Constructive Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pauline Theology

Dear Colleagues,

The field of Pauline studies has undergone significant transformations in recent decades, propelled by fresh interpretive frameworks, interdisciplinary methodologies, and growing engagement with contemporary issues. This special issue, Constructive Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pauline Theology, seeks to explore these emerging trajectories by welcoming contributions that focus upon interdisciplinary approaches to Pauline theology—that is, bringing Paul’s theology into dialogue with law, medicine, genetics, politics, sociology, cognitive lingustics, and so on. The aim of this special issue is to foster a vibrant and multifaceted interdisciplinary engagement with Paul’s theology, and by doing so, illuminate its ongoing significance not only within the Christian imagination, but even within broader societal discourse.

Aim and Scope

This issue seeks to investigate Pauline theology through both traditional and innovative interdisciplinary lenses. Contributions are invited to explore fresh readings of Paul that challenge or refine established paradigms, so long as they integrate a significant interdisciplinary component into their investigation. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Investigations that probe what answers Paul might offer in light of ever-increasing political instability sweeping the globe;
• Placing Pauline ethical outlooks in dialogue with secular jurisprudential philosophy;
• Resources within Pauline theology that can be utilized in postsecondary education;
• Examining how Paul’s theology squares with so-called “hot button” issues related to race, gender, or immigration;
• Focused exegetical articles that employ cognitive lingustics, phenomenology, or other postliberal interpretatieve approaches (as a note: historical-critical methods common to the field of biblical studies do not fall within the scope of this special issue unless they can clearly demonstrate a truly interdisciplinary approach to one or more Pauline texts);
• Articles examining the intersection of Pauline theology with transhumanism, AI, or other technological advances;
• Placing Pauline theology in dialogue with discoveries in genetics, biology, psychology, or other medical fields.
• Finding answers within the Pauline corpus to address the church’s role in a post-secular world.

This special issue also encourages focused theological investigations into key Pauline themes (pneumatology, ecclesiology, soteriology), so long as a clear interdisciplinary approach is taken. Articles within this sphere of inquiry can examine doctrinal loci either through close exegesis or through broader historical/theological reflection in order to examine their possible implications for contemporary Christian thought and practice.

We welcome original, unpublished research articles of approximately 7000 to 10,000 words, though longer contributions will be considered where necessary. Submissions should engage rigorously with both primary texts and relevant scholarly literature, employing clear methodology and demonstrating thoughtful interaction with contemporary theological debates. Prior to submitting a full manuscript, we request that interested authors submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor, Michael M. C. Reardon, at mreardon@canadachristiancollege.com. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Michael Reardon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• pauline theology
• interdisciplinary theology
• transhumanism
• artificial intelligence
• medical ethics
• political theology
• eco-theology
• cognitive linguistics
• theology and race
• theology and gender