Public Journal—Advancing Public Theology and Civil Society
Editorial
Heinrich Bedford-Strohm (Moderator, World Council of Churches, Geneva)
Public Theology is the reflection on the contribution of biblical tradition and the wisdom of Christian tradition to the public discourse in modern pluralistic societies on issues of moral and ethical relevance and the praxis of well reflected participation in such public discourse.
Ted Peters (Emeritus Professor, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA)
Public theology is conceived in the church, critically reasoned in the academy, and offered to the wider culture for the sake of the common good.
Craig L. Nessan (William D. Streng Professor for the Education and Renewal of the Church, Professor of Contextual Theology and Ethics, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA)
Public theology draws upon scripture, theology, history, science, social sciences, the humanities, and ethics to address the challenges confronting society in constructing a just and peaceful world that respects human dignity and protects the integrity of creation. It does this through reasoning that is accessible and compelling to an audience that is not only Christian but interfaith and secular.
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that public theology is a shared endeavor aimed at addressing the significance of the common good, democratic politics of recognition, comparative religion, science-religion dialogue, and advocacy for those on the margins. Public theology operates within a multivariate framework, engaging multiple and intersectional realities within society and culture—realities that are often stratified in hierarchical ways. We recognize that contributed papers are essential for the development of this common project. All submitted papers undergo a peer-review process prior to publication.
Paul S. Chung, Editor-in-Chief
Nick Huseby, Assistant Editor
Regulation for contribution
Each contributor is allowed 2 opportunities to contribute each year. This does not include papers submitted for the 2026 conference in Seoul.
We promote the global exchange of public theology among scholars in the United States, East Asia, and Germany. Public theology is a collaborative effort to engage both context and intercontext in pursuit of an ecumenical whole—through responsible critique, emancipation, and advocacy for those on the margins.
Contact
To submit a paper for review, please email your materials to the editorial team at publitheology@gmail.com
Volume 1 Issue 1 (Winter 2026)
A Speical Issue: Seoul Conference 2026
Critical Realism and Comparative Epistemology in Interreligious Engagement
Comparative Method in Interreligious Engagement Craig L. Nessan, Wartburg Theological Seminary Inter-Religious Dialogue: Heart, Hands, and Head (Leonard Swidler). Critical
Greetings from the General Secretary of PROK
Greetings from the General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea (PROK) I am pleased to extend
Meet Prof. Dr. Kim, Hiheon
Dear Conference Participants, It is my pleasure to introduce Prof. Dr. Kim, Hiheon, the newly elected dean of the Graduate
Christian Faith and the Cosmos
.Christian Faith and the Cosmos: Reflections of an Astronomer Choi Seung-Urn (Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University) Introduction I entered university
Public Theology and Right-Wing Nationalism in the Korean Church
Public Theology and Right-Wing Nationalism in the Korean Church Chai Soo-il Abstract Public theology has become an urgent and contested