Mysticism and Politics

2024 Call for Papers

Matthew Cuff, Boston College (MA)

cuffm@bc.edu

Kyle Johnson, Boston College (MA)

johnsaba@bc.edu

The theme for the annual meeting invites us to face the shifting landscape of theological work - in education, research, and leadership. The Mysticism & Politics section invites papers that explore the following related topics: 

• The mystical and the theological: Over the past several decades, much work has been done to bring (or return) so-called “mystical” and “spiritual” frameworks and identities into academic theology. Many theologians now rely upon mystical writings as theological resources. Much more work remains to be done. However, as we think about the shifting contexts of theology, should we consider anew the relationship between the mystical and the academic? What dangers exist, or have already been realized, in this ‘mystical turn’ in theology?  In what ways may the idiosyncrasies and biases of academia impose Euro-centric, colonial, or patriarchal narratives on mystical theologians? 

• Mysticism and race: Mindful of Willie Jennings' important assessment of the theological academy, After Whiteness, we hope to continue to address the persistent presence of racism in academic theology. To that end, we look for research that continues to investigate the intersections of race, power, and mysticism. What connections might there be to white supremacy or colonialism and the definition of what theologies "count" as academic or legitimate? How else might mystical theology continue to engage with questions of race and racism as an aspect of both its basictheological work, and also its position in the racism prevalent in higher education? 

• How does social-political positionality impact mysticism and/or mystical theology? How might we better read mystical theologians, of all time periods, in light of their particular contexts? 

• What resources exist in the mystical and/or political theological traditions for thinking about the changing settings of theological work - outside and beyond the academy? For example: thinking of the common "corpus" of figures who fall in the intersections of mysticism and politics (Thomas Merton, Dorothee Sölle, Howard Thurman) - what do these exemplary figures in our subject area address the task of the theologian, particularly in contexts outside, adjacent, or beyond the academy. 

• Other topics relevant to mysticism and politics which may not neatly fit into the above themes. 

Please submit your proposals by email to Matthew Cuff (cuffm@bc.edu) AND Kyle Johnson (johnsaba@bc.edu).