Location
Luther King House
Brethren Bicentenary Conference: Chief Men and Women among the Brethren
25 – 27 June 2025 | Luther King House, Manchester
Call for Papers, deadline – 15 April 2025
Biography is a literary genre which Brethren have loved, especially collective biography of exemplary individuals. Such writings, both books and series of magazine articles, illustrate and inculcate key themes in the movement’s spirituality and practice. But who was chosen for biographical treatment in collective works? Perhaps equally importantly, who was omitted? What do these works say about Brethren understandings of history and of the movement’s own history, and about the world in which the subjects lived? More broadly, what impact have biographies had? What intents lay behind biographies of Brethren women? What about memoirs by those who have left the movement? Such questions invite exploration.
This conference, from 25-27 June 2025, begins a celebration of the Brethren movement’s bicentenary. Plenary speakers are: Prof Eugenio Biagini (Cambridge), Dr Tereza Ward (Christian Brethren Archive, Manchester), Dr Roger Holden (Stockport), Prof David Bebbington (Stirling), and Dr Janice Holmes (Sweden). We also welcome offers of twenty-minute papers on relevant topics. A selection of the papers will be edited and published.
To offer a paper, please send your proposal to the conference organizer, Dr Tim Grass (tgrass.work@gmail.com), by 15 April 2025. Please provide a title and short outline (up to 150 words) of your proposed topic.
This will be a mixed-mode conference, allowing for in-person residence and online participation. For more information, go to brethrenhistory.org/conferences.htm.