Snapshots from the postgraduate pre-conference (Gashaw, 2026).
On 22 April, Cambridge Divinity postgraduates Amen Gashaw and Lukas Kirby co-convened a one-day conference adjacent to the 6th Political Theologies conference (itself convened by Dr Marietta van der Tol). The event was supported by a small grant from the Cambridge Interfaith Research Forum.
On the fringes of the main conference, the Cambridge Interfaith team also hosted a 27 April masterclass with guest speaker Laura K Field. Read on for first-person reflections on these events.
A young discipline for the young scholar
Co-convenor Amen Gashaw reports:
If I asked you to picture a constitutional lawyer or a political theorist or even a theologian, I figure you'd imagine them to be a seasoned sage with a soft spot for traditions and pleasantly old-school ideas. But while the likes of Aristotle and Aquinas often remain at top of mind for many such scholars, this is not the case. In fact, it should not be the case. As societies and states around the world meet critical constitutional junctures, those who think normatively about politico-religious ethics and institutions must have a heightened stake in the future themselves.
This is why, last month, the Cambridge Interfaith Programme and a constellation of organizations working in religion and public life sponsored a postgraduate pre-conference to precede an annual Political Theologies Conference. Now in its sixth year, the conference tackles a new theme in politics and religion. 2026 – on constitutions, the rule of law, and the common good – was its first year including postgrads in the mix.
To adequately celebrate the Political Theologies postgraduate pre-conference, it might be helpful to first answer the question: what is political theology? There has recently been a book written on this question, so I will scarcely be able to answer it in a sentence. But simply: Political theology is a burgeoning interdisciplinary field spanning philosophy, theology, religious studies, political science, and sociology, on the normative and descriptive study of politics in religion and vice versa.
Certainly, people have been thinking politically about God and religiously about politics for millennia, but “political theology” as a concerted branch of research on its own is a relatively new development. In keeping with the youth of the field, it was only fitting that an annual conference on political theology include the youth of the academy.
This year’s postgraduate pre-conference – hopefully the first of many – tackled the overall conference theme from three vantages: political mythology, religious identity, and constitutional-ecclesial relations.
Mythology, identity and constitutional–ecclesial relations
On political mythology: Lukas Kaarby, Cambridge MPhil candidate in the Divinity Faculty, presented research on the political implications and dangers of Augustine’s articulation of creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing). Dimitrije Teodosic discussed the myths that animate Balkan instability and ethnic tension and charted the beginnings of a reasoned path forward. Mishael van Luipen offered a compelling typology for generational differences in political engagement, arguing that each participates in politics according to generational myths.
On religious identity: Yenny Delgado presented on the fraught history of Christianity in Abya Yala – contemporary North and South America – and the role of the resurrection narrative in indigenous experience. Amen Gashaw considered the possibilities of christomorphic pluralism in the thought of Friedrich Schleiermacher as a solution for American contests of religious freedom.
On constitutional–ecclesial relations: Stephen McNulty traced the American constitutional origins of the Catholic church’s support for religious freedom during and after Vatican II. Jeton Mehmeti unpacked constitutional neutrality and challenges concerning religious minorities in Kosovo. Camila Salcedo explored the thought of Julius Nyerere as a promising alternative to prevailing liberal, Marxist, and problematic post-liberal constitutional theories.
Generating hope
Across each panel, we heard the latest research at the intersections of politics, theology, and religious studies from those who will constitute the field in years to come. There is a great deal of (perhaps rightful) constitutional doom and gloom nowadays. But the earnest force, incisive critique, and generative ideas of this cohort of postgraduates has given me hope that there already are and will continue to be scholars capable of meeting the urgency of the moment.
There is usually a Scripture for these kinds of things, so I will close by quoting St Paul: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Of course, the expressly religious flavor of Paul’s world may not be perfectly applicable here, but the spirit is spot on. At this year’s Political Theologies postgraduate pre-conference, the young set an example in speech, conduct, love, and good faith. There is, then, hope for democracy and constitutionality yet.
A masterclass with Laura K Field
Divinity PhD candidate Michael Wilcher reflects:
I came to the Political Theologies Masterclass because I was familiar with Dr Field’s book though I had not yet had the chance to read it. I knew of it through her appearances on podcasts hosted by some friends of mine from the US. I very much enjoyed the conversation which spanned a lot of very interesting rabbit holes.
I think it would have been a bit more of a clearly defined conversation had all of us already read the book, because I think Dr Field came expecting mostly to discuss the book itself, but my interests (mine at least) probably drew the conversation a bit beyond that. But I liked that the students were allowed to speak their minds; it was very refreshing that she wanted to hear our ideas. Amen brought some really great insights.
Dr Field was a compelling guest. I really enjoyed her methodology as she laid it out for us. I wished we’d asked her the basic methodological question: how to do good political theology in this arena.
And one of the things I wished we’d talked more about was this sense that the Democratic party/Establishment Left had sort of run out of good, compelling ideas. I’d love to have more guest speakers/sessions to really speculate on the kinds of ideas that can fix that.
Otherwise, I had a really rich time. I think the fact that we all stayed to speak for 20 minutes later than scheduled showed how excited we were to speak with her. Have her back again soon!