Call for Papers — “Authenticity and Deceit” Joint Conference

Lutheranism and the Classics, the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, and Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne invite you to submit proposals for sectional papers to be presented at their 2027 joint conference. Under the theme “Authenticity and Deceit,” the organizers are looking for twenty half-hour academic presentations and ten full-hour practical presentations.

Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted by electronic attachment to Rev. Dr. Cameron MacKenzie, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, at Cameron.MacKenzie@ctsfw.edu by November 1, 2026.

Full details below.

Call for Papers for Joint Conference Lutheranism & the Classics IX: Authenticity and Deceit and Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education (Midwest) Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana October 1–2, 2027 The 2027 joint conference of Lutheranism & the Classics (L&tC) and the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE) will be grappling with the challenges—and opportunities?—that such disparate influences as artificial intelligence (AI), cleverness, frightful intelligence, and virtuality bring to the church and academy. The conference, hosted by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, under the theme, “Authenticity and Deceit,” features three plenary papers, up to twenty sectional presentations for L&tC, ten CCLE presentations, and a banquet address. Conference organizers invite sectional papers on topics such as: ● A Sagacious Use of ChatGPT ● Sinon’s Ruse (Vergil Aeneid 2.57ff) ● Trickster Gods and the One True God ● Foxes, Coyotes, Ravens, and Crows ● Can Virtue Be Taught by Contemplating Quackery and Cunning? ● Luther’s Thoughts on Jacob and Esau ● Art and Artifice in the Reformation ● False Friends in Antiquity ● The Sirens’ Song: Music and the Art of Deception ● A Tool We Can’t Control: Technology as Self-Divination ● Cheating, Plagiarism, and Upholding Honor Codes Plenary speakers include Dr. Jon Bruss, Concordia Theological Seminary; Dr. James Kellerman, Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines; and Dr. Christian Preus, Mount Hope Lutheran Church. Dr. Thomas Keeline, Washington University, will present a banquet address. Two types of sectional papers will be considered. First, for L&tC, a half-hour time slot will be allowed for a more academic paper (perhaps a twenty-minute paper and five-minute Q&A). Second, for the CCLE, a full hour will be granted for a more practical paper or presentation (perhaps a forty-minute paper and fifteen-minute Q&A). Potential presenters must specify in the abstract whether they are submitting an L&tC proposal or a CCLE proposal. Only one proposal per presenter, please, not two or more. Selected papers may be published. Abstracts of no more than 250 words should be submitted by electronic attachment to Rev. Dr. Cameron MacKenzie, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, at Cameron.MacKenzie@ctsfw.edu by November 1, 2026.