50th Annual Conference of the AASR
Rural Religion and Religious Heritage

4 - 5 December 2025
Federation University Australia
Ballarat

Download the (final) CONFERENCE PROGRAMME here!

Federation University Australia invited scholars from across the world to join us in the historic city of Ballarat for the 50th annual conference of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion on 4—5 December 2025.

In this golden anniversary conference, hosted on Wadawurrung Country by Federation University’s Future Regions Research Centre at the SMB Campus, we welcomed over 50 papers on all aspects of the academic study of religion, especially on the topics of rural religion, religious heritage, and religion and education.

A conference publication on the topic of rural religion across the Asia-Pacific is planned.

Keynote speakers

Professor Lori G. Beaman (University of Ottawa) ‘What community gardens
tell us about religion, nonreligion and living well together’
Professor Clara Saraiva (University of Lisbon) ‘On the sacred Mountain of the Moon:
Monastic cloisters, Druid circles and holistic spiritualities in Portugal’

Conference organising committee:
Dr Ibrahim Abraham
Professor Keir Reeves
Associate Professor David Waldron

All inquiries can be directed to the conference committee at AASR2025@federation.edu.au

Since 1976, the Australian Association for the Study of Religion (AASR) has been fostering the development of high-quality scholarship on religion, creating community and mutual opportunity for established and emerging voices.

Federation University Australia started as The School of Mines in Ballarat in 1870. Today, Federation is regional Victoria’s largest education institution, with campuses in Ballarat, Berwick, Gippsland and the Wimmera.

Federation University Australia acknowledges the Custodians of the lands and waters where our campuses are located and recognise their continuing responsibilities to care for country at these sites of teaching and learning. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Nations Peoples. This conference takes place on the lands of the Wadawurrung People.