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Join us at the Canadian-American Theological Association (CATA) 2026 Conference and Public Lecture which will take place on May 29-30, 2026. The conference will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at St. John's College, located on the campus of the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg. A public lecture will also be held the evening before, on Friday, May 29 at a Willowlake Church in Winnipeg, MB. CATA will be meeting alongside of other Canadian academic theological and religious societies as part of the inaugural Canadian Theology and Religion Colloquium. The overarching theme of the colloquium is “Common Places, Contested Spaces: Religion and Theology in Canada and Beyond” and the keynote speaker is the Dr. Daniel Stulac whose address is entitled, “Learning To Be Here: Canonical Reflections on the Canadian Prairie.”
The Executive of CATA welcomes proposals for papers to be presented at our Annual Meeting to be held on day two. Proposals from graduate students are enthusiastically welcomed!
Registration
This year’s CATA conference will be part of the inaugural Canadian Theological and Religious Studies Forum. Registrants have the option of enrolling for the single day on which the CATA annual meeting will be held ($45 CAD*) or for the entire forum which includes admission to the various academic societies that will be meeting over the course of four days ($150).
* Cost includes lunch and coffee breaks!
Program
This year’s program includes two events: (1) a public lecture on the evening of Friday, May 29, 2026; and (2) a full-day conference at St. John’s College (Winnipeg, MB) on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The conference theme is Common Places Contested Spaces: Religion and Theology in Canada and Beyond and will feature Keynote Speaker, Dr. Daniel Stulac, whose address is entitled, “Learning To Be Here: Canonical Reflections on the Canadian Prairie.” The conference will also include many papers, given in parallel sessions, on a range of related topics in biblical studies, theology, history, philosophy, and interdisciplinary studies.
7:15 PM ‑ 9:30 PM
Featuring:
8:30 AM ‑ 5:30 PM
Keynote Address:
Location
Free Public Lecture
PRESENTER
Pierre Gilbert, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Emeritus
Canadian Mennonite University
DATE
Friday, May 29, 2026
TIME
7:15 ‑ 9:30PM
LOCATION
Real Threat or Nothing Burger?
The Potential Revocation of Churches’ Charitable Status
In its 2025 report, the House of Commons Finance Committee recommended revoking charitable status for churches and other religious organizations. Though the recommendation was not adopted, its inclusion without prior public consultation served as a wake-up call to many. Drawing from a major study for the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, retired professor Pierre Gilbert will examine the historical, social, and ideological factors behind this recommendation and what it may signal for the Church's future in Canadian society. Gilbert will also explore the fiscal, cultural, and theological implications of such a policy change. The issue goes beyond tax privileges — it speaks to the Church's vital role as a bulwark against the rise of secularism, a repository of truth, and a voice of hope for future generations. His presentation is both a policy analysis and a passionate call for the Church to awaken, engage the culture, and remain faithful to its prophetic mandate.
Keynote Speaker
Daniel Stulac
Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Briercrest College
Dr. Daniel Stulac is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Briercrest College. He holds a PhD from Duke University, where he previously taught for five years. Dr. Stulac specializes in Old Testament interpretation and agrarian hermeneutics, and is the author of five monographs including Life, Land, and Elijah in the Book of Kings (Cambridge University Press, 2021). His research explores the intersection of Scripture, ecology, and theology, bringing both scholarly expertise and pastoral sensitivity to biblical studies.
Call for Papers
Abstract submission for the CATA 2026 Conference is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract!
CATA encourages submission of high-quality papers on any topic falling within the disciplines of biblical studies; theological readings of Scripture; historical, systematic, philosophical, moral, and pastoral theology; and interdisciplinary theological work that engages with other academic disciplines. Special consideration will be given to papers that broadly intersect with the colloquium theme, “Common Places, Contested Spaces: Religion and Theology in Canada and Beyond.”
Papers should be scholarly but not highly specialized presentations of about 20 minutes, aimed at an audience of students, pastors, and faculty from across the spectrum of theological disciplines.
TOPICS
STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER PAPER COMPETITION - closed
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
IMPORTANT DATES
Topics |
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Topics in the broad theological disciplines that fall outside of the specific theme of the conference are also welcome. For example, related themes might include theological reflection on:
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Student and Early Career Paper Competition |
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The submission time for the Student and Early Career Paper Competition is now closed. For those who submitted abstracts for the competition by March 13, your full draft is due on May 1 (please send it to Dr. Robert Dean). Graduate students, post-docs, independent scholars, and pre-tenured faculty are invited to submit papers for the CATA Student and Early Career Paper Competition. The winning paper will be published in CATA’s journal, the Canadian-American Theological Review, and its author will receive a congratulatory monetary gift. |
Submission Guidelines |
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Important Dates |
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Conference Partners
This conference has been made possible due to the generous support of McMaster Divinity College, and Forestview Church.
Travel & Accommodations
We encourage all attendees to look into accommodations and transportation as soon as possible! St. John’s College is located on the University of Manitoba campus in the south end of Winnipeg, so be sure to check hotels and Air B&Bs in the surrounding areas — Southdale, St. Vital, St. Norbert, and nearby suburban neighbourhoods are all worth exploring. Options closer to downtown Winnipeg are also available if you don’t mind a short commute. Book early, as availability can fill up quickly!
About Winnipeg
- Known as “Winnie” by locals, Winnipeg is an overlooked gem that sparkles with a lively arts scene, destination eateries, and some of the friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere in Canada — “Friendly Manitoba” is on every provincial licence plate for a reason!
- Winnipeg is the birthplace of Winnie the Pooh! During WWI, a soldier named Harry Colebourn rescued a bear cub and named her Winnipeg. She eventually made her way to the London Zoo, where she charmed a young boy named Christopher Robin — and the rest is history.
- The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the only museum in the world solely dedicated to human rights, and its striking architecture has made it a focal point of the Winnipeg skyline.
- The Forks, situated at the meeting point of two rivers, is a beloved gathering place featuring a bustling market, exceptional dining, scenic riverbank paths, a world-class skate park, and access to one of the world’s longest frozen recreational trails in winter.
- The Winnipeg Art Gallery, founded in 1912, is Western Canada’s oldest public art gallery and is home to the world’s largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art.
- Sports fans will feel right at home: catch the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) or the Blue Bombers (CFL) — despite being one of the smaller NHL franchises, the Jets sell more merchandise than almost any other team in the league.
- Assiniboine Park, established in 1904, is one of Winnipeg’s finest year-round attractions, featuring a world-class zoo, botanical gardens, and the famous Journey to Churchill polar bear exhibit.