We are pleased to share details of the following Call for Papers. The event is hosted by the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, and the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow.
Philosophy of Religion in the East and West
The 4th International Conference
Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan
Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary
Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow
The modern post-secular turn, proclaimed by Jürgen Habermas and, to some extent, several other researchers (including Franz Rosenzweig, Peter Berger, Charles Taylor, Jose Casanova, Giorgio Agamben, and others), not only actualizes the problem of the relationship between religious and secular, but also expands the understanding of the philosophy of religion. Secularization processes have not led to the “death” of religion, but rather to a renewed understanding of its value and role, and as a result, the importance of studying religious paradigms and thought. More and more researchers are showing interest in Christianity, Islam, and other religious traditions. In our time, the multicultural world leads us to a new level of scientific discussion about interfaith and inter-religious dialogue, promoting the search for new, adequate forms of this dialogue. This is why there is a pressing need for analyzing different traditions of understanding religion, i.e. in the philosophy of religion. The aim of our conference is to create a common intellectual space for dialogue between traditions of philosophy of religion in the West and East. We believe that this will contribute to enriching the practice of philosophy and expanding contemporary debates in this discourse. We hope that this project will not only benefit new academic research in the field of religious studies, but also new socio-cultural ties.
CONFERENCE ISSUES:
1. Secularization and Desecularization in the Past and Present: Philosophical and Theological Approaches.
2. Philosophy of Religion, Religious Philosophy, Philosophical Theology, and Theology:
Correlations and Interconnections.
3. Philosophy of Religion, Religious Philosophy, Philosophical Theology, and Theology in Western Europe
and the USA: History and Contemporary Issues.
4. Philosophy of Religion, Religious Philosophy, Philosophical Theology, and Theology in Central, Southern,
and Eastern Europe: History and Contemporary Issues.
5. Philosophy of Religion, Religious Philosophy, Philosophical Theology, and Theology in the East-Central Asia,
the Middle and Far East: History and Contemporary Issues.
6. Philosophy of Religion, Religious Philosophy, Philosophical Theology, and Theology in Christian, Islamic, Buddhist,and other Religious Traditions: Experience of the East and West.
DATES:
April 27 – May 2, 2026
April 27 day of arrival for conference participants;
April 28 first day of the conference;
April 29–30 working days for sections of the conference;
May 1 closing day of the conference and excursion program;
May 2 departure day for conference participants.
VENUE:
Almaty, Ashimbaeva St. 26, Cultural and Administrative Center of
the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary (Kazakhstan).
WORKING LANGUAGES:
Russian and English
English is additional. If you are unable to deliver your presentation in Russian, please submit the full text
of your presentation in English by April 1, 2026. The text should not exceed 3000 words and should be
sent to the email address of the organizing committee secretary by April 1, 2026. After that, the
presentation will be translated and provided to other section participants in printed form on the day of
the presentation.
ACADEMIC BOARD:
Prof. Sr Teresa Obolevitch (The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, Poland)
Pbr. Evgeny Ivanov (Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kazakhstan)
Artem Solovev (Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kazakhstan)
CONFERENCE SECRETARY:
Alexandra Berdnikova (Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kazakhstan) seminaryconf@yahoo.com
APPLICATION:
Please complete this Application Form before December 31, 2025:
https://forms.gle/o6itGwR2rnBnr6f36
By January 31, 2026 we will announce the final list of accepted applications.
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION:
Please note that participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.
FEE:
No fee
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
We are ready to provide information support to participants in search of accommodation during the conference.
Foreign participants are advised to clarify with their embassies and consulates the necessity and methods of obtaining a visa to enter the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Republic of Kazakhstan is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – an intergovernmental organization that includes Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Citizens of these states can enter Kazakhstan using their internal passports or foreign passports without obtaining a visa. However, they still need to inform the migration service of the Republic of Kazakhstan about their entry within three days (if staying in a hotel or apartment, the owner of the the owner of the accommodation must make the notification).
