Call for Papers
The 46th Annual Meeting of the Christian Sociological Association,
together with the Network of Christian Anthropologists, will be held at
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA
June 26th - 29th, 2025
Registration Details Coming Soon
This year’s conference is held in honor of Dr. Tony Campolo’s life and work, and in recognition of
his inestimable impact on generations of Christian sociologists and anthropologists.
together with the Network of Christian Anthropologists, will be held at
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA
June 26th - 29th, 2025
Registration Details Coming Soon
This year’s conference is held in honor of Dr. Tony Campolo’s life and work, and in recognition of
his inestimable impact on generations of Christian sociologists and anthropologists.
Conference Theme: Objectivity Versus Advocacy: Navigating Tensions in Christian Sociology and Anthropology
Since the inception of their respective social scientific disciplines, sociologists and anthropologists have navigated the tensions between descriptive and explanatory scholarship on the one hand and applied and clinical scholarship on the other. A focus on objectivity can sideline the potential world-benefitting impact of scientific knowledge, while a focus on advocacy risks resembling the applied nature of social work and prioritizing practical applications over the advancement of scientific inquiry as its primary goal. Fidelity to the beliefs, values, and norms intrinsic to the Christian faith can further complicate these tensions.
Sociologists and anthropologists at private Christian colleges and universities may be constrained by institutional theological creeds that conflict with scientific objectivity and evidence and even conflict with the Christian understandings of other scholars in their academic field. Conversely, Christian social scientists at public institutions frequently pursue scholarship in tension with secular norms that reject both an imago Dei conception of personhood and a telos-oriented view of history in favor of a materialistic and mechanistic worldview.
The Christian Sociological Association and the Network of Christian Anthropologists invite presentations that explore various ways in which Christian sociologists and anthropologists navigate the tensions inherent in the relationship between scientific objectivity and empathetic advocacy in the social and behavioral sciences.
We welcome presentations from scholars representing diverse Christian traditions, denominations, and perspectives, reflecting the richness of our shared faith and academic engagement.
Presentations can address, but are not limited to, topics in the following areas:
While “Objectivity Versus Advocacy” is the theme of this conference, we also warmly invite and welcome, without reservation, presentations exploring other issues of interest to Christian sociologists and anthropologists.
Direct conference program questions through our website: Contact Us
To receive updates, sign up for our newsletter.
Since the inception of their respective social scientific disciplines, sociologists and anthropologists have navigated the tensions between descriptive and explanatory scholarship on the one hand and applied and clinical scholarship on the other. A focus on objectivity can sideline the potential world-benefitting impact of scientific knowledge, while a focus on advocacy risks resembling the applied nature of social work and prioritizing practical applications over the advancement of scientific inquiry as its primary goal. Fidelity to the beliefs, values, and norms intrinsic to the Christian faith can further complicate these tensions.
Sociologists and anthropologists at private Christian colleges and universities may be constrained by institutional theological creeds that conflict with scientific objectivity and evidence and even conflict with the Christian understandings of other scholars in their academic field. Conversely, Christian social scientists at public institutions frequently pursue scholarship in tension with secular norms that reject both an imago Dei conception of personhood and a telos-oriented view of history in favor of a materialistic and mechanistic worldview.
The Christian Sociological Association and the Network of Christian Anthropologists invite presentations that explore various ways in which Christian sociologists and anthropologists navigate the tensions inherent in the relationship between scientific objectivity and empathetic advocacy in the social and behavioral sciences.
We welcome presentations from scholars representing diverse Christian traditions, denominations, and perspectives, reflecting the richness of our shared faith and academic engagement.
Presentations can address, but are not limited to, topics in the following areas:
- Socialization, social control, deviance, and crime
- Social inequalities: class, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, age, ability/disability, minority and intersectional experiences
- Social institutions: economics, state and polity, education, families, religion, healthcare, sports, mass and social media
- Collective action and social movements: addressing immigration, Christian nationalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), reproductive rights, and movements like #MeToo and #ChurchToo
- Stability and change in culture and society
- Theories of reality: positivism, constructionism, interpretivism, critical realism
- Academic freedom in Christian and secular higher education
- Topics included in the Current Sections of the American Sociological Association
While “Objectivity Versus Advocacy” is the theme of this conference, we also warmly invite and welcome, without reservation, presentations exploring other issues of interest to Christian sociologists and anthropologists.
Direct conference program questions through our website: Contact Us
To receive updates, sign up for our newsletter.
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