The future hastens towards us, with challenges, but also possibilities and ambiguities: Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, transhumanism, virtual realities, social and ecological changes, and a throng of ‘posts’: post-pandemic, post-Christendom, post-democracy, post-Western, post-Whiteness, post-orthodoxy—even, some suggest, post-human.
Christian Scripture and tradition have long provided resources for an orientation toward the future (promise and fulfilment; messianic expectation; resurrection, return, redemption and the renewal of creation). This orientation also poses the question: what might future theology and future biblical scholarship discover, consider, and contribute? What about future practical theology, future ethics, future contextual or constructive theology, future political theology, and even future historical research? What new methods might emerge? What exegetical and doctrinal questions might preoccupy us? What might future pedagogy and formation entail?The aim of this conference theme is to provoke reflection on what future theology in its various disciplines might say and do, as well as what its future context might look like. A major emphasis for the conference is that theology might be a creative, constructive, and contributory voice, speaking hope-fully into public discourse, the academy, and its ecclesial domains.
Our keynote speakers for ANZATS 2022 are Willie James Jennings (Yale University; formerly of Duke and Fuller) and Victoria Lorrimar (Trinity College, Brisbane). It is anticipated that Professor Jennings will address questions of race, theology, contextuality, and pedagogy in future perspective, while Dr Lorrimar will draw on her research specialisms in biotechnological human enhancement, theological anthropology and eschatology to stimulate further conversation and imagination. https://anzats.edu.au/conferences/anzats-2022/

Summer School: Introduction to Public Theology – 8 week course Tuesday nights, 6.30 – 9.30 pm In person at Wesley House, or online via Zoom What does it mean for faith communities to engage in public discourse? Is there a common good? Can “God-talk” still make a positive contribution to society? You are invited to explore these questions over 8 weeks in the first cooperative Summer School. During the course we will investigate the nature of public theology, explore pop culture, examine forms of public dialogue from political speeches to viral memes, and stage our own conversation on four critical social issues in our time. We will meet for 8 sessions on Tuesday nights (in person and online), starting on 11 January, 2022. For those who are joining us online, we will send you the Zoom link closer to the start date. Purchasing a ticket gives you access to all 8 sessions and all course materials:11 January 18 January 25 January 1 February8 February 15 February 22 February 1 March We have one copy of the book “Enacting a Public Theology” by Clive Pearson to give away! Everyone who registers for Summer School will go into the draw to win. The winner will be announced in January 2022…https://events.humanitix.com/the-cooperative-summer-schoo