Call for Papers: The Uniting Church and the Middle East

The relationship between the Christian Churches and the "Middle East" is complex, diverse and contested. Geopolitical and theological issues not only intersect with each other, they are also prone to be enfolded into one another with significant consequences. The post October 7th 2023 conflict has heightened these issues. The Uniting Church engages them on multiple fronts:    

•  the existence & role of Middle Eastern congregations within the UCA
•  the relationship between the UCA and Australia's Jewish community
•  the theological understanding of Israel
•  the biblical and theological idea of 'election'
•  the reception of Palestinian Christian voices within the UCA
• responses within the UCA to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

  Academic papers on these and related themes are invited for consideration in the June 2026 issue of Uniting Church Studies which will be co-edited by Dr Geoff Thompson and Dr Clive Pearson. Papers will be expected to illuminate these issues in ways that engage the Journal's audience, which straddles the academy and the church. Papers should be submitted by March 15th 2026. Papers which are consistent with this call for papers and the purposes of the Journal will be peer reviewed through a double-blind review process. All submissions must be made via the Uniting Church Studies website (www.unitingchurchstudies.org.au, and look for the Submissions tab), following all the submission protocols indicated there.