Pietism, Revivalism and Modernity, 1650–1850
Umeå University, Sweden, November 17–18, 2005
The Department of Historical Studies at Umeå University welcomes proposals for papers to be presented at the research conference Pietism, Revivalism and Modernity, 1650–1850, November 17–18, 2005. The conference is a partnership event of a network programme on the "Cultural History of Pietism and Revivalism" financed by the Huizinga Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At the conference, 15–20 papers will be presented, and after revision they will be published in the book series Bibliotheca Historico-Ecclesiastica Lundensis, Lund University, Sweden.
Conference Theme
The first conference of the network programme was held in Dordrecht, The Netherlands, in November 2004 under the theme "Confessionalism and Pietism, 1550–1750" organised by Dr. Fred van Lieburg, Director of the ReLiC Centre for Dutch Religious History at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and moderator of the network programme. The conference papers sought to address issues related to Pietist movements, confessional formation, and theories of confessionalisation. The question whether Pietism should be seen as a consequence of or a reaction to confessionalisation attracted serious attention.
A similar approach has been chosen for the overall theme of the Umeå conference in 2005: Should Pietism be perceived as a promoter of or a reaction against modernity? The theme involves several intriguing questions, not least regarding the definitions of and the relations between the concepts of Pietism, revivalism and modernity. Are revivals and awakenings (i.e. collective conversions) to be seen as inherent components of Pietism? Or should they rather be viewed as new social and cultural phenomena integrated into Pietism on a later stage? Either way, how do revivals and awakenings relate to Pietism in the period 1650–1850? Which components of Pietist theology and practice were applied, and what function did they serve in revivals and awakenings as well as in clerical and civil discourse?
Pietism can be understood either as a specific German theological tradition emanating from Spener and Francke or as a wider range of practical piety characterising e.g. Protestant Puritanism and Methodism as well as Catholic Jansenism. The conference will use an inclusive definition of Pietism, and the contributors will be free to apply different concepts of modernisation as well. Rationalisation, secularisation, privatisation, industrialisation, urbanisation, democratisation, etc. represent processes that in different theoretical constructs are understood as integral parts of modernisation. Were revivals and awakenings merely traditionalist protests against modernity, or were they themselves consequences of modernisation, or did they even contribute to modernisation?
The conference wants to encourage comparative, interconfessional, international and interdisciplinary approaches from all parts of Protestant and Catholic Europe and America. It welcomes general contributions of theoretical and methodological character, but is also open to studies of specific revivals and awakenings, provided they are clearly related to the conference theme of Pietism and modernity.
Following the Umeå conference, a third and final conference will be organised in the autumn of 2006 at Emory University in Atlanta, USA, focusing on theoretical and methodological aspects of Pietism research. The convener is Professor Jonathan Strom, Candler School of Theology (jstrom@emory.edu).
Abstract and Paper Deadlines
An abstract of the proposed paper should be sent to Professor Daniel Lindmark, Umeå University (preferably by email), before March 1, 2005 (addresses below). The abstract should not exceed one page (maximum 500 words), and should be written in English. Notification of acceptance will be mailed by April 1, 2005. Besides general criteria of qualified scholarship, the contributions will be selected in order to create thematic, confessional and geographical variety.
Accepted abstracts will be available on the conference web site from September 2005. Deadline for delivery of draft papers in English is October 15, 2005, after which date the papers will be put on the web. The revised papers should be submitted for publication by March 1, 2006.
Conference Practicalities
The organiser of this conference is Dr. Daniel Lindmark, Professor of History and History Didactics at Umeå University, Sweden. The conference will take place on Umeå University campus in the city of Umeå, and the participants will have their lodging at convenient walking distance. The organisers will cover the costs for the speakers’ accomodation and meals during the conference, but no travel expenses will be reimbursed.
The city of Umeå is situated ca 700 km north of Stockholm. The participants are recommended to travel by air. The one-hour-flight from Stockholm brings the passengers to Umeå airport, located no longer than 4 km from campus. International travellers can book connecting flights from Stockholm at very reasonable fares, and besides Scandinavian Airlines three low price airlines are competing over the passengers, offering eight to ten daily flights.
Addresses
Further information about the conference can be received from Professor Daniel Lindmark at the following addresses.
Professor Daniel Lindmark
Department of Historical Studies
Umeå University
SE–901 87 Umeå
Sweden
+46 90 786 6250 (phone)
+46 90 786 7667 (fax)
daniel.lindmark@historia.umu.se