The Patristic Studies section of the Wesleyan Liturgical Society invites paper proposals for its 2027 annual meeting, held in conjunction with the Wesleyan Theological Society, March 12–13, 2027, at Southern Nazarene University.

This year’s section will explore the relationship between patristic theology and the worship, liturgy, and sacramental life of the Church. Papers might examine how early Christian patterns of prayer, proclamation, initiation, Eucharistic celebration, ecclesial formation, or embodied worship continue to inform contemporary theological and liturgical reflection.

Proposals engaging John Wesley’s appropriation of patristic thought are especially welcome. Possible areas of inquiry include Wesley’s understanding of the sacraments, his use of early Christian sources, his vision of Christian antiquity, and the ways patristic theology shaped his accounts of worship, grace, holiness, and ecclesial life. Papers may also critically assess the character, extent, and limitations of Wesley’s adherence to patristic thought and practice.

The section is not limited to Wesleyan studies, however. We welcome proposals addressing any dimension of the relationship between the Church Fathers and Mothers and Christian worship, including but not limited to:

• Patristic theology of Baptism and/or the Eucharist

• Early Christian liturgies and patterns of prayer

• Catechesis, initiation, and Christian formation

• Scripture, preaching, and proclamation in early Christian worship

• Worship and the doctrine of the Trinity or Christology

• Sacramental theology and the communication of divine grace

• Liturgy, holiness, and the transformation of the worshiper

• Embodiment, materiality, architecture, music, and sacred art

• The retrieval of patristic sources in later liturgical traditions

• Patristic influences within Wesleyan, Methodist, Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic, and other ecclesial contexts

• Constructive applications of patristic liturgical or sacramental theology for the contemporary Church

Interdisciplinary, ecumenical, historical, theological, and constructive approaches are encouraged. The section particularly welcomes scholarship that places ancient Christian sources in meaningful conversation with the worship and sacramental practices of the Church today.