TUTP Research Conference in Theology and Religion

The Research Conference in Theology and Religion will be held for the fourth time on May 11–13, 2026 in Helsinki! The theme of the conference is Religion and Theology in Times of Uncertainty. Sessions can be proposed no later than 15.10.2025 via this link. Call for papers will be opened later this fall.

The conference is organized by Finnish learned societies in the field with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Helsinki.

More information https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/research-conference-theology-and-religion-2026 and on Facebook.

Keynote-speakers

Kristina Stoeckl is professor of sociology at the LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome. Her main areas of research are sociology of religion, political sociology, and social and political theory. She is a leading specialist on the global connections and dynamics of far-right Christianity, of Russian Orthodoxy and religion-state relations in Russia. https://www.kristinastoeckl.eu/ 

Tore Johnsen is associate professor at VID Specialized University, Norway. His areas of specialization include contextual theology, decolonization, ecotheology, indigenous issues, Sami religion, Sami theology, as well as political reconciliation and peace processes. https://www.vid.no/en/employees/tore-johnsen

Elisa Uusimäki is professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism at the School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University. She is an expert on the literary and cultural history of Judaism in antiquity and she serves as the PI of the ERC project “An Intersectional Analysis of Ancient Jewish Travel Narratives.” https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/elisa.uusimaki%40cas.au.dk

We warmly invite proposals for working groups to the Research conference in theology and religion 2026. Proposed working groups may organize open sessions (an open call for papers will be published at the end of 2025) or closed sessions with a prepared list of presentations. A session can also be a combination of the open and closed format. Every session is 1.5 hours long. A working group can organize more than one session.

Proposal for a working group should include:

• Title of the session(s)
• Description of the session(s) and information of what kind of presentations are welcomed, with a maximum of 200 words
• Contact information of the organizers (name, affiliation, E-mail, telephone number). In case of a closed session, kindly include a list of presenters and their topics.
• Language(s) used in the session(s) (Finnish, Swedish, English or a combination of these)

Proposals are asked to be submitted no later than October 15th, 2025, via this link.

Organizers

Teologinen Julkaisuseura

Suomalainen Teologinen Kirjallisuusseura

Suomen Eksegeettinen Seura

Diakonian Tutkimuksen Seura

Hymnologian ja liturgiikan seura

The International Society for Orthodox Church Music

Karjalan teologinen seura

Luther-Agricola-Seura

Suomen kirkkohistoriallinen seura

Suomen patristinen seura

Suomen Uskontotieteellinen Seura

Uskonnon, katsomuksen ja kasvatuksen tutkimusseura

In collaboration with

Helsingin yliopiston teologinen tiedekunta

Centre for the Study of Christian Cultures

Donnerska institutet

Kirkon tutkimus ja koulutus

Teologinen Aikakauskirja

teologia.fi

The organizing committee

Outi Lehtipuu, chairperson, outi.lehtipuu@helsinki.fi (Teologinen Julkaisuseura)

Rosa Huotari, conference secretary, rosa.huotari@helsinki.fi (Diakonian tutkimuksen seura)

Toni Koivulahti, conference secretary, toni.koivulahti@helsinki.fi (Suomalainen Teologinen Kirjallisuudenseura, teologia.fi)

Johanna Salovaara, conference secretary, johanna.salovaara@helsinki.fi (Teologinen Julkaisuseura)

Petri Luomanen, petri.luomanen@helsinki.fi (Suomen Eksegeettinen Seura)

Henrietta Grönlund, henrietta.gronlund@helsinki.fi (Suomalainen Teologinen Kirjallisuudenseura)

Heta Hurskainen, heta.hurskainen@uef.fi (UEF, Karjalan teologinen seura)