10th—Anniversary— International Theological Conference

Saint Petersburg Christian University—The Spiritual Educational Organization of Higher Education of the Evangelical Christian Baptists

 6-7 November 2020 г. will be held—Anniversary— International Theological Conference

The conference topic for this year is “Religious Experience in Daily Life throughout History: Family, Work, Leisure”.

Men and women living in a world of modern technology face a number of daunting questions. “What is religious experience?” “What methods and approaches can be used to explore day-to-day religious experience in both the past and present?” “What does it mean to be a religious person – a person of faith – in consumer societies focused on quick turn-around and tangible progress?” “How and in what areas of life can religious experience assist the modern person?” “Isn’t religion (and religious experience) a relic of the past and, worse, a stumbling block toward progress and the uniting of individuals in a free society?” “Is religious experience subjective or objective, and how (or is it even possible) to study it?”

At present, the western world is asking these and other related questions about religious experience, how it evidences itself in daily existence, and how it is to be understood. A comprehensive reevaluation of individual and corporate identity (“who am I/we?”) – and the ground of this identity – is currently in progress.

With this in mind, the conference this year will consider all aspects of day-to-day religious experience in the family, at work, leisure, etc. through the prism of biblical studies, theology (including biblical, systematic, and practical), Christian counseling and psychology, and the history of the Christian Church from antiquity to the present day.

• Representatives of the scholarly community, as well as religious associations and organizations are invited to participate in the conference.

Conference attendees will include leading biblical and religious scholars, historians, and theologians from Russia, Germany, the United States, and other countries.

Daniel Samoylenkov secretary of conference dsamoylenkov@spbcu.ru

Registration Requirements

In order to participate as a conference presenter, applications with a short biographical note with name and affiliation (including a 300-400 word abstract) must be submitted no later than April 1, 2020. These should be emailed to the conference secretary, Daniel Samoylenkov (dsamoylenkov@spbcu.ru). The conference committee will consider all applications received by April 1 for their compliance with the conference topic and standards for scholarly inquiry. Presenters whose applications are approved will be sent confirmation letters no later than October 15, 2020.

Publication of Articles after the Conference

After the conference, a collection of articles entitled “Questiones Theologicae: Biblical Studies, Church History, and Practice” will be published. Articles for publication in the collection must be submitted to the conference secretary (dsamoylenkov@spbcu.ru) no later than March 1, 2020. The conference committee will determine which articles are to be published and reserves the right to refuse publication of any article that does not meet the requirements for scholarly work.

Conference Transportation Costs, Accommodation, and Meals

Transportation costs are covered by the conference presenters and participants.

St. Petersburg Christian University will provide non-resident conference presenters both accommodation at the university hotel, and meals during the conference, at no cost.

Non-presenting conference participants may access accommodations and meals at the following rates:

(a) accommodation in double rooms-750 rubles/day (double occupancy), and 1500 rubles/day                                              (single occupancy)

(b) three meals per day in the university cafeteria @ 500 rubles/day per person

* Presenters and conference participants must book their own accommodation by contacting the hotel manager at reception@spbcu.ru

Respectfully,

Members of the Conference Committee:

1. A. Alikin, Ph.D. – Rector of SPbCU and Chair of the Department of Theology and Church History
2. V. Karyakina, Ph.D. – Deputy Vice-Rector for Licensing and Accreditation
3. K. Nikolskaya, Ph. D.
4. I. Makarenko, Ph.D – Chair of the Department of Practical Theology

D. S. Samoylenkov – Conference Academic Secretary