VII Simposio anual SOFIC, October 17 - 18, 2025
Secularity and Postsecularity:
Sociological, Philosophical, and Theological Perspectives
Ca' Foscari University - Venice
Keynote Speakers
Call for Abstracts
The debate around secularity has constantly engaged twentieth-century intellectuals, and is still alive and well today. From Blumenberg to Gogarten, from Metz’s Theology of the World to Cox’s best-seller The Secular City, last century’s philosophers and theologians have investigated the reasons, the scope, and the meaning of the secularization process. Today, this tradition of inquiry is ideally epitomized by Taylor’s monumental A Secular Age. In this scenario, also the concept of a post-secular age has gained momentum, especially but not exclusively through Habermas’ reflection, and has led some twenty-first century intellectuals to draw the first maps of The Post-Secular City (Costa 2019). We believe that “secularity” and “post-secularity” are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, if on the one hand it is crucial to study the former for understanding the latter, on the other secularization is still with us, even in a context that seems to have gone beyond it. We thus intend to explore the simultaneous, opposed phenomena of the decline and return of religion(s), to understand their inner dynamics, their main features, and their concretion in contemporary society. The complexity of our topic demands an interdisciplinary approach. We thus welcome contributions from the following areas of knowledge:
A 300 words abstract should be sent to [email protected]
Deadlines
Proposal submission : 15 July 2025.
Notification of acceptance: 31 July 2025.
Once accepted, it will be possible to register as speaker. The registration fee is 30 euros, and includes SOFIC membership for the solar year 2025.
See the page: Becoming member
A Pascal Grant for young researchers, up to 30 years old, without a PhD, will be offered for registration, transport and accommodation (up to 300 euros). The full text will be required for the selection of candidates.
Organising Committee
Paolo Pagani, Università Ca' Foscari
Alberto Peratoner, Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto
Jaime Vilarroig, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Castellón
Amerigo Barzaghi, Saint Louis University - Madrid
Gian Pietro Soliani, Università Ca' Foscari
Lucia Bissoli, Universidad Francisco De Vitoria - Madrid
Scientific Committee
José Vicente Bonet, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Andrea Aguti, Università di Urbino
Stefano Santasilia, Università Telematica Pegaso
David García-Ramos, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Francesco Saccardi, Università Ca' Foscari
Nicolò Tarquini, Università di Urbino
- Rafael Ruiz Andrés, Universidad Complutense - Madrid
- Paolo Pagani, Università Ca' Foscari
- Sergio Ubbiali, Facoltà Teologica dell'Italia Settentrionale - Milano
Call for Abstracts
The debate around secularity has constantly engaged twentieth-century intellectuals, and is still alive and well today. From Blumenberg to Gogarten, from Metz’s Theology of the World to Cox’s best-seller The Secular City, last century’s philosophers and theologians have investigated the reasons, the scope, and the meaning of the secularization process. Today, this tradition of inquiry is ideally epitomized by Taylor’s monumental A Secular Age. In this scenario, also the concept of a post-secular age has gained momentum, especially but not exclusively through Habermas’ reflection, and has led some twenty-first century intellectuals to draw the first maps of The Post-Secular City (Costa 2019). We believe that “secularity” and “post-secularity” are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, if on the one hand it is crucial to study the former for understanding the latter, on the other secularization is still with us, even in a context that seems to have gone beyond it. We thus intend to explore the simultaneous, opposed phenomena of the decline and return of religion(s), to understand their inner dynamics, their main features, and their concretion in contemporary society. The complexity of our topic demands an interdisciplinary approach. We thus welcome contributions from the following areas of knowledge:
- Sociology – religious dynamics, religious metamorphoses, sociology of secularization;
- Philosophy – political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, and philosophical anthropology;
- Fundamental theology – secularization, public, political, and liberation theologies.
A 300 words abstract should be sent to [email protected]
Deadlines
Proposal submission : 15 July 2025.
Notification of acceptance: 31 July 2025.
Once accepted, it will be possible to register as speaker. The registration fee is 30 euros, and includes SOFIC membership for the solar year 2025.
See the page: Becoming member
A Pascal Grant for young researchers, up to 30 years old, without a PhD, will be offered for registration, transport and accommodation (up to 300 euros). The full text will be required for the selection of candidates.
Organising Committee
Paolo Pagani, Università Ca' Foscari
Alberto Peratoner, Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto
Jaime Vilarroig, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, Castellón
Amerigo Barzaghi, Saint Louis University - Madrid
Gian Pietro Soliani, Università Ca' Foscari
Lucia Bissoli, Universidad Francisco De Vitoria - Madrid
Scientific Committee
José Vicente Bonet, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Andrea Aguti, Università di Urbino
Stefano Santasilia, Università Telematica Pegaso
David García-Ramos, Universidad Católica de Valencia
Francesco Saccardi, Università Ca' Foscari
Nicolò Tarquini, Università di Urbino
