Defending the Faith Conference
15-17 September, 2014

In 1562, John Jewel produced the Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae as the answer of the Reformed Church of England to those who challenged the church’s legitimacy. In 1564 Lady Anne Bacon’s English translation presented the Apology to English readers. In order to mark both the appearance of the Apology and the 450th anniversary of the English translation, we are holding a conference from 15-17 September 2014. It will take place in Salisbury, where Jewel was Bishop, and will feature papers presented by our confirmed keynote speakers: Thomas S. Freeman, Lucy Wooding, and Torrance Kirby.

• We would ask for papers on any of the broad themes outlined below:
• The Elizabethan episcopacy, including John Jewel
• The impact of the Apologia on the late Elizabethan and early Stuart Church
• Catholic responses to the Apologia
• The role of women and women’s writing in the post-reformation church, including Lady Anne Bacon
• Defending the Elizabethan settlement on local and national levels
• The use of the vernacular and/or English history in Reformation polemics and apologetics
• The conference will include a postgraduate workshop and we hope to be able to offer a limited number of postgraduate bursaries. We also hope to publish a volume of essays from the conference papers presented.

We welcome proposals from postgraduate researchers, early career researchers and established scholars. Please send proposals consisting of your name, affiliation and status [e.g. postgraduate/ faculty member] with an abstract of 500 words outlining the theme of your paper to: Angela Ranson ransoang@gmail.com or Sarah Bastow s.l.bastow@hud.ac.uk.

The proposal deadline is 1st March 2014.