CALL FOR PAPERS
AFRICAN WORSHIP: Rethinking our Theologies, Reshaping our Practices
St. Paul’s University, Limuru (Chapel, 3rd Floor, School of Theology Building)
19th to 20th March 2026
Call for Papers Download Link (PDF)
Introduction
African expressions of worship remain a vibrant facet of Christianity in Africa, where the Christian faith is often practiced and embodied (Getui 1998; Asamoah-Gyadu 2018). These expressions are also diverse in nature, from the more conservative use of hymnology to the wide usage of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) especially in emerging and urban churches, which sometimes generates debate within the worship practices in congregations. While hymns may strengthen spiritual formation and piety, CCM seems to connect with the emerging generations. On the other hand, there are several gaps in connecting hymnology to indigenous African religious life and cultural practices. Following this argument, there is still a continued need of indigenizing and inculturating liturgical practices within African communities (Letšosa 2019). The practice of CCM may also be approached from post-colonial and decolonial lenses, with a critical look at how it may either support or inhibit Christian life in a variety of African contexts. Lastly, worship is often dichotomized and separated from public life, and other aspects of Christian life and witness such as mission, climate change, and social justice (Baron and Letšosa 2021). What liturgical reflections and renewals are required to deal with some of these contemporary public issues in African contexts? What liturgies need to be crafted to help congregants deal with mental health challenges or perhaps to foster ecumenical dialogue in a service of public worship in a public university or in a significant national event? How might burial practices and liturgies shape communal aspects of African culture while offering sensitive pastoral care to bereaved families of suicide? This theme of African Worship: Rethinking our Theologies, Reshaping our Practices seeks to explore some of these critical areas.
About the Workshop
This worship workshop is part of the project Gĩkũyũ Hymnology as an Indigenous Expression of Presbyterian Piety and Spiritual Formation: An Ethnographic and Liturgical Analysis of Women’s Voices supported by the Afua Kuma – Dora Yu Paper Prize. The Kuma – Yu Paper Prize is dedicated to the study of lived theology and Christ-like formation in the contexts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania. The purpose of this prize is to seed and grow research into the Church’s lived experiences of discipleship and formation in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania and to translate them into contextually rich theological accounts of what it means to be “Christ-like” amidst the diverse contemporary challenges and opportunities of the world Christian movement. The Afua Kuma – Dora Yu Award is funded by the Overseas Ministries Study Center at Princeton Theological Seminary (OMSC@PTS), in collaboration with the Global Spiritual Formations Project funded by the Templeton Religion Trust and administered by the Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity.
Paper Themes
As such, abstracts and papers are welcomed on any of the following themes:
- Orality in African Worship practices
- Old Testament perspectives on African worship
- New Testament perspectives on African worship
- Worship in African Church History
- Inculturation, Indigenization and Contextualization of Worship practices
- Gendered perspectives on African worship
- Worship and Mission in African Churches
- Worship and African Independent Churches
- Pentecostalization of African worship
- Decolonial and postcolonial approaches to Christian worship
- African Liturgies for Special Occasions
Research paradigm
Research projects should include a grounded component that connects theological principles with the lives of the church in the world. This can include, but are not limited to:
- Historical studies of individuals or communities of worship that exhibited Christ-likeness in the social and cultural conditions of their time.
- Qualitative studies of contemporary communities or institutions negotiating and expressing their faith through connecting worship with public life.
- And/or quantitative studies that highlight trends and patterns in worship formation and discipleship. Contexts of study should be specific to regions, cultures, and/or traditions from Africa, and the diaspora.
Deadlines
- Submission of Abstracts: 20th December 2025. Submit your abstract on the ONLINE Form here: https://forms.gle/6RYczD1GkY56UeVNA
- Announcements of Successful Abstracts: 12th January 2026
- Full papers required by: 30th Feb 2026
- Workshop presentation 19th to 20th March 2026.
- Workshop organizers will provide workshop presenters with initial peer-review and guidance on submission to the Special Journal Issue with Acta Theologica, but will be in charge of individual submission.
- Other interested external contributors from African scholars will also be welcomed to submit after the workshop.
- Correction of article after workshop comments 20th April 2026.
- Initial editorial work of the collection of papers by special issue editors: 30th May 2026 to 30th Aug 2026
- Preparation of final articles by authors: 1 Sep 2026 to 30th Dec 2027
- Submission date of manuscripts to Acta Theologica: 31st January 2027.
Publication of Workshop Papers
The South African journal Acta Theologica have accepted to publish successful articles in a special journal issue comprised of the workshop papers. Acta Theologica is an internationally established peer-reviewed academic journal listed in various indices, including the Web of Science and SciELO South Africa. Hosted by the Faculty of Theology & Religion at the University of the Free State, the journal embraces both its rootedness in the African continent and the global public sphere of theological research. The publishing of innovative, interdisciplinary, and contextual theological knowledge with a significant edge is thus of the utmost importance. The paper presenters will be expected to include the workshop feedback as they work on their papers and are welcome to submit them for consideration of publication. The papers will be subjected to the peer review process of the journal house, and acceptance for the workshop presentation does not necessarily mean the paper will be published.
Registration Fees
Upon acceptance of proposals, you can register for the workshop by paying the registration fee by 30th Feb 2026. Workshop registration includes the following: entrance to the workshop, daily lunches, tea breaks and snacks, conference materials and a certificate of participation.
- Regular rate: KSH 2,000
- Student rate: KSH 500
After 30th Feb 2026, the above fees will increase by KSH 500. Registration will close on Mon 16th March 2026
Contact
For more information, contact Rev. Dr. Kevin Muriithi Ndereba
Writing Guidelines
- Manuscripts should be prepared according to the author’s guidelines and language edited.
- Length: 4,000 to 7,000 words.
- Other editorial policies worth noting: click here
- Authors can make use of the extensive “Worship and Liturgics” bibliography developed by the African Theology Worldwide (Compiled by Leon Kooijmans and Willeke Warner-Zigterman Rustenburg).
Publication Fees
The normal reviewing process and page fees of ZAR 250 per page for Open Access will ONLY apply for authors affiliated to South African Higher Education institutions. Academics from other African institutions will be published at no cost.
References
Asamoah-Gyadu, J. K. 2018. “Signs, Tokens, and Points of Contact: Religious Symbolism and Sacramentality in Non-Western Christianity.” Studia Liturgica 48(1–2), pp. 127–46.
Baron, E, and Letšosa, R. 2021. “Liturgy as an Anti-Racist Praxis for Reformed Churches in South Africa.” In Die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi 55 (2), pp. 1-10.
Getui, M. N., ed. 1998. Theological Method and Aspects of Worship in African Christianity. Nairobi: Acton Publishers.
Letšosa, R. S., and Klerk, B. D. 2019. “A Liturgical Comparative Study of Sotho Initiation and Christian Baptism.” In Die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi 53 (1)
