CFP: John Paul II Centennial International Conference

CALL FOR PAPERS

St. John Paul II’s (Karol Wojtyla) pontificate lasted for a quarter of a century and it came at a time in human history when immense human and societal transformations emerged. Of these various transformations, the voice of St. John Paul II was easily heard and his influence was far and reaching. He is acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, and his pontificate has influenced many important facets of human life: business and economy, family and society, international relations religions, ethics and politics. From his papal pronouncements and teachings, to his travels and relations with different sectors of our society and governments, he has shaped not only the religious and spiritual life of the modern man but also his societal, political and cultural life as well. It is hard to imagine the whole of human life and history in the last quarter of the previous century without the influence of John Paul II. Indeed, his influence cannot be easily ignored. His efforts and achievements as a religious leader and a world figure are well known and documented. His pastoral works and trips around the world are sources of inspiration and joy to many.

As a genuine bridge builder, John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. During his pontificate, the Vatican established foreign relations with the Jewish state of Israel, acknowledging that Christians and Jews are brothers. A significant achievement of his Papacy was the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which embodies the Roman Catholic faith and the Church teachings and serves as the basis of the renewal of the Church in the modern times. 

Through his encyclical letters, John Paul II affirmed the dignity of the human person more especially women and workers, and the importance of the family for the future of humanity. He recognized the energy of the youth and established a special relationship with them, gathering them during World Youth Day celebrations. However, he was also criticized for upholding the Church's teachings against artificial contraception and the ordination of women, the reform of the Liturgy and for his ecumenical efforts.

As a philosopher and thinker, John Paul II participated and contributed to the discussions on the human person and his dignity, on love and marriage; his philosophical works are spread across the areas of ethics, ontology and axiology. He grounded his thoughts on Thomism and phenomenology. His philosophical writings would later found expressions in his papal writings which would have an impact on the social doctrines of the Church. 

The year 2020 marks the one hundred years of his birth. To commemorate his life and his thoughts and to celebrate his enormous contributions to philosophy and theology and his influence in our social, religious, cultural and even political life, his impact in our modern society, we are holding the John Paul II Centennial International Conference which will be held on January 16-18, 2020 in Cebu City, Philippines. The theme of this international conference is “Celebrating the Life and Thoughts of John Paul ll: The Man and Saint who Transformed the Modern World.”

The conference immediately precedes the world-famous Grand Sinulog Festival in Cebu City which will be on January 19. The Sinulog is a unique annual cultural celebration that features Mardi-Gras-like parade, street-dancing, and the religious heritage of Cebu.

It is to everybody’s benefit to understand the thought of the man who influenced the religious, social, political life man in the present times, the man who impacted the course of modern history, the man who reconfigured the Catholic teaching and doctrines.

To this end, we are therefore calling for paper submissions on the following (but not limited to) topics:

Karol Wojtyla/John Paul II’s Philosophy 
     Human person and human dignity
     Human rights and freedom
     Ethics and values
     Marriage and family
     Love and sexuality
     Society and natural law
     Theology of the Body

Christian Philosophy
     Philosophy of the Human Person
     Christian Philosophy and Phenomenology
     Thomism and Phenomenology
     Christian Personalism

John Paul II Papacy
     JPII Papacy and the Social Teachings of the Church
     JPII Influence in Political Affairs
     JPII and Gender Issues
     JPII and the Youth
     JPII and Labor Issues

 Selected and reviewed papers presented in the conference will be published in a special commemorative issue of Philosophia: International Journal of Philosophy (indexed in Scopus (Elsevier) and Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science)).

Final submission of abstract: October 30, 2019

Notice of Acceptance: November 15, 2019