Philosophical Atheism and Communities of Faith

We invited papers on themes related to the intersection of philosophical atheism and communities of faith. While prominent atheists, humanists, and secularists insist that questions of faith be resolved using the same epistemic tools as scientific inquiry, many members of faith communities relate to these questions through the lens of identity and solidarity. This is especially an issue in black communities, where houses of worship have served as crucial sites of spiritual, economic, and racial uplift. In addition, the default assumptions of religious and atheist communities ignore the acute challenges faced by many black atheists and humanists whose beliefs are at odds with this historical bedrock of racial solidarity. We propose to take up the intersecting theories of faith and unbelief as identities, epistemic methods, and ethico-political disruptions to the oppressive status quo. 

We encouraged submissions on the following possible topics:

• Sartrean philosophy of race and Sartre's atheism

• Pan-Africanism and syncretic spirituality

• "We are never more segregated than when we pray." 

• The Atheists' Closet 

• Civic Religion and Religious Anti-realism 

• Faith and abolition 

• Prison conversions and the politics of parole 

• Multiracial churches 

• Interfaith Dialogues as a space of racial 

recognition

• Black atheists 

• Civic engagement in religious and secular contexts 

• Faith and family 

• LGBTQ communities in/and communities of faith 

• The Secular Age 

• The politics of the black church

• Religion and/as Identity Politics 

• The Consolations of Faith and Philosophy 

• Faith-based deliberation and "public reason"