The Scripture&Theology Forum

The next months will bring our formal Calls for Papers for the 2026 conference season, but we want to give colleagues an early sense of what to expect, both in terms of research questions and broader projects.

Section One (Main I): Exploring Methodological Interactions between Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology

Following up on the panel in Vienna this year and for the book project underway, we are again inviting contributions that engage with four central questions:

• How does research in Biblical Studies draw on insights from Systematic Theology?
• In what ways can Systematic Theology benefit from engagement with Biblical Studies?
• What methodological changes occur as a result of interactions between these two fields?
• What examples of best practices exist for engaging Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology in both historical and contemporary scholarship?

We are inviting in particular contributions from biblical, Orthodox, and Catholic scholars.

Section Two (Main II): A History of Scripture and Theology

This new project will likely trace major movements within the history of the church and the respective “uses” of Scripture in theological construction across the past 2000 years. Rather than focusing on individual theologians, we offer a comprehensive overview of major methodological trends – from the patristic period through medieval scholasticism, the Reformation, and into modernity.

Such a project becomes both possible and necessary in the post-Gabler world, where biblical theology and systematic theology have been distinguished as discrete academic disciplines. This raises critical questions: What prevented pre-Gabler scholars from perceiving this as a problem? How did pre-modern theologians integrate biblical interpretation and doctrinal formulation? What unified methodological assumptions allowed Scripture and theology to function as an organic whole? And what could be learned from those approaches today?

The project is currently being organized around three key sections:

• Part 1: Before the Shift – Premodern Integration (From Patristic theology to Protestant scholasticism)
  • Guiding Question: How did premodern Christian interpreters integrate Scripture and theology as an organic, unified practice, and what can we learn from those approaches without simply returning to precritical biblical interpretation?
• Part 2: The Shift – Enlightenment, Gabler, and the Great Separation (1650–1850)
  • Guiding Question: How and why did Scripture and theology become separated into distinct, competing disciplines, and what were the immediate theological, institutional, and pedagogical consequences of it?
• Part 3: After the Shift – Consequences, Critiques, and Contemporary Retrieval (1850–Present)
  • Guiding Question: What have been the lasting effects of the separation between Scripture and theology, and what might be learned from contemporary attempts to overcome the divide?

Section Three: The Gospel of John – Discussing David Ford

The Scripture and Theology Forum will discuss David Ford’s Commentary on the Gospel of John. This will be a closed call. Senior scholars can contact Michael if interested in contributing, however.

Section Four (also short papers): Scripture, Theology and AI

In this section, we give room to address theoretical and practical considerations around AI.

Stay tuned – the full CfPs will follow in a few weeks with submission guidelines and deadlines.

Questions can be sent to michael.borowski@scriptureandtheology.org