Call for papers

Call for Papers: Melita Theologica Special Issue on

Called to Connect: The Church in today’s world

The Department of Pastoral Theology, Liturgy and Canon Law at the University of Malta is preparing a themed edition of Melita Theologica on Called to Connect: The Church in today’s world during the first half of 2027 as the first issue of this particular year.

This issue explores what it means for the Church to "connect" authentically with the contemporary world. Subtopics may include:

  • The theological, sociocultural, and pastoral meanings of “the world” in today’s context
  • Is it possible to know whether people today are actually seeking what the Church offers? How might this shape the Church’s mission?
  • How to connect and engage with the world without compromising the integrity of the Church’s identity?
  • Forms of language and media to foster meaningful cross-generational and cross-cultural dialogue.
  • The contribution of beauty, imagination, and the arts to the Church’s cultural witness and dialogue with society.
  • Reassessing traditional channels of evangelization and formation in a fragmented and virtual world.
  • To what extent does the Church’s credibility depend on the coherence between its message and the way it lives and acts?
  • How can the Church connect with young adults who are redefining spiritual belonging outside of traditional ecclesial structures?
  • A reconfiguration of the role of liturgical spaces, symbols, and rituals in shaping a welcoming Church.
  • Can the Church connect with and become a home for those who have been wounded by it?

Melita Theologica is a peer-reviewed academic journal published biannually since 1947. Published under the joint collaboration of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Malta, the Theology Students Association and the Foundation for Theological Studies of the Archdiocese of Malta, Melita Theologica takes an interdisciplinary approach to a wide range of philosophical and theological issues, and covers a range of topics, including  systematics, biblical studies, spiritual and pastoral theology, bioethics, social and professional ethics, liturgy and psychology.

The Department of Pastoral Theology, Liturgy and Canon Law at the University of Malta is thus inviting interested academics to submit an abstract for consideration. Papers will be sent for double-blind peer-review before publication. Submissions should be up to 10,000 words in length, including footnotes, must be prepared in Word file format and follow the guidelines of the Chicago Manual of Style.

Please note that your article will undergo a double-blinded peer-review process and, if accepted for publication, an Article Processing Charge of € 200 will apply.

Submission Timeline:

  • Abstracts:Please submit an abstract (approximately 300 words) to Rev. Prof. Carl-Mario Sultana (m.sultana@um.edu.mt) and Dr Dorianne Buttigieg (dorianne.buttigieg@um.edu.mt) by 10 October 2025.
  • Notification of Acceptance:Contributors will be informed about the acceptance of their abstracts by 31 October 2025.
  • Completed Articles:Final articles should be submitted by 30 April 2026.
  • Peer Review Feedback:Suggestions for corrections based on the peer-review process will be communicated by 31 August 2026.
  • Final Versions:Revised articles are to be submitted by 31 November 2026.

It would be an honour to have your contribution to this issue.

Information for authors is found in the following webpage:
https://www.um.edu.mt/theology/melitatheologica/

Rev. Prof. Carl-Mario Sultana
Dr Dorianne Buttigieg
Co-editors

Call for Papers

I am pleased to announce that the second issue of the 2026 volume of the Faculty’s peer-reviewed journal, Melita Theologica, will be edited by the Department of Fundamental & Dogmatic Theology. The issue will be entitled:

The Task of Theology in a Changing World

I warmly invite you to contribute to this issue with an original study exploring the role of theology in addressing contemporary social, cultural, ecclesial, or philosophical challenges. 

Submissions should be up to 10,000 words in length, including footnotes, must be prepared in Word file format and follow the guidelines of the Chicago Manual of Style.

Please note that your article will undergo a double-blinded peer-review process and, if accepted for publication, an Article Processing Charge of € 200 will apply.

Submission Timeline:

· Abstracts: Please submit an abstract (approximately 300 words) to mark.j.zammit@um.edu.mt by 31 May 2025.

· Notification of Acceptance: Contributors will be informed about the acceptance of their abstracts by 30 June 2025.

· Completed Articles: Final articles should be submitted by 30 November 2025.

· Peer Review Feedback: Suggestions for corrections based on the peer-review process will be communicated by 28 February 2026.

· Final Versions: Revised articles are to be submitted by 31 May 2026.

It would be an honour to have your contribution to this issue.

Rev. Dr Mark Joseph Zammit
(Guest editor)


Study at UM

https://www.um.edu.mt/melitatheologica/callforpapers/