Christian Theology Across Non-European Cultures: Local Wisdoms and Cross-Philosophical Approaches

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite scholars to contribute to this Special Issue exploring the cross-cultural expressions of Christian theology in non-European philosophical traditions.

Contemporary Christian theology often relies on philosophical traditions rooted in Greco-Roman, Hellenistic, Jewish, and biblical heritage, particularly in the Catholic context, where Thomistic interpretation, based on Aristotelian philosophy, predominates. Canon 252 of the Code of Canon Law explicitly refers to the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas in the education of future clergy. However, as Christianity continues to spread across diverse non-European cultures, a significant question arises: must Christians from these cultures adopt European philosophy to remain faithful to their faith? Or can they express Christian dogmas using indigenous wisdom and philosophy, such as Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, or African and Native American traditions?

This Special Issue aims to explore how Christian theology can be expressed and developed using philosophical and wisdom traditions originating outside of European intellectual heritage. We seek to gather articles that:

• Analyze the integration of local philosophical and religious concepts into Christian theology: for instance, how concepts from Taoism, Buddhism, or African traditions are employed to articulate Christian dogmas.
• Examine the impact of language and translation on theology: how terminology from different cultures influences the understanding and communication of the Christian message.
• Evaluate pastoral practices in non-European contexts: how local traditions and practices are integrated into the life of Christian communities.

We welcome original research articles and reviews, including but not limited to the following areas:

• Case studies: analyses of specific examples of theology developed in various parts of the world, such as in Asian countries (China, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, India), Arab and Middle Eastern countries, and African countries (e.g., Botswana, Niger), as well as in Latin American contexts (e.g., Brazil, Chile) and the indigenous traditions of North America and Oceania.
• Methodological reflections: proposals and assessments of research methods used in intercultural theology.
• Cross-cultural comparisons: investigations of similarities and differences in theological approaches across different cultural traditions.

This Special Issue aligns with the journal's scope by exploring Christianity in its global and intercultural dimensions, contributing to theological, philosophical, and religious studies. In particular, it welcomes research focusing on less-known theological adaptations that have not yet received extensive international scholarly attention.

We hope that this Special Issue will stimulate new research, raise awareness among theologians of the importance of integrating local philosophical and religious traditions into Christian theology, and systematize existing dispersed reflections. We encourage critical and scholarly evaluation of these phenomena, fostering constructive theological discourse.

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 this to the Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki (dkr@uni.opole.pl, dspjkr@gmail.com) and Prof. Dr Piotr Sękowski (Piotr.sekowski@uni.opole.pl, pgfseko@gmail.com) and CC the Assistant Editor, Margaret Liu (margaret.liu@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.

A tentative timeline:
Deadline for abstract submission: 30 July 2025
Deadline for full manuscript submission: 31 December 2025

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Dariusz Klejnowski-Różycki
Dr. Piotr Sękowski
Guest Editors

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.

• Christian theology
• cross-cultural theology
• non-European theological thought
• philosophy and Christianity
• inculturation
• contextual theology
• global Christianity
• theology in Asian, African, and Latin American traditions
• theological language and translation
• non-Western theological perspectives