Revitalising Peace Theologies for Today: A Multi-Faith Peace Conference
A peace conference hosted by the Centre for Faith in Public Life at Wesley House, Cambridge, England, 5-6 June 2025 at Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge.
The conference will bring together religious practitioners, scholars, and theologians for an in-person multi-faith conference which aims to revitalise non-violent theologies of peace.
Contact Dr Richard Davis rd652@cam.ac.uk
Conference Registration
Opened 1 February 2025
The registration form is on Eventbrite
(tickets are £60/£80)
Call for Papers (deadline 31 January 2025)
[download Call for Papers as a PDF]
It’s estimated that one in four of the world’s population are affected by conflict. Interstate conflict is increasing and the threat of nuclear warfare has returned. This means issues of war, peace and activism have moved out of the ethics classroom into the lived reality of many faiths around the world. This conference provides a chance to explore the notion and practices of peace from a range of religious perspectives and from the viewpoints of many different actors.
The conference will bring together religious practitioners, scholars, and theologians for an in-person multi-faith conference which aims to revitalise non-violent theologies of peace. We welcome paper proposals from a range of faith traditions, global contexts, and disciplines that aim at understanding, promoting, and enacting peace within oneself, communities, and nations. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Faith-inspired nonviolent resistance and direct action
- Pacifism in theory or practice
- Studies of nonviolent religious figures (eg Leo Tolstoy, Gandhi, Jane Addams, Thich Nhat Hanh, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Dorothy Day)
- Conscientious objection to military service
- Militarism, memory, and remembrance
- Faith-inspired disarmament and demilitarisation
- Peace in worship (eg liturgy, prayers, songs, rituals, sacraments)
- The relationship between peace and justice
- Peace in the Hebrew scriptures, Quran, or Christian Bible or other sacred texts
- Just war or just peace theory and its critics
- War, peace, and the environment
- Coexistence in religiously pluralistic societies
- Indigenous peace perspectives
- Religion, peace and intersectionality (eg race, gender, sexuality, class, age)
- Forgiveness, repentance, reconciliation
- Faith-inspired conflict resolution and mediation
- Catholic Social Teaching on peace
- Faiths in conflict and interfaith peace initiatives
Selection criteria for abstracts include the originality of the proposal, its relevance to the conference themes, and the potential for peer-reviewed publication. The organisers are looking for papers that will cohere together into a well-curated conference. The organisers reserve the right to decline any paper proposal.
The Conference presentation time slots will all be 30 minutes (aim for 20 minutes plus 10 minutes discussion). All presentations will made be in person in Cambridge, England. There is no possibility to present online.
Papers submissions are now closed.
Conference Programme and Timings
The Conference timings will be:
Thursday 5 June 2025
- 09:00 – 14:45 Conference Presentations
- Session 1: Peace in Israel and Palestine (2 papers)
- Session 2: Peace in Ecumenical and Interfaith Settings (3 papers)
- Session 3: African Cultural Wisdom and Peace (3 papers)
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- 15:15 – 16:45 The Edward Rogers Memorial Lecture by Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño: ‘The Spirit that Crosses Borders‘
- 17:15 Eucharist Service
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- 18:30 Conference Dinner at Wesley House. Please note spaces for the dinner are now fully booked
Friday 6 June 2025
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- 08:45 – 17:15 Conference Presentations
- Session 4: Peace, Justice, and Nonviolence (3 papers)
- Session 5: Christian Theologies in Context (3 papers)
- Session 6: Costly Religious Peace Witness (3 papers)
- Session 7: Peacebuilding through Religious Traditions (3 papers)
- 08:45 – 17:15 Conference Presentations
Venue
The Conference will be held at
Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge
Christ’s Pieces
Cambridge, CB1 1LG
United Kingdom
The conference will have a quiet room for prayers of all kinds available during the conference.
Accommodation and Travel
Conference participants will need to make their own accommodation arrangements.
Some options and guides:
- Other places to stay in Cambridge (guide provided by Wesley House)
- Travel Lodge hotel chain
- Premier Inn hotel chain
- Booking.com – Cambridge
Travel
Conference participants will need to make their own travel arrangements. We can help with visa invitation letters, should they be needed.
By Air
- London Stansted Airport (STN) is the nearest major airport, approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Cambridge. Regular train services run from Stansted Airport to Cambridge Railway Station, taking 30–40 minutes. Alternatively, coach services (National Express) are available.
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR): Located about 70 miles (112 km) from Cambridge, Heathrow offers extensive international connections. Travel options to Cambridge include train services via London King’s Cross or Liverpool Street stations or direct coach services (National Express).
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW): Approximately 90 miles (145 km) from Cambridge, Gatwick provides domestic and international flights. Travel to Cambridge can be made by direct train.
- Other airports are London Luton Airport (LLA) and London City Airport (LCY).
By Rail
- Cambridge has two rail stations: Cambridge (CBG) and Cambridge North (CMB). Cambridge, the main station, is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Wesley Church and offers services to and from major cities, including London, Norwich, and Birmingham. You can take a taxi or bus or walk 30 minutes to Wesley Church. The National Rail Enquiries website, www.nationalrail.co.uk, and mobile app show train times and allow you to book tickets. Other sources of train tickets can be made, such as in person at the rail station, via www.thetrainline.com, and the train operators’ websites. You can often save money for long-distance travel by booking in advance and looking for off-peak fares.
By Coach
- Regarding long-distance buses, National Express www.nationalexpress.com operates long-distance services, including routes to Heathrow, Stansted and Luton airports.
- Regarding local buses, Cambridge’s extensive bus network connects various parts of the city. Several routes have stops near Jesus Lane, within walking distance of Wesley Church. For detailed routes and schedules, consult the Cambridge City Council’s public transport information. However, Google Maps is good for planning journeys by public transport in the UK. Local real-time bus information can be accessed via an app or website www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/travel-roads-and-parking/buses/real-time-bus-information
For precise travel planning, consider using Google Maps to explore various transportation options and routes.
