III Brazilian Mormon Studies Conference
Annual Conference of the Associação Brasileira de Estudos Mórmons (Brazilian Mormon Studies Association—ABEM)
January 28, 2012
São Paulo, Brazil

Call for papers

“Mormonism and its relationship with other denominations”

The Mormon religious tradition is based on the concept of an apostasy by all Christian denominations and their consequent lack of divine authority, hence the claim to be the “only true and living church.” In contrast, this same tradition emphasizes its members’ broader religious freedom, and even their need, to recognize and seek the whole truth from any source, including other religious traditions. This dichotomy between excluding and including beliefs, practices and institutions has, throughout history, created a rich and complex dialogue between Mormons and non-Mormons. In Brazil, the traditional religious syncretism alongside an increasing religious diversity makes understanding this dichotomy extremely important for the study of Mormonism in our situation.

As examples of topics to be addressed, we suggest the following:

• The doctrinal, organizational or ritual influence of non-Mormon sources on Mormonism and vice versa;
• The relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Christian and non-Christian denominations, their conflicts and collaborations, and their attempts at differentiation and integration, as well as reactions to proselytizing;
• The different perceptions of the major religions in Brazil and Latin America among Mormons, including perceptions of Catholicism, Protestantism, Neo-Petencostalism, Spiritualism, Afro-Brazilian religions, etc.;
• The relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other Latter Day Saint movement denominations present in Brazil and Latin America, regardless of whether or not they use the word “Mormon” to describe themselves;
• The depiction of Mormonism by other faiths and the mainstream media and its impact on its members and the local population;
• The relationship between politics and religion, state, religious organizations and religious teaching in public schools; the reactions of Mormons and other denominations when confronting political decisions and new social contexts; and the limits and perspectives of religious freedom;
• The academic, devotional and missionary use of the Internet by Mormons and other denominations; conflict management and cyberbullying in inter- and intra-religious discussion forums;
• The depiction of Mormons in fictional works;
• Visual identity in clothing and in architecture, its role in the societal perception of religious institutions and their members;
• The perception of Mormonism and other denominations as “Brazilian” or “foreign” churches.

We invite those interested to submit proposals for scholarly papers, panel discussions, and other scholarly presentations about any aspect of Mormonism and Mormon culture. While this conference is academic in nature, we encourage submissions from students, non-academics and amateurs who have interesting and well-expressed presentations to make. We encourage those with limited academic experience to make their proposals and submit their papers well in advance so that we may offer assistance in making the presentation of sufficient academic quality.

Submissions may be on any subject, as long as they involve Mormonism, its history, people or institutions in a significant way. Fields of study might include History, Philosophy and Theology, Sociology and Anthropology, and all expressions of culture, including art, music, literature and film. Because academic conferences like this are inaccessible and somewhat unfamiliar to the majority of the audience for this conference, we will accept submissions that have been presented or published elsewhere.

In addition to the academic presentations above, the conference is open to a limited number of non-academic presentations, such as interviews, personal essays, sermons, films, dramatic performances, literary readings, debates, comic routines, art displays, musical performances and other expressions of the Mormon experience for the non-academic portion of the conference.

Submissions

Those who wish to present or organize a session for the conference should submit an abstract of their proposal by October 1, 2011. Abstracts should be approximately 1 page in length (approximately 250 words) and be accompanied by a brief description of the author’s background or a résumé or curriculum vitae. Notification of acceptance by the peer review committee will be sent by November 1, 2011.

Complete versions of accepted papers must then be submitted by January 1, 2012 or the acceptance may be rescinded! Because we provide interpretation of submitted papers, we must receive complete versions, so that interpreters can prepare for the conference. Without this preparation, presentations can take as much as three times longer than planned. Complete papers should be suitable for a reading time of 25-30 minutes (approximately 3,500 words).

Send submissions to the conference organizers at BMSC10 [at] gmail [dot] com

Hotel and travel information

We will provide information on the venue and accommodations available by October 1, 2011.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Brazilian Association of Mormon Studies
E-mail: BMSC10@gmail.com