philosophy of religion and theology. Although the notion of human nature may be questioned from different perspectives and even rejected (for example, from the perspective of evolutionary biology, cultural anthropology, and moral relativism), it continues to play a significant role in philosophical reflection. On the one hand, “human nature” has a descriptive meaning, indicating how the human being is made, the set of physical, biological, and cognitive components distinguishing human beings from other living and non-living entities and making them unique. On the other hand, “human nature” has a prescriptive meaning, indicating the set of attitudes, abilities, and actions that make human beings rich in value and human life rich in meaning. In this sense, the notion of human nature still seems ethically relevant, especially today when technology can produce radical transformations in human beings. ESPR Conference 2024 invites papers that explore those issues within any of the following sub-themes:
Sub-theme 1: Metaphysical and epistemological issues
Over the centuries, philosophers have formulated various theories of human nature based on different metaphysical assumptions (dualism, materialism, hylomorphism, etc.). How do such theories interact with current empirical research on human nature? Is there room for them in the framework of the progressive naturalization of philosophical anthropology? What is the proper method for investigating human nature at the intersection of philosophy, science, religion, and theology? Philosophical theories of human nature can be combined with religious worldviews. What’s the right way to do it? Is it the mysterious character of human nature that leads to the religious dimension? Is it rational to think that human beings’ knowledge of themselves ultimately derives from a divine revelation? Does the connection with religion derive from the fact that human beings have a “desiderium naturale Dei”, that is, they are “capax Dei”? Is there a philosophical theory of human nature that can best be combined or even integrated into a religious worldview? Traditionally, dualism has been the best candidate for this, but today, for example, “Christian materialists” contend this privilege. What might the philosophy of mind contribute to a solution of this problem?
Sub-theme 2: Human Nature, Human Destiny, and Transhumanism
The question of human nature is relevant for earthly life and understanding the phenomenon of death and, if it exists, the afterlife. Is death, as it seems, something that essentially belongs to human nature? From a religious perspective, does the finitude of the human being imply death in any case? In what form can religions reconcile the human being with the phenomenon of death? Are religious imagination and theological doctrines of the afterlife rationally and morally plausible? The moral and spiritual flourishing of the human being is conceived by different religious traditions as a state of “perfection”. Does such a notion make sense? What is the relationship between “perfection” and “perfectibility”? Is it plausible to think of the perfection of the human being as a result of physical and cognitive enhancement? Are the finiteness and vulnerability of the human being at odds with an ideal of perfection or perfectibility, both religious and secular? Today, the belief that science and technology can bring about human immortality is spreading. Are “transhumanism” and “posthumanism” religious substitutes or are they the religions of the future? If human beings survive the death of the physical body, how do they continue to exist? Does only one component of the human being continue to exist, or does it continue to be a “whole”? Is it plausible to think that in earthly immortality or in the afterlife, a human being continues to be a “subjectivity” or a “person”? Religious worldviews offer different views of the afterlife but agree on its existence. Is there any evidence of an afterlife? Are there convincing philosophical arguments in favor of reincarnation or resurrection? Does human survival in the afterlife as “souls” make sense?
Sub-theme 3: Human Nature and Religious Diversity
“Human nature” is often presented as a universal concept; however, every great religion has its own understanding of human nature. What are the different religious notions of human nature? To what extent do they converge, and to what extent do they diverge? Can the notion of human nature be employed to develop a comparative view of religions? Might the project of global philosophy of religion benefit from it? This notion potentially has a critical function concerning religious diversity. Is it legitimate to relativize religious differences in the name of a supposedly common human nature? Does it still make sense to aspire, as people did in the 19th century, to a future “religion of humanity”? Should a hypothetical future “religion of humanity” be conceived as the result of religious syncretism or as a “super-religion” entirely different from existing ones? More modestly, can the notion of human nature be useful for interreligious dialogue and interreligious theology? Might it play a role in the critique of religious fundamentalism?
Sub-theme 4: Ethical and Political Issues
“Human nature” traditionally has ethical connotations. It points to what suits human beings for their moral and spiritual flourishing. However, does use of the term commit us to a particular conception of human beings? Is the diversity of goods to which human beings aspire adequately represented by such a concept? Can it accommodate sexual and gender diversity? To what extent is its meaning expandable without losing its function? Classical political philosophy, both ancient and modern, is based on a particular conception of human nature. Does it still make sense in a pluralistic social context? Is the notion of human nature a privileged tool for biopolitics, or might it offer a barrier? Are the notions of human nature and that of the common good of a political community connected? Can we still give a religious meaning to the relationship between the “common good” and the “supreme good”? Human rights are often based on the notion of human nature. How do different religious conceptions of human nature contribute, or fail to contribute, to the ethics of human rights?

Call for Papers: The British Society for the Philosophy of Religion's Sixteenth Conference - Creativity and Creation
2025-03-31
The 2025 conference theme encompasses both human creativity and divine creation, across the full range of religious and philosophical traditions, theistic or otherwise. Presentations may focus on either human creativity or divine creation, or consider the relationship between the two. They may explore the metaphysics, ethics or phenomenology of creative acts (human or divine). We welcome philosophical reflection on the role of the arts in religious life and thought. We also want to consider the creative aspects of philosophical work itself. Conceptual and historical approaches are equally welcome, and attention to both practice and theory is warmly encouraged.

Questions addressed by the conference may include, but are not limited to, the following:

What is the relationship between human creativity and divine creation?
To what extent is philosophical thinking a creative activity?
How can we think philosophically about the role of the arts in religious life?
What is the connection between creativity and desire / knowledge / freedom / flourishing?
What account of agency underpins our conceptions of creation and creativity?
How do alternative models of theism (e.g. pantheism, panentheism, polytheism, classical monotheism) conceptualise creation?

These questions are attracting attention in recent scholarship, and the conference organisers are keen to examine the relevant issues from the vantage point of philosophy of religion as broadly conceived. We welcome papers taking a philosophical and/or theological approach to all aspects of creation and creativity, including secular and diverse religious perspectives. We also encourage submissions from scholars who seek to make connections with other disciplines, such as religious studies, psychology, literature, and cognitive science. Members of under-represented groups are particularly encouraged to submit an abstract.
Those interested in presenting a short paper should send a proposal of no more than 250 words in a Word document to Dr David Worsley (david.worsley@york.ac.uk) no later than 31 March 2025. Please include the paper’s title, and your name, institutional affiliation, and email address (these are not included in the 250 word word limit). We expect to notify people about whether their proposals have been accepted by 30 April 2025.
Some partial bursaries (including bursaries to cover the cost of childcare) may be available for participants who do not have another source of funding for attending the conference, with preference for these given to those who are presenting a paper. If you anticipate being in need of a bursary, please indicate this in your submission.

25th Conference of the European Society for Philosophy of Religion. The Revival of Metaphysics in the Philosophy of Religion. New Universalisms, Catholicities, and their Opposites
2026-09-10 - 2026-09-12 | Catholic University Leuven, Leuven
Call for Papers
Deadline proposals: 15 March 2026
Notification of acceptance: 15 April 2026
Conference registration: before 1 July 2026
Metaphysics, once vehemently criticised by logical positivists and postmodernists alike, seems to make a comeback both in the context of the analytic tradition and of the continental schools of phenomenology and critical thinking. Is there really a return of metaphysics and if so, what types of metaphysics are involved? A return of metaphysics forces us to reconsider our attitude towards premodern and
modern philosophical and theological thought, with implications for the nature and tasks of philosophy of religion. What are the consequences for our view of the relationship between philosophy and theology?
Pressing questions are:
(1) Which varieties of contemporary metaphysics are most relevant for the philosophy of religion? What brings this metaphysical turn about? Can religion do without metaphysics? Is a metaphysical approach in the philosophy of religion in any sense avoidable?
(2) Does a metaphysical turn overcome the standard objections to metaphysics? Is there any truth to post-metaphysical approaches?
(3) Does the emergent universalism within contemporary metaphysics encourage a joint search for common ground between philosophical and religious traditions? Can a revised notion of catholicity which goes beyond particularist approaches, bring different traditions closer together? Or should it strengthen the post-metaphysical critique and formulate opposites at the
limits of possibility of that search?
(4) What are the ethical and political consequences of the return of metaphysics in philosophy of religion? Is a return to metaphysics and universalism in danger of bringing back a discourse of dominance and logocentrism? Is the search for common ground used as power tool?
Short papers proposals and more: Encouraging diverse approaches within the philosophy of religion, this conference invites short papers with a presentation time of 20 minutes (followed by 10 minutes Q&A). Templates for submission of paper proposals will be provided timely via a link on the ESPR website. The names of the keynote speakers will also be announced on the website as soon as available. The use of English is recommended, but the organizers are open to a limited number of papers in German, French or Italian. There will be no hybrid sessions but a separate online section will be organized for those unable to attend. Passive attendance of the plenary sessions will be made possible through live streaming. Submit your proposal online via https://theo.kuleuven.be/en/espr2026.
Keynote speakers will include: Cyro de Florio & Aldo Frigerio (Milan), Petr Dvorak (Prague / Olomouc), Malte Dominik Krüger (Marburg), Julia Jansen (Leuven), Gijsbert van den Brink (Amsterdam), Douglas Hedley (Cambridge), Sami Pihlström (Helsinki), Ivana Noble (Prague).
About the ESPR: The European Society for Philosophy of Religion provides a forum for researchers employing different approaches to the philosophy of religion. See http://www.philosophy-of-religion.org
ESPR board: Walter Van Herck, Andrea Aguti, Hans-Peter Grosshans, Victoria Harrisson, Lubos Rojka, Ulf Zackariasson
KU Leuven hosts: Stephan van Erp (Faculty of Theology) & Henning Tegtmeyer (Institute of Philosophy)
More information about the CfP and its subthemes is offered following the Link to the PDF document of the
Call for papers ESPR2026 final
