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Call for Papers Theme: Wittgenstein and Interreligious Communication Type: International Conference Institution: Woolf Institute, Cambridge Westminster College, University of Cambridge Location: Cambridge (United Kingdom) Date: 24.–25.6.2015 Deadline: 28.3.2015 __________________________________________________ Since the 1980s, Ludwig Wittgenstein’s thought has been engaged with in various ways in order to elucidate (the possibilities of) interreligious communication. In Christian theology, particularly influential approaches that have claimed Wittgenstein as inspiration are Post-Liberal (George Lindbeck), Grammatical Thomist (David Burrell), and Liberal Comparative (Keith Ward, Klaus von Stosch). Several Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu thinkers, too, have engaged with Wittgenstein while working on various kinds of discursive encounters between members of different religions. In philosophy, some scholars have, for example, taken the concept religion as a ‘family-resemblance concept’ (Philosophical Investigations, §§ 66-67) in working out the relationships between conceptual and belief-systems of different religions (John Hick, Victoria Harrison). The conference Wittgenstein and Interreligious Communication, organized by The Woolf Institute, will provide a platform for conversation on recent and current approaches from these and other theological and philosophical perspectives towards interreligious communication that engage with Wittgenstein’s thought. These include approaches which take Wittgenstein’s philosophy as a methodological framework; or as a resource for fruitful ideas within a ‘non-Wittgensteinian’ framework; or, as an approach to be critiqued. There may also be ways of engaging Wittgenstein in this area of study which haven’t been analysed or even thought of before, especially considering the fact that we are currently witnessing a new wave of exciting publications of Wittgenstein’s previously unpublished notes, and those taken down by others during his lectures. At the conference Wittgenstein and Interreligious Communication we want to provide space for a limited number of early career and established scholars, theologians and philosophers, with a special interest in Wittgenstein and interreligious encounters, to get to know each other, discuss their work, and learn from one another. The conference is conceived as relatively small in scale, with 3-5 longer lectures by invited experts, between 12 and 15 short papers, selected by a panel of convenors, as well as a poetry reading by Wittgensteinian poet and researcher Mike Rose-Steel. The conference will take place at Westminster College, Cambridge, on 24-25 June 2015. Submissions In addition to the lectures, 20 minute papers are invited on topics within the following areas: 1. Fresh developments in, or critical examination of, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or other tradition-directed approaches towards interreligious communication, understanding or (dis)agreement, that engage with Wittgenstein’s thought 2. Fresh developments in, or critical examination of, comparative theological perspectives, as well as alternative or unorthodox approaches to interreligious communication which relate to the Abrahamic traditions and engage with Wittgenstein 3. Examinations of Wittgenstein’s relevance for, or influence on, practices of interfaith communication, such as Scriptural Reasoning and comparative-theologically structured higher education (concrete case-studies welcome) 4. Fresh philosophical, exegetical or interpretive work on Wittgenstein’s thought, or theological engagement with recent interpretations of Wittgenstein, relevant for the topic of interreligious communication. To apply, please send the title and the abstract of your paper (400 words) to Gorazd Andrejč at [email protected] by 28 March 2015. Number of places for papers is limited. Senior and junior academics, postdocs, and PhD students in the advanced stages of their PhD research are invited to apply. Papers will be chosen by a panel of convenors within the first two weeks of April on the basis of their academic quality, originality and the extent to which the topic of the paper fits within the conference theme. Applications that arrive after the deadline will not be considered. Main Speakers Klaus von Stosch (University of Paderborn): Wittgenstein’s Later Philosophy as Foundation for Comparative Theology Mikel Burley (University of Leeds): ‘Being Near Enough to Listen': Wittgenstein and Interreligious Understanding Sajjad Rizvi (University of Exeter): Apophatic Language, Mysticism, and Interreligious Communication Daniel Weiss (University of Cambridge): The God of the Intellect and the God of Lived Religion(s): Reflections on Maimonides, Wittgenstein and Burrell Paul Cortois (KU Leuven): On the Souls of Persons and Places Convenors: Gorazd Andrejč, Daniel Weiss Conference website: https://wittcomm.wordpress.com __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org __________________________________________________
