On behalf of the organisers, I am happy once again to post (for academic, and academically inclined, readers!) a call for papers for a symposium to be held in Canberra in February 2026.

Call for Papers- 6th Annual Symposium on Jurisprudence and Theology

Date & time: 13 February 2026 9:00am – 5:00pm

Venue: ANU Law School , Australian National University in Canberra. 

Event description

It is often thought that modern analytic jurisprudence has left theology behind. Think again. Consider the following quote from the Hart-land of jurisprudence: 

If men are not devils, neither are they angels; and the fact that they are a mean between these two extremes is something which makes a system of mutual forbearances both necessary and possible. With angels, never tempted to harm others, rules requiring forbearances would not be necessary. With devils prepared to destroy, reckless of the cost to themselves, they would be impossible. (HLA Hart, The Concept of Law, 196) 

Neither angels nor demons would have the kind of legal system that we have. Law is situated precariously between heaven and hell. This jurisprudential insight is dripping with theological speculation. It seems that jurisprudence is not done with theology yet. 

This symposium – the sixth in the series – continues the conversation at the intersection of jurisprudence and theology, broadly understood. We welcome papers that explore this intersection from diverse interdisciplinary perspectives, from all faith traditions and none, and from both faculty members and postgraduate students.  

Past symposia were held at the University of Notre Dame Australia (2019), the University of Sydney (2022), the University of Adelaide (2023), the University of Southern Queensland (2024), and the Queensland University of Technology (2025). 

Please submit your abstracts (100-200 words) with your name and institutional affiliation to A/Prof Joshua Neoh (joshua.neoh@anu.edu.au) before 1 November 2025. 

More details are to be found here: https://law.anu.edu.au/news-and-events/events/call-papers-6th-annual-symposium-jurisprudence-and-theology

On behalf of the organisers, I am happy to post (for academic, and academically inclined, readers!) a call for papers for a symposium to be held in Queensland in February 2025.

5^th Annual Theology and Jurisprudence Symposium

School of Law,  Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point Campus

Friday 14 February 2025

THEME:

This annual symposium focuses on the relationship between theology and jurisprudence. Jurisprudence typically purports to provide a non-theistic account of ‘law’. However, foundational to many theories of law is some kind of theology. Natural law, of course, is deeply influenced by its theological articulation through Thomas Aquinas and even modern ‘secular’ theories of natural law retain vestiges of this influence. The main proponents of legal positivism (such as Thomas Hobbes and John Austin) often engaged with different aspects of Christian theology. Moreover, theological influences on legal theory are not limited to Christianity; jurisprudential viewpoints around the world have been shaped by a broad range of theological traditions. The tendency of jurisprudence to ground itself in some kind of theology is not surprising given its need for an ontological foundation for legal authority. This symposium aims to consider jurisprudence from a variety of theological standpoints and critically examine the reliance of diverse theories of law on theological perspectives. 

CALL FOR PAPERS: 

We invite papers that consider the prevailing theological assumptions of legal theories; unpack the different streams of jurisprudence from a theological perspective; explore how theology tends to define and undergird theories of law; or consider any other issues which engage both theology and jurisprudence. Presenters are required to submit written papers (which can be works-in-progress) for distribution to the other symposium participants by 1 February 2025. Presenters will be allocated to panels, and each panellist will be asked to introduce and comment on another panellist’s paper to start the discussion. The finalised papers may be considered for publication in a special journal issue or edited book.

SUBMISSIONS:Abstracts of 100-200 words should be submitted by email to Associate Professor Alex Deagon (alex.deagon@qut.edu.au) no later than 1 November 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of November. There is no conference fee for the symposium, but participants will need to fund their own transport and accommodation.

More details are to be found here: