Sixth Annual
AD FONTES ACADEMIC WEEK
returning to the sources for christian unity
Anno Domini 2023, June 7 - June 10 Newman University, Wichita, KS
CALL FOR PAPERS
"Wider than the Heavens"
Patristic Views of Mary
Co-sponsored by Eighth Day Institute, The Gerber Institute for Catholic Studies at Newman University, the Ad Fontes conference promotes a “return to the sources for Christian unity.”
The Ad Fontes Academic Week celebrates the work of Thomas F. Torrance, Fr. Georges Florovsky, and St. John Henry Newman. We are inspired by these modern luminaries to strive for unity by way of the Fathers.
Man is still spreading death and desolation. One may expect even worse things to come. For the root of death is sin. No wonder that there is, in many and diverse quarters, a growing understanding of the seriousness of sin. The old saying of St Augustine [actually Anselm!] finds anew echoes in the human soul: Nondum considerasti quanti ponderis sit peccatum, "you never understand of what weight is sin".
~Fr. Georges Florovsky
This year we are concentrating on questions related to Mary, the Theotokos, and so we invite contributions with a focus on (but not limited to) the following topics:
- Mary in Scripture and Biblical Interpretation
- Mary and Christian Unity
- Mary and Sin
- Mary in the Church Fathers
- Mary in Iconography
- Marian Apparitions
- Marian Hymns
- Women in the Church
- Church History
- Sacramental Theology
- Fr. Georges Florovsky
- St. John Henry Newman
- Thomas F. Torrance
We welcome contributions from professors, scholars, students, and ministers from all Christian traditions. Papers will be presented on Th-Fri mornings & afternoons (June 8-9). Presenters should be prepared to speak for 15-20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A. Please send your proposal (max. 300 words) together with a short bio (max. 50 words) by May 5, 2023 to Matthew Umbarger at umbargerm@newmanu.edu with “Ad Fontes” in the subject of the email. Prospective contributors will be informed as soon as possible, by May 20, 2023 at the latest.