The venue takes place in Arken, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2.

The program and sessions are now published Program and sessions

Presentators

Bring your PowerPoint presentations on an USB memory stick and arrive 10-15 minutes before the beginning of the session in which you have your presentation, so that you have time to download your PowerPoint on conference room PC. That allows us smooth transitions between presentations. If you like, you can also send your presentation in advance to your session leaders.

WEDNESDAY 22.5.2024

13.15-14.30 Keynote 1 by Prof. Kati Tervo-Niemelä: Young people religion and wellbeing – Tradition, continuity and transition (Arken, Auditorium Armfelt A102, and streaming of the event in Helikon A202)

14.30-15.00 Coffee (Arken, foyer)

15.00-16.45 Session 1

17.00 Mingle and serving (requires registration) (Arken, foyer)  

17.45 Words of welcome by Vice-rector Gunilla Widén, Åbo Akademi University, and Presentation of the Donner Institute Research Prize recipient Helena Schmidt (Arken, foyer)

18.30 Music evening at Sibeliusmuseum, Piispankatu 17

East Meets West

The concert program forms a historical arc of Lutheran and Orthodox church music. The vocal ensemble Vox Silentii and Panagiotis Panagiotakopoulos lead the audience to the roots of Christian singing traditions, from Gregorian to Byzantine church chants. The archaic tones of folk spirituality emerge in Western Finnish folk singing and Karelian laments of the musical groups Kaisan virsi and Surento. Finally, Sirkku Rintamäki and her group guide us through ”wild hymns,” and the Chamber Choir Krysostomos interprets contemporary new Orthodox choral music. 

The concert is organized in collaboration with the Donner Institute, the International Society for Orthodox Church Music, and the Finnish Society for Hymnology and Liturgy.

THURSDAY 23.5.2024

9.00-10.30 Session 2

10.45-12.30 Session 3

12.30-13.30 Lunch

13.30-14.45 Keynote 2 by Prof. Giulio Maspero: From Semantics to Syntax: the Challenge of Tradition from the Perspective of the First Council of Nicea (Arken, Auditorium Armfelt A102, and streaming of the event in Helikon A202)

14.45-15.15 Coffee (Arken, foyer)

15.15-17.00 Session 4

17.15-18.45 Panel discussion (in Finnish): Uskonnon muuttuva rooli julkisuudessa ja yhteiskunnassa with Vice-Dean, Associate Prof. Hanna Wass (University of Helsinki), Archbishop Tapio Luoma and Ujuni Ahmed, moderated by Prof. Mika Vähäkangas (The Polin Institute) (Arken, Armfelt A102, and streaming of the event in Helikon A202)

19.30 Conference dinner at Ukkopekka, departure from Linnankatu 40. There will be pre-ordered buses taking the participants after the panel discussion from Arken to Ukkopekka. Practical information for the dinner here.

FRIDAY 24.5.2024

9.00-10.30 Session 5

10.30-10.45 Coffee (Arken, foyer)

10.45-12.00 Keynote 3 by Prof. Sarojini Nadar: Faith and Feminism: Autobiographical reflections on navigating the ’f’ words in the South African religion and theology academy (Arken, Auditorium Armfelt, A102, and streaming of the event in Helikon A202)

12.00-13.00 Lunch

13.00-14.30 Session 6          

14.45-16.15 Session 7

16.20-16.30 Closing words and thank you (Arken, Armfelt A102)