Future Religions / Religious Futures Conference - Call for papers

On 23 June 2025 this one day conference will explore the evolving roles of religious spaces as places of social innovation, cultural interaction, and community resilience. This is an open call to academics, practitioners and activists. 

"Chapter House Ceiling - York Minster" by nick.garrod is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
"Chapter House Ceiling - York Minster" by nick.garrod is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

This conference is being organised by The University of Sheffield's School of Architecture and Landscape,  Urban Institute and Muses Mind Machine Research Centre, in partnership with the Sheffield Diocese of the Church of England, The Centre for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements (CenSAMM) and The British Association for the Study of Religions (BASR).

This call for papers to invites contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

  • Innovative Uses of Religious Spaces: How can faith communities reimagine their spaces to address social needs such as food security, youth engagement, and cultural dialogue?
  • Faith-Based Community Engagement: Examining case studies, projects, and initiatives where religious spaces have become hubs of creativity and social support, bridging cultural and generational divides.
  • Future Directions for Religious Spaces: Proposals and visions for the ongoing evolution of religious sites, from interfaith collaborations to partnerships in urban sustainability.
  • Religious Futures: Theoretical reflections on the role of faith and religious institutions in contemporary Britain.

Deadline for abstracts 30th January 2025. 

The conference will also reflect on the first ten months of the project “Future Faith: Religions, Spaces, and Innovations in Yorkshire” (2024 - 2026), funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust.

Full Call for Papers here

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