Call for Papers is now closed.

We invite proposals for papers and sessions that address all aspects of the theme of the conference concerning both doctrine and practice. We especially encourage papers that address or explore

  • ways in which churches have honored ecclesial diversity, or can do so more effectively
  • the marks and practices of churches that embody diversity
  • how churches attend to, or do not attend to, their own evolving diversities
  • pathways that might heal, restore, embrace, and transfigure the body of Christ

The conference will be conducted in a hybrid mode, allowing participants to attend in person or at a distance. All plenary and simultaneous sessions will be conducted with teleconferencing technology to accommodate those who are participating at a distance. Plenary sessions will be conducted in person with livestreaming of the session. Papers for simultaneous sessions may be given at a distance through teleconferencing. Requests to present a paper at a distance may be made at the time of the initial proposal, but must be made no later than May 1, 2024, to allow time for notice to be included in the program.

All proposals are to be submitted in English. Proposals should be in the form of an abstract of 125 to 150 words, accompanied by 3 to 5 keywords which identify central concepts. Proposals should also be accompanied by a brief biographical statement of the author up to 25 words in length that includes institutional location (“Independent Scholar” is an institutional location). Sessions will be organized to allow for twenty minutes for each paper followed by discussion, so please plan your final paper accordingly.

We will accept proposals both for individual papers or for complete sessions. In the case of proposals for complete sessions, we ask that one combined proposal be submitted with the names of each presenter, a brief description of the planned content of each individual paper, and a brief biographical statement with their institutional location. Simultaneous sessions are 90 minutes in length, with sufficient time allocated at the end for discussion. Proposals for complete sessions should plan accordingly for the length of time allotted to each participant.

We also welcome proposals for complete sessions that will be conducted in a language other than English, providing that all presenters are prepared to participate in that language. Conference organizers will seek to provide assistance with translation during such sessions as possible, but cannot promise to do so. Participants may also provide full translations or summaries of their papers in English.

All submissions will receive a reply. If you do not receive a reply within one month of your submission, contact us at info@ei-research.net to be sure we received the proposal.

Final acceptance of papers will be conditional upon prior registration for the conference. The registration fee is $150USD per person / $75USD for students. Further information can be found online at this page.

Limited financial aid is available for those without institutional support. For information on financial aid, contact info@ei-research.net. Please note that we cannot provide assistance with visa applications other than to confirm the participation of persons who are fully registered.

The Graymoor Institute is also providing support for this conference, scholarships to bring emerging voices, particularly students, to this EI event. If you belong to this group, we ask you to note this when submitting your proposal (there is a corresponding box for this in the paper submission form) and we will then forward your application to the institute.

Ecclesiological Investigations actively supports the publication of papers that are delivered at its conferences. The network currently has a dedicated academic book series entitled Pathways for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue published by Palgrave Macmillan where selected papers from each conference are published. Papers from previous conferences have also been published in the Journal of World Christianity, Ecumenical Trends, and other journals.

We hope it will be possible for you to be part of this gathering and we look forward to seeing you in Chicago in June 2024!