Where: Alphacrucis University College, Parramatta
When: Friday 6 November 2026
Alphacrucis University College invites proposals for papers exploring the theology of power and the faithful exercise of power in church and society.
Power is at the heart of the Christian faith: God’s power in creation, Christ’s power in weakness, the Spirit’s power in the church and the age to come. Yet power is also a source of tension and controversy in the church and in wider public life. This symposium gathers scholars from disciplines including systematic theology, biblical studies, and practical theology to consider how Christian theology can illuminate power and its uses, misuses, and transformations.
Suggested topics (not limited to):
- Power in the Trinity, Christology, and Pneumatology
- Power and creation
- Biblical theologies of power
- Theology of power and ecclesiology
- Power, love, and justice
- Theology of power in Indigenous perspective
- Theology of power and disability
- Theology of power in the wake of abuse scandals
- Theologies of power in Christian history
Keynote speaker
Greg Boyd is an internationally recognised theologian, preacher, and author. He has been featured on the front page of The New York Times and has featured on CNN, National Public Radio, the BBC and numerous other television and radio outlets. He is the co-founder of Woodland Hills Church in St Paul, Minnesota where he serves as Senior Pastor. He has authored or co-authored 22 books, including Letters From a Skeptic, The Myth of a Christian Nation, Benefit of the Doubt, Cross Vision, God Looks Like Jesus, Inspired Imperfection, and the two-volume Crucifixion of the Warrior God. He is well known for work that rethinks divine power through the cruciform revelation of God in Christ, engaging questions of evil, violence, and the character of God.
Submission Guidelines
- Abstracts of approximately 200 words are to be submitted by 27 March 2026.
- Presentations will be 20 minutes long followed by 10 minutes Q&A.
- Abstracts should be submitted to Mark Jacobson – Mark.Jacobson@ac.edu.au
- Please include the author’s name, highest degree awarded, institutional affiliation, and contact details.
- Papers from doctoral students working in related research areas are welcome.
Accepted papers will be presented at the symposium and will be considered for publication in a subsequent edited volume (submitted to Brill).
For further information, please contact Adam Dodds: adam.dodds@ac.edu.au.