Princeton Theological Seminary

2023 Barth Graduate Student Colloquium

Barth & Politics

June 14–17, 2023

Center for Barth Studies
Apply by February 24

Princeton Theological Seminary

2023 Barth Graduate Student Colloquium

Center for Barth Studies

The Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the fifth Karl Barth Graduate Student Colloquium to be held on June 14–17, 2023. This year’s theme is Barth and politics—broadly conceived as a constructive and critical engagement with Barth’s own politics, political theory, and political theology in conversation with contemporary conversations on the same. Over the course of three days, participants will have the opportunity to engage in an intensive student-led seminar and to get to know other up-and-coming Barth scholars. During the day, participants will take turns presenting papers and leading group discussion on an assigned portion of the text. Two senior scholars will supplement the student-led day sessions by providing evening lectures and opportunities to further the conversation.

We particularly welcome proposals for this year’s colloquium from women, people of color, those who are a part of the LGBTQI+ community, international students, and others who are a part of marginalized communities—those whose voices are often, and have long been, and continue to be underrepresented within the theological academy.

Speakers

Princeton Theological Seminary

Dr. Hanna Reichel

Associate Professor of Reformed Theology

Dr. Reichel is Associate Professor of Reformed Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. Also holding a B.Sc. in economics from Fernuniversität Hagen, they earned their Doc. theol. and MDiv from Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg. Apart from a monograph titled, Theologie als Bekenntnis. Karl Barths kontextuelle Lektüre des Heidelberger Catechisms (FSÖTh, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2015), they have published articles on Barth’s theology of scripture, missiology, theological method, and Christology. Reichel’s teaching ranges across doctrinal loci (doctrine of God, Christology, eschatology) and from postcolonial and feminist epistemologies to political theology. Their research interests include theological method, epistemic justice, political theology, digital theology, and queer theology.
Candler School of Theology, Emory University

Rev. Dr. Ted Smith

Charles Howard Candler Professor of Divinity

The Rev. Dr. Ted Smith works at the intersections of practical and political theology. Smith’s first book, The New Measures, tells a history of preaching that gives rise to eschatological visions of modern democracy. His second book, Weird John Brown, works through memories of the raid on Harpers Ferry to show the limits of social ethics for thinking about violence. Smith has edited collections of essays on sexuality and ordination, contemporary issues in preaching, and economic inequality. He is currently editing a series of books on the meanings and purposes of theological education in a time of great change.

At Emory, Smith also teaches in the Graduate Division of Religion and is an affiliated faculty member with the Center for the Study of Law and Religion. Beyond Emory, Smith serves as a senior fellow with the University of Virginia’s project on Religion and Its Publics, the steering committee of the Political Theology Network, and a member of the editorial boards for Political Theology and Practical Matters. He recently completed two terms on the board of the Louisville Institute.

Call for Applications

The Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the fifth Karl Barth Graduate Student Colloquium to be held on June 14–17, 2023. This year’s theme is Barth and politics—broadly conceived as constructive and critical engagement with Barth’s own politics, political theory, and political theology in conversation with contemporary conversations on the same.

The text for the 2023 colloquium will be the essays found in Community, State, and Church. We are inviting doctoral students and recent graduates in the disciplines of theology, ethics, religion, and political philosophy. While we expect that all applicants will closely read Community, State, and Church in advance of the colloquium, papers may take up the political themes from anywhere in Barth’s corpus. Papers, therefore, are encouraged to be primarily constructive and thesis-driven, not exegetical. We hope that this set-up will foster fruitful and constructive conversations about the merits, utility, and limits of Barth’s own political thought in conversation with similar contemporary conversations.

Application Information: This colloquium is open to any doctoral student whose interests intersect with some aspect of Karl Barth’s life and theology. A focus on Barth’s theology in your dissertation is not required. ABD is preferred. Recent graduates may apply. Exceptional Masters level students will be considered. Applicants are required to submit a CV and a statement of interest no longer than 750 words proposing a constructive paper on the colloquium’s theme.

Applications should be sent to barth.center@ptsem.edu no later than Monday, March 6, 2023. Successful applicants will present a 20-25 minute paper and lead the discussion that follows. We especially encourage women, people of color, international students, new voices, and other under-represented voices in the Barth discussion to submit proposals for this year’s colloquium.

Cost: The colloquium begins Thursday morning and concludes on Saturday afternoon. All food and lodging during the colloquium will be provided. Lodging will begin on Wednesday evening, June 14. Travel stipends are also included. A copy of the shared text will be provided for each participant upon acceptance into the colloquium.

Questions? For more information, email barth.center@ptsem.edu.

Schedule

This is a provisional schedule and subject to change.

All presentations to be delivered in the Center for Barth Studies Reading Room (#3173 – 3rd floor of Wright Library’s North Wing) unless otherwise stated.

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Time (ET)

Session

Location

12:00PM ET

Check-in begins

Erdman Center

6:30- 8:30PM ET

Welcome reception

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Time (ET)

Session

Location

8:00- 9:00AM ET

Breakfast

Mackay Campus Center

9:00- 9:45AM ET

Introductions

9:45- 10:00AM ET

Break with coffee

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

10:00- 11:00AM ET

Presentation 1

11:00AM- 12:00PM ET

Presentation 2

12:00- 1:00PM ET

Lunch

Mackay Campus Center

1:15- 2:15PM ET

Presentation 3

2:15- 2:45PM ET

Break with refreshments

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

2:45- 3:45PM ET

Presentation 4

3:45- 6:30PM ET

Break

6:30- 9:00PM ET

Dinner

Friday, June 16, 2023

Time (ET)

Session

Location

8:00- 8:45AM ET

Breakfast

Mackay Campus Center

8:45- 9:45AM ET

Presentations 5

9:45- 10:00AM ET

Break with coffee

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

10:00- 11:00AM ET

Presentation 6

11:00AM- 12:00PM ET

Speaker Lecture – Hanna Reichel

12:00- 1:00PM ET

Lunch

Mackay Campus Center

1:15- 2:15PM ET

Presentation 8

2:15- 2:45PM ET

Break with refreshments

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

2:45- 3:30PM ET

Barth Collection and Resources Overview

3:30- 6:00PM ET

Break

6:00- 9:00PM ET

Dinner

Saturday, June 17, 2023

Time (ET)

Session

Location

8:00- 9:00AM ET

Breakfast

Mackay Campus Center

9:00- 10:00AM ET

Presentations 9

10:00- 10:45AM ET

Break with coffee

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

10:45- 11:45AM ET

Presentation 10

12:00- 1:00PM ET

Lunch

Mackay Campus Center

1:15- 2:15PM ET

Presentation 11

2:15- 2:45PM ET

Break with refreshments

Alumni Room – Library 2nd floor

2:45- 3:45PM ET

Presentation 12

3:45- 5:30PM ET

Break

5:30- 7:00PM ET

Evening Lecture with Ted Smith and Discussion

Wright Library Theron Room

7:00- 9:00PM ET

Dinner

Travel Directions

By Air

From Newark Liberty International Airport The Olympic Airporter shuttle service takes you to the Nassau Inn in Princeton; call for schedule and reservations: 800.822.9797 (within the United States) or 732.938.6666 (outside the United States), or visit www.olympicairporter.com The AirTrain takes you from all airport terminals to the Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station. Take New Jersey Transit southbound (Northeast Corridor Line) trains to Princeton Junction. From Princeton Junction take the train to Princeton Station. From Philadelphia International Airport Take the R1 High Speed Rail Line (entrance on pedestrian bridges and commercial roadway), limousine service (The Olympic Airporter; call for reservations: 800.822.9797 within the United States or 732.938.6666 outside the United States, or visit www.olympicairporter.com), or local taxi service to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, where you can purchase a SEPTA/New Jersey Transit ticket to take a SEPTA train to Trenton and a New Jersey Transit train to Princeton Junction. From Princeton Junction take the train to Princeton Station.

By Bus

From Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City (41st Street and 8th Avenue) Purchase a Suburban Transit bus ticket to Princeton at windows 16 through 19 on the first floor. Board the bus on the third floor (fourth level) at gates 420 through 422. The bus leaves every half hour between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on weekdays and between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on weekends, and every half hour on the hour until 1:00 a.m. The trip is one and one-half hours. Ask the driver to let you off at the end of Nassau Street where it meets Mercer Street and Route 206 in Princeton, and walk to the Seminary.

By Train

From New York City (and north) and Philadelphia (and south) New Jersey Transit services Princeton from the north (New York City, Newark), with connecting service from the south (Trenton, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC). Amtrak trains stop in Trenton, and some at Princeton Junction.

By Car

From the North/New York City Take the New Jersey Turnpike South to Exit 9 (New Brunswick). After the toll booths, bear right onto the ramp for Route 18 North. Shortly after getting onto Route 18 North the road will fork; stay to the left of the fork, in the right lane. Bear right onto this exit for Route 1 South/Trenton. Follow Route 1 South to Alexander Road (Princeton). Turn right onto Alexander Road and continue to the entrance of Princeton Seminary, which is the first left turn after College Road (Alexander Road will be Alexander Street at this point). From the West Take I-78 East into New Jersey. Exit onto I-287 South toward Somerville. Follow signs for Routes 202/206 South. Travel south on 202 for a short distance and then follow signs for Route 206 South. You will go around a traffic circle. Continue south on Route 206 for about eighteen miles to Nassau Street (Route 27) in the center of Princeton. Turn left onto Nassau Street and the first right onto Mercer Street and continue to the main entrance of Princeton Seminary, which will be on your left. From the South From southern New Jersey take I-295 North (becomes I-95 South) to the “Princeton Pike North” exit and continue on Princeton Pike for approximately five miles. Immediately after passing Library Place (on the left), the main entrance to the campus will be on your right. From the East Take I-95 West toward Trenton to the exit for I-295 North (becomes I-95 South) to the “Princeton Pike North” exit and continue on Princeton Pike for approximately five miles. Immediately after passing Library Place (on the left), the main entrance to the campus will be on your right. From Philadelphia Take I-95 North into New Jersey and exit at “Princeton Pike North” and continue on Princeton Pike for approximately five miles. Immediately after passing Library Place (on the left), the main entrance to the campus will be on your right.

Center for Barth Studies

The Center for Barth Studies exists to provide leading resources on the theology and legacy of Swiss Reformed theologian Karl Barth (1886–1968). The center hosts programs and events, provides research resources, and facilitates constructive theological conversation for engagement with the Christian theological tradition and its public significance today.

Contact

If you have any questions or concerns, email us at barth.center@ptsem.edu or call us at 609-524-1981. Please allow at least three business days for an email response.

We are especially grateful to the McDonald Agape Foundation for its investment in emerging Barth scholars through the funding of this colloquium and its scholarship.