Breaks and Links-International Academic Conference

Breaks and Links:
Past, Present, and Future
of Russian Methodism

The conference will take place in Moscow, Russia, October 1-3, 2009. It will explore the essential break that exists in the identity and historical memory of Methodism in Russia. This break is the result of the gap in Methodist presence in Russia proper between the 1920s and the 1990s. Papers should address that gap and explore the links that could help contemporary Methodists in Russia to conceive of a wholesome identity that would include Methodism in pre-revolutionary Russia, as well as contemporary Methodism. They should explore theological, historical, cultural, social witness, or other pertinent components of Methodism. Papers may focus more specifically on an issue belonging either to the past, present, or future of Russian Methodism, but ideally, it would trace the development of the issue from past to present to future. 

To participate in the conference, please e-mail a brief synopsis of the essay (under 500 words) to Dr. Sergei Nikolaev at sergei_nikolaev@umc-eurasia.ru before September 1. The full version of the essay (under 25 pages) should be e-mailed to the same e-mail address by September 15.

Scholars interested in exploring the phenomenon of Russian Methodism are invited to participate. Selected papers contributing to the development of the field of Russian Methodist Studies will be published in separate volumes (both in English and in Russian). 

The conference will begin Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5:00 PM with welcome, keynote address, and dinner. 
Friday, Oct. 2, is dedicated to presentations and discussions. 
Saturday, Oct. 3, in the morning we will have a panel discussion, then we will have ecumenical and international greetings and a music festival to celebrate the anniversary.

For more information contact Dr. Sergei Nikolaev at sergei_nikolaev@umc-eurasia.ru or call +7-495-961-3458.