ST AUGUSTINE: CHRISTIAN THINKING YESTERDAY AND TODAY
The Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain will hold its annual conference at Blackfriars, Oxford, from 1 to 3 September 2026. The conference will consider different aspects of the thought of St Augustine, together with his influence on and relevance to Christian thinking past and present.
While Augustine’s thought has undoubtedly had a lasting impact on the shape and style of Catholic theological reflection right up to today, we ask what makes Augustine’s Christian wisdom still appealing and influential. What are the major characteristic features of his work that provide its enduring relevance for later times? Is there something we can learn from his distinctive habit of thought? What can be drawn today from his own understanding of the nature of Christian wisdom? The aim of the conference is to seek some answers to such questions as these from the perspective of the various disciplines of Catholic theology and the challenges posed by today’s context.
Keynote lectures will be delivered by Lewis Ayres, Margaret Atkins OSA, Gavin D’Costa and Jacob Phillips.
The conference will include papers of different lengths. Please send applications for papers lasting 30 minutes (established scholars) and 15 minutes (postgraduate students and established scholars) to simon.gaine@english.op.org, including your current position, a short c.v., and an abstract of around 200 words. No applications will be accepted after 4 May 2026. All decisions will be communicated to applicants by 15 June.
Conference delegates will be accommodated at St Peter’s College which is a 10-minute walk from Blackfriars Hall. Bookings will be made through an Eventbrite link which will be circulated to members and speakers in March 2026.