Remembering Nicea: A Contested Legacy

Melbourne, July 1-3

Download the indicative program.

Direct link: https://events.humanitix.com/remembering-nicea

In 2025, ANZATS will hold a joint conference with the Australasian Centre for Wesleyan Research and the Christian Research Association. If your association would also like to participate, please contact us HERE.

2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical Christian council, held from May-July 325 CE. This meeting of bishops discussed issues such as the nature of Jesus’ divinity and humanity, the dating of Easter, and the construction of the first part of the Nicene Creed. It also saw the beginning of early canon law. The council has been seen as a high-water mark of orthodoxy but also as an exercise in silencing and oppressing dissident voices.

The tussle between orthodoxy and inclusion continues today with differences over the role and ordination of women, the inclusion of LGBTQI+ people within the church, ongoing colonisation and racism, sacramental observance, and declining church attendance and membership, at least in the West. The Catholic Church through its Synod on Synodality (which includes Protestant guests) is discovering new forms of conciliarism that draw upon the ancient Ecumenical Councils but also seek to reflect the greater inclusiveness of the contemporary world in fresh ways. This joint conference will consider the debates that have shaped and continue to shape the church and whether the Council of Nicaea provides a model of ecumenical consensus or of imperial repression.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch via our contact page: https://anzats.edu.au/contact-us/

Timeline:

November 2024 – Call for Papers Released

14^th February 2025 – Abstracts and Emerging Scholar Papers due

1^st March – Registrations Open

1^st April – Finalists for Emerging Scholar Notified

23^rd June – Registrations Close

30th June – Stations of the Cross Walk and Opening Reception

1-3 July – Conference, Pilgrim Theological College, 29 College Cres, Parkville

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
8.00	Stations of the Cross Walk	Student Breakfast Registration	Women’s Breakfast
9.00		Worship/Devotion	Worship/Devotion	Worship/Devotion
9.30		Welcome Keynote 1:	Keynote 2:	Keynote 3:
11.00		Morning Tea
11.30		Parallel Papers 1	Open Space Conversation	Parallel Papers 5
12.40		Lunch   ANZATS AGM (Tue)
14.00		Parallel Papers 2	Parallel Papers 3	Wrap up Conversation
15.40		Afternoon Tea
16.00		Workshops	Parallel Papers 4
17.00	Opening Reception and Welcome to Country
18.00			Conference Dinner

Accomodation

There are a range of accomodation options in Parkville and surrounds. There are a limited number of rooms available at McClean House (https://pilgrim.edu.au/maclean-house/) which is next door to Pilgrim. For those staying in the city centre, Pilgrim is accessible via the no. 19 tram.

There is limited on street parking at Pilgrim

Stations of the Cross Walking Tour

On Monday, 30th July we will be hosting a walking tour of a range of Melbourne CBD sites including a number of city churches who have a sculptural depiction of the stations of the cross. This is a free event and your registration helps us to know what numbers to expect.

If you would like to join this tour but have mobility issues, please let us know so that we can accomodate you.

Women’s Breakfast

The AUT is once again hosting women scholars for breakfast on Wednesday 2nd July. Full details of the gathering will be distributed closer to the conference. If you are planning on attending the women’s breakfast please sing up here:

Women Scholars’ Breakfast hosted by Australian University of Theology

Student Breakfast

ANZATS is offering a free breakfast to any student attendees at the conference. If you are planning to come please tick the student breakfast option on the registration.

Keynote Speaker