Academy of Religious Leadership 2023 Annual Conference

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) and Online

April 27-29, 2023

 The deadline for proposals is past.  Thank you for those who submitted a proposal!

“Reimagining Religious Leadership”

Religious leadership long has been associated with religious institutions—namely, places of worship and schools of theological higher education. Today, many of these institutions are on the decline financially, numerically, and influentially. In some parts of the world, religion itself is on the decline as more people identify as “none,” “done,” or otherwise unaffiliated. Meanwhile, the need for belonging and meaning-making—concerns that often fall within the purview of religion—has only increased in light of the political, societal, environmental, and public health turmoil of recent years.

Taken together, these realities invite a reconsideration of “religious leadership:” what it is; the theories, theologies, and assumptions that inform it; where and how it is practiced; the value it offers to individuals, institutions, and society; who can claim to be a practitioner of it; and how such practitioners are educated and trained. The Academy of Religious Leadership 2023 Annual Conference will explore current state of the field and its future under the theme “Reimagining Religious Leadership.”