Nagel Legon International Conference 2019
Call for Papers:
African Language, Literature, Music and Prayer Repertoires: Exploring Indigenous Epistemologies and Spiritualities

Date: July 24th–26th, 2019
Venue: University of Ghana, Legon
Contact/Queries: nagel.legon.conference@gmail.com

BACKGROUND

Christianity in Africa offers an abundance of linguistic resources that serve as a wellspring for African spirituality and values. However, while current scholarship that engages African Christianity often focuses on the rapid growth and diverse expressions of the faith on the continent and in the African diaspora, the role of language, music, film, and literature as significant articulations of African spirituality and values remains largely unexplored.

The language that is appropriated to convey experiences of faith and spirituality, including names, attributes and the language used to describe supernatural entities and deitiesmay be seen to represent the embodiment of the contemporary experiences of people’sperceptions. African literature, proverbs, songs, prayers, and appellations are not only repositories of these names and attributes but also fuller expressions of African experiences and perceptions of supersensible entities and their interactions with humans, but also important expressions of indigenous spirituality and values. Similarly, in praise genres we find what has variously been called grassroots, oral, spontaneous, or implicit theology, and represents a typeof “reflective theology” in its own right. Film, home videos and African literary works are yet other mediums in which aspects of African religious values and Christian spirituality are regularly featured.

By engaging religious studies, theology, social sciences, and the arts, this conference seeks to explore indigenous epistemologies and spiritualities through the prism of African language, literature, music, and prayer repertoires. We solicit contributions that explore, engage and analyze African literary works, music, prayers, oral histories, appellations, film, or praises in Africa and the African diaspora, in order to discern ways in which African spirituality and values are perceived and expressed by individuals and religious institutions and local communities. Contributions that raise issues of gender, ethnicity, identity, and colonialism/post-colonialism would be welcome. The conference seeks to demonstrate the importance of inter- and cross- disciplinary scholarship between the arts, humanities, and social sciences for more well- rounded, holistic engagement with African religions and spirituality.

This conference is hosted by the University of Ghana’s Department for the Study ofReligions in partnership with the Nagel Institute’s African Theological Advance Initiative, which is generously supported with funding from the Templeton Religion Trust. For further details, please see https://calvin.edu/centers-institutes/nagel-institute/projects/african-advance/

Please note: for all of the sub-themes, references to Africa or African refer equally to the African diaspora. Papers engaging issues of gender and marginalized voices are particularly welcome. Sub-themes and potential topics around which the conference is organized include but are not limited to the following:

• African spirituality and values from African theological and/or indigenous epistemological lenses
• African religions and spirituality as portrayed in African literature (colonial/post-colonial novels, dramas, poetry, biography/autobiography, etc.)
• African values and spiritualities in historical context

• Contemporary expressions of African religions, spirituality and values in film and media
• African indigenous agents and the promotion of African values and spirituality within

  African Christian mission history

• Oral expressions of African religions, spirituality, and values (prayer, proverbs, parables,

  storytelling, idioms, etc.)

• African spirituality and values expressed within African music (gospel music; reggae;

  worship music; popular cultural music etc.)

• African spirituality, gender and sexuality explored within language, literature and worship

  contexts

  ***Abstracts/Panel proposals: Each prospective presenter should submit an abstract of not more than 250 words by email to nagel.legon.conference@gmail.com by January 31st, 2019.Abstracts must be prepared as Microsoft Word documents and should include the presenter’sname, title of paper, institutional affiliation, and contact information (mailing address, phone number, and email address). Panel proposals should be sent as one document with an overall abstract, and should also include the abstract and personal information for each panel member/presenter. Participants will be notified about the status of their proposals by February 20th, 2019.

  ***Conference Registration and Rates: (including selected refreshments, lunches, and the conference banquet)

  Early Bird Rates (March 1st–30th):

  • Participants from the Global North: $100USD
  • Participants from the Global South: $80
  • Students/unwaged: $50USD

    Late Registration Rate (April 1st–May 10th):

  • Participants from the Global North: $150USD
  • Participants from the Global South: $110USD
  • Students/unwaged: $50USD

    Accommodations: bookings will be available at African Studies Yiri Lodge (Legon Campus):

  • Single room @$70USD
  • Standard Room $50–$80USD
  • Deluxe room @ $100USD
  • Suite @ $120USD

    Participants may also choose to make their own bookings at the nearby Erata hotel. Prices are subject to change; we will post the most up-to-date figures as they are available:

• Single Room @$100USD
• Double Room @$120USD

  **Delegates should be aware that traffic within the city to/from the University can be very heavy and time-consuming; therefore we encourage you to stay on campus!

  Additional Extras:

  We are planning excursions before/after the conference to Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, as well as within Accra. We are also in discussions with the hosts of “Panafest 2019” to see howour participants might join in some of their events. Panafest is an event dedicated to African dance, music, and other performing arts to be held in Cape Coast, 25th July to 2nd August. Further details and costs for these extras will be posted as they become available.

Today perhaps more than ever before, global missionaries encounter numerous forms of crises andhuman suffering in the normal course of their work. Whether it’s poverty in Africa, a Tsunami insoutheast Asia, human trafficking in India, or refugees in Europe and America, the likelihood that missionary efforts will intersect with some form of global crisis appears to be on the rise. What does this mean for mission theology and practice in the 21st century? How will these events shape the future of the church engaged in the Missio Dei? These issues raise important missiological questions for the church, including:

• How do these realities impact the ongoing debate between holistic missions advocates and those who emphasize proclamation?
• What are the implications for indigeneity when it comes to responding to global crises? How can disaster relief efforts build on the knowledge and cultural insight of local churches and local believers? How can local believers be an integral part of disaster response?
• What contextual theologies are coming from the global south that inform modern mission praxis as it relates to human suffering?
• What do global crises mean for North American and European churches, especially in light of materialism and individualism that often characterize Western churches?
• How do global crises and resulting needs affect fundraising strategies?
• How do missionaries and organizations engage in responsible evangelism in the midst of crises?
• How does the concept of Missio Dei relate to responding to human need?
• What are churches among the poor doing to respond to crises in their own communities?
• How do global crises especially affect women and children? How can the church on mission serve the needs of women and children in crises?

  Papers are solicited that address these and other related topics from missiological, theological, historical, sociological, and/or regional perspectives.

  To propose a paper, send a topic title and 200-300 word abstract to marcus.dean@houghton.edu yourregional EMS vice president. Paper proposals submitted by January 23, 2019, will receive priority consideration for acceptance. Accepted papers should be 4500-7000 words in length and use Chicago Turabian author-date citation format. Selected papers presented at the regional meetings will be invited to be presented at the annual EMS meeting in Dallas, September 13-15, 2019, leading to the possibility of being published as a chapter in the EMS Annual Compendium for 2020.

  2019 EMS conference chairs:

  Kirsten Priest (kersten.priest@indwes.edu)
  Michelle Raven (Michelle.Raven@ciu.edu)
  Jerry M. Ireland (irelandj@evangel.edu)