Social Justice in Theological Education: Challenges and Opportunities

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Religions is dedicated to the topic of social justice in theological education. The broad field of social justice is considered both as content in theological education and as an analytical tool to scrutinize social justice in the structure of theological education itself in a specific context including non-Western epistemic approaches.

Advocacy for social justice and fair relationships with all creation is fundamental to many major religions. In Christianity, for example, a relationship with God is verified through relationships with fellow human beings. Faith influences engagement with society and the environment, emphasizing compassion and support for the oppressed and marginalized, which are central to biblical and church teachings. When writing from the perspective of another religion, an author is expected to demonstrate the importance of social justice within that religion's theology. Theologies interpret religious traditions within specific contexts, making social justice a vital part of theological research and education. This equips future religious leaders, teachers, and believers to confront systemic inequalities and uphold human dignity. Integrating social justice into curricula fosters critical awareness and empowers individuals to become agents of change.

In order to promote the public significance of theology, theological faculties increasingly incorporate social justice themes into their teaching. This includes not only classical theological social ethics but also courses and content such as liberation theology, post-colonial theology, Dalit theology, and feminist theology, which encourage critical reflection on the intersections of faith with social issue. Programmes incorporate diverse perspectives such as cultural, socio-economic, (inter)religious, and ecumenical, as well as those linked to contemporary realities as peace and war, displacement and migration, education, work, and employment, seeking to create an inclusive environment for mutual learning and engagement with reality. Theology also addresses social justice in educational settings that face challenges such as resistance to change and differing views on justice and equality.

Theology confronts epistemological injustice, where certain groups are excluded from the creation of knowledge due to their cultural or social identities like race, gender, class, or religion. Social justice concerns have both local and global dimensions. Theological education adopts these perspectives, helping learners to understand interconnected issues such as privilege, power, poverty, climate change, and human rights. Believers are encouraged to recognize the interconnectedness of all people as God’s creations, promoting a more just and compassionate world. This holistic approach prepares religious communities to advocate effectively for marginalized populations and contribute to societal transformation grounded in faith and justice principles.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

1. Social issues (and possibly different concept meanings) in theological education, either within a specific religious tradition or comparatively, are examined.
2. Interreligious perspectives on positive social change are presented.
3. The importance of religious education in raising awareness of social problems, inequalities, and injustices is demonstrated.
4. Topics such as postcolonial contexts, patriarchal hierarchies, and socio-economic issues are taken into consideration.
5. The issue of epistemic justice in theological education is explored.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor Professor Ana Thea Filipović (thea.filipovic1@gmail.com), and cc the Assistant Editor, Clare Chai (clare.chai@mdpi.com) of Religions. 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. Ana Thea Filipović
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

• social justice
• human rights
• world religions
• public theology
• contextual theologies
• theological education
• epistemic justice