Faith Saving Water: Christians, Muslims and the Environment (online)

Register for online attendance here

Register for In-person attendance here

The Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies Oxford is delighted to announce a conference on the intersection of faith and the ecological environment with particular focus on water as a constituent element of creation. The event on 28 November 2022 will be the first in-person conference for over two years (with the possibility to join online). We look forward to reconnecting with colleagues and friends in the beautiful surroundings of Oxford. We now invite proposals for individual papers from postgraduate students, early career and established academics, as well as from professionals who have specialist expertise or unique insights into water management and religious responses.

Around the world, water crises, drought, floods, deforestation, air-water-soil pollution, and wildfires are intensifying. Experts believe that many countries are at a critical moment, emphasising the need to take a holistic, long-term approach. The good news is that since the 1970s, many environmental goals have been achieved. People of faith have formed a considerable part of the response to the call for greater environmental care. It is also widely accepted that spiritual values drive the individual behaviours of more than 80 per cent of the world’s population. However, the critical voice of the global faith communities is a largely under-studied part in efforts to overcome resistance to change and integrating environmental issues into political, social and economic agendas.

In this conference, we want to bring together perspectives from faith, from the professional community and from the charitable sector working in water management to address water as an environmental resource. The conference will focus on Muslim and Christian perspectives on water from environmental, theological and practical points of view. The scope of the conference encompasses all topics and disciplinary approaches relating to the study of Islam and Christianity and their encounter around water as a shared natural resource. Although the main case study for the conference will be the water crisis in Jordan as one of the most water-poor countries in the world, papers may be from any historical period and any geographical part of the world. Therefore, we invite you to submit an abstract of 200 words on related topics, including, but not limited to the following themes: 

• Muslim and/or Christian attitudes towards water as a natural resource in crisis

• Muslim and/or Christian initiatives to mitigate any environmental/climate change problem

• Theology and nature

• Religious conflict and natural disaster, especially drought or flooding 

Submitting Your Paper Proposal

Please submit a 200-word abstract using this form

Submission Deadline

The deadline for abstracts is Friday 7 October 2022.

Any Questions?

Please contact Dr Rana Abu-Mounes ([email protected]).