International Conference on "Metaphors of Religion" October 27–29, 2025 | Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
The Collaborative Research Center 1475 (CRC 1475) at Ruhr University Bochum is please to announce the International Conference on “Metaphors of Religion: Comparative Perspectives, Theoretical Potential, and Methodic Innovation”, to be held October 27th–29th, 2025 at the University's Convention Centre.
This interdisciplinary conference will explore the critical role of metaphors in shaping religious meaning across traditions, texts, and contexts. With contributions from diverse disciplines, the event aims to foster innovative discussions on how metaphors function as foundational elements in religious language.
Keynote Speakers
- Eve Sweetser (University of California, Berkeley)
- Gerard Steen (University of Amsterdam)
Key Topics and Questions
We welcome submissions on themes that engage with, but are not limited to, the following topics:
- Religious Metaphor and Meaning-Making: What role do metaphors play in the emergence of religious language? How is metaphor connected to notions such as ‘holy languages?’
- Comparative Metaphor Studies: How do different religious traditions (e.g., Buddhism, Christianity, Daoism, Islam, Zoroastrianism) utilize similar or divergent metaphors to address themes of salvation, conduct of life, or imaginaries of the divine? For example, to what extent do we find metaphors of Light, Way, or the Human Body across different traditions?
- Cognitive (and) Linguistic Approaches to Religious Metaphor: How do cognitive linguistic theories of metaphor (e.g., mapping and blending theories) illuminate the unique challenges of religious language?
- Historical and Cultural Shifts in Religious Metaphors: What historical and, in particular, interreligious factors shape the development and transformation of specific religious metaphors? How do metaphors adapt or reconfigure in response to cross-cultural encounters?
- Digital and Computational Approaches to Metaphor Analysis: Which new methods can be employed to analyze religious metaphors at scale, particularly across languages and cultures? How can digital humanities tools enhance our understanding of metaphor in religious contexts?
- Materiality and Visuality in Metaphors: How do metaphors extend beyond language to religious artifacts, images, and other media? What are the methodological challenges in analyzing metaphors in non-verbal religious contexts?
The full programme can be found here soon.