Article: Building Global and Intercultural Studies in Christian Spirituality, by Claire E. Wolfteich

In this brief essay introducing readers to the articles contained in a supplemental issue of Spiritus, Claire Wolfteich writes “This … issue presents a sampling of the global and intercultural scholarship in spirituality that is, in many ways, a leading edge of our discipline.” A former president of the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality, Prof. Wolfteich describes recent efforts by the Society to expand its membership to include a more internationally diverse representation of scholars. By creating an International Relations ad hoc Committee (IRC), the Society will pursue the following goals:

. . . to expand the international connections of SSCS so as to engage diverse contexts of spirituality scholarship; to build constructive exchanges between SSCS and international scholars; to welcome more international members; and to develop a more fully international presence/impact.

The Society’s other major effort to engage with scholarship on a global level has been a series of biannual conferences, which have thus far taken place in the US (2013) and South Africa (2014). A third will be held in Switzerland this coming June. Information about these meetings is available. Some of the papers given at the first two conferences are described in CSS blog posts; some of the presenters have made their papers available to SSCS members and the corresponding blog posts have a link for requesting a copy.