Call for Papers | Political Theologies of Constitutions, the Rule of Law, and the Common Good
The McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life is delighted to be among the sponsors of the upcoming Political Theologies 2026 conference, Political Theologies of Constitutions, the Rule of Law, and the Common Good, taking place at the University of Cambridge this April.
Now in its sixth iteration, the Political Theologies series brings together scholars across theology, law, politics, and the humanities to explore how religious and moral thought shape our shared civic and political life.
This year’s theme turns to the constitution - not only as a legal framework, but as a symbolic and practical foundation for communal life. As polarisation, individualisation, and social fragmentation reshape many democracies, the conference asks how constitutions and the stories we tell about them can sustain pluralism, resilience, and a renewed sense of the common good.
Scholars are invited to engage questions such as:
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How do constitutions embody and enable conceptions of the common good?
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What theological and ethical narratives underlie constitutional traditions?
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How do religion and law interact in shaping political settlements and democratic resilience?
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In what ways do political theologies of pluralism contribute to a more inclusive civic life?
The conference welcomes proposals from researchers in theology, political theory, sociology, law, philosophy, history, and religious studies, with a special invitation to early- and mid-career scholars.
Submissions Guidelines:
- A paper title, 200-word abstract, and short biography should be sent by 6 December 2025 to mdcv2@cam.ac.uk or pamela.slotte.russo@abo.fi
- Notifications will be sent by 17 December 2025, with short conference briefs (approx. 2,000 words) due by 1 April 2026.
- A college dinner will be held on 23 April 2026, and limited travel bursaries are available based on need.
The conference is generously supported by the Landecker Foundation, DAAD-Cambridge Research Hub for German Studies, Åbo Akademi University, Huffington Ecumenical Institute, Inez and Julius Polin Institute for Theological Research, and the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life at the University of Oxford.
The Political Theologies series grew out of the Protestant Political Thought project hosted at Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and continues as part of the Landecker Lectureship “Imagining Sacred Lands” at the University of Cambridge.
