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CATA 2025 Conference &
Public Lecture
Hamilton, ON - June 6-7
“Divine Justice in Response to Evil and Tyranny”
Early bird registration ends April 11!
Join us at the Canadian-American Theological Association (CATA) 2025 Conference and Public Lecture which will take place on June 6-7, 2025. The conference will be held at McMaster Divinity College at McMaster University, Hamilton, ON. In addition, CATA will host a Friday evening public lecture at Forestview Church in Oakville, ON. The theme for this year's conference is “Divine Justice in Response to Evil and Tyranny” and the keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. Lissa Wray Beal whose address is entitled, “Repaying Monstrous Babylon: Imprecation and Judgment in a World of Tyrants.”
The Executive of CATA welcomes proposals for papers to be presented at our Annual Meeting to be held on day two. Proposals from graduate students are enthusiastically welcomed!
Abstract submission for the CATA 2025 Conference is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract!
Register today to secure your spot.
Registration
As with last year, the CATA conference will be offered as a stand-alone conference, separate from the Canadian Congress of the Humanities & Social Sciences. Consequently, enrolling in the CATA conference does not require enrollment in Congress.
Registration fees
| EARLY BIRD RATE | REGULAR RATE | REGISTRATION DEADLINE |
|---|---|---|
| ENDS APRIL 11, 2025 | APRIL 12 - MAY 23, 2025 | MAY 23, 2025 |
| $60 CAD* | $75 CAD* |
Program
This year’s program includes two events: (1) a public lecture at Forestview Church (Oakville, ON) on the evening of Friday, June 6, 2025; and (2) a full-day conference at McMaster Divinity College (Hamilton, ON) on Saturday, June 7, 2025. The conference theme is Divine Justice in Response to Evil and Tyranny and will feature Keynote Speaker, the Rev. Dr. Lissa Wray Beal, whose address is entitled, “Repaying Monstrous Babylon: Imprecation and Judgment in a World of Tyrants.” The conference will also include many papers, given in parallel sessions, on a range of related topics in biblical studies, theology, history, philosophy, and interdisciplinary studies.
Topic:
Biblical War Texts
Is Yahweh a Blood-Thirsty, Genocidal God?
8:30 AM ‑ 5:30 PM
Keynote Address:
Rev. Dr. Lissa Wray Beal
Wycliffe College, Toronto
Wycliffe College, Toronto
Biblical War Texts
Is Yahweh a Blood‑Thirsty, Genocidal God?
The “kill all” passages in the Hebrew Bible sure look like Yahweh, the God of the OT, encourages genocide—the indiscriminate slaughter of men, women, and children. . . everyone. This leaves readers with a disturbing (even horrifying) picture of God, challenging to faith and troubling to the soul. But things are not so simple. First, the total-kill language is rhetorical (hyperbole) rather than literal—a common misunderstanding. Second, a series of God portraits within subversive war texts (often overlooked) radically challenges the extreme patterns of war violence in an ancient world. Yahweh is calling his stubborn people away from war atrocities towards his enduring and higher value of shalom.
Keynote Speaker
Lissa Wray Beal
Professor of Old Testament
PhD from University of St. Michael’s College (Wycliffe), MDiv from Taylor Seminary, BTh from Northwest Bible College
The Rev. Dr. Lissa Wray Beal is Professor of Old Testament at Wycliffe College. Her research focuses on Israel’s life in the land, and exile from it. Her interest in narrative and canonical readings, and the insights of trauma studies are evident in her commentaries on 1–2 Kings and Joshua and inform her many articles on topics in 1–2 Kings, Joshua, Psalms, and Jeremiah. She is currently preparing a commentary on Jeremiah.
Call for Papers
Abstract submission for the CATA 2025 Conference is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract!
CATA encourages submission of high-quality papers on any topic of theological relevance to the church. Special consideration will be given to papers that offer theological reflection on the theme “Divine Justice in Response to Evil and Tyranny.” We are interpreting “theological reflection” to include the following: biblical studies; theological readings of Scripture; historical, systematic, philosophical, moral, and pastoral theology; and theology that engages culture, the church, or other academic disciplines.
Papers should be scholarly but not highly specialized presentations of about 25 minutes, aimed at an audience of students, pastors, and faculty from across the spectrum of theological and scientific disciplines.
TOPICS
STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER PAPER COMPETITION - closed
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
IMPORTANT DATES
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Topics in the broad theological disciplines that fall outside of the specific theme of the conference are also welcome. For example, related themes might include theological reflection on:
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Student and Early Career Paper Competition - closed |
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The submission time for the Student and Early Career Paper Competition is now closed. For those who submitted abstracts for the competition by March 1, your full draft is due on May 1 (please send it to Dr. Patrick Franklin). Graduate students, post-docs, independent scholars, and pre-tenured faculty are invited to submit papers for the CATA Student and Early Career Paper Competition. The winning paper will be published in CATA’s journal, the Canadian-American Theological Review, and its author will receive a congratulatory monetary gift. |
Submission Guidelines |
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Important Dates |
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Conference Partners
This conference has been made possible due to the generous support of McMaster Divinity College, and Forestview Church.
Travel & Accommodations
We encourage all attendees to look into accommodations and transportation ASAP! You might need to look at surrounding areas (Dundas, Burlington, Oakville, etc.) and you might find more vacancies in the northern parts of these areas than in the south. Check hotels as well as Air B&Bs.
Suggestions
This list will be updated regularly!
About Hamilton
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