The Mandarin Institute of Theology, in partnership with the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford and the Graduate School of Letters at Kyoto University, will host an international conference entitled "The Problem of Suffering: Comparative Perspectives from Catholic, Buddhist, and Taoist Traditions."
The conference, scheduled for 22–24 April 2026, will bring together approximately 80 scholars to examine how different theological and philosophical traditions have grappled with the fundamental human experience of suffering.
Sessions will be organised around four thematic axes: 1. Theodicy and Divine Justice in Catholic Thought 2. Dukkha, Karma, and Liberation in Buddhist Philosophy 3. Suffering, Naturalness, and Acceptance in Taoist Thought 4. Comparative Frameworks: Towards a Cross-Traditional Understanding
The conference will be held at MIT's main campus, with select sessions livestreamed for remote participants. Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English, French, and Mandarin Chinese.
Abstract submissions are now closed. The full programme will be announced in early March.