The Standing Committee of Societas oecumenica, comprising Simone Sinn, Robert Svatoň, Heta Hursakinen, Peter-Ben Smith, and Dimitrios Keramidas, came together for a working meeting in Prague. The meeting took place over the weekend of December 5–7, 2025, in space generously provided by the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Protestant Theological Faculty, which is a member of our European society for ecumenical theology.
The meeting, which was also attended online by Societas oecumenica treasurer Agnes Slunitschek, focused primarily on preparations for the 23rd Academic Consultation, which will take place from August 21 to 25, 2026, in Utrecht. Questions were raised regarding the consultation program, its financial arrangements, as well as the call for papers and the registration process.
Among the academics who accepted the invitation to speak at the conference during the panel sessions, we can mention Regina Elsner, Sara Gehlin, Sam Goyvaerts, James Hawkey, Pantelis Kalaitzidis, Annemarie Mayer, Tim Noble, Mattijs Ploeger, Anthony Reddie, Angus Ritchie, Debora Tonelli, Pieter Vos, Helga Wets and Edda Wolff.
The main theme of the academic consultation, “Churches in the Midst of Polarisation,” will be developed in six panel sections as follows: 1) Types of polarisations in churches and in society; 2) Church as a de/colonising space; 3) Advocacy or diplomacy: The role of the churches in polarising contexts; 4) Gender as a de/polarising topic; 5) Symbol and ritual mediation in reconciling polarisations; 6) Truth finding in the context of de/polarisation.
As always, younger and older scholars will be offered the opportunity to give a short paper on the main theme or its sub-themes during the consultation. The call for papers will be published before Christmas.
A new addition to the registration process, which should begin at the end of February 2026, will be a special conference fee for members of Societas oecumenica who have paid their membership fees for the last two years.
In addition to lectures by leading experts and academic debates, participants can also look forward to the ecumenically inspiring environment of the consultation venue itself, the city of Utrecht. Several local scientific and church institutions are involved in the preparation of the event. An exeptional part of the program will also be the opportunity to celebrate Sunday services in one of several local congregations and, of course, excursions, which traditionally enrich the Sunday program.
The Advent meeting of the Standing Committee in Prague was entirely devoted to work, but also filled with expectations and joy at the approaching academic consultation.
