The 2026 CESNUR Conference
Co-organized by:
Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR)
Weixin Shengjiao Merit Foundation
International Society for the Study of New Religions
RELIGIONS AND NEW SPIRITUALITY IN EAST ASIA AND BEYOND
GRAND MASTER HUNYUAN CHANSHI MEMORIAL CONFERENCE
Weixin Shangjao Taichung Branch Temple,
Taichung City, Taiwan, October 10–14, 2026 [with return on october 15]
CALL FOR PAPERS
This time, the CESNUR conference is in the pleasant East Asian autumn. We have selected Taiwan, home to some of the most dynamic new religions in East Asia, as our host for the third time. Taiwan’s vibrant religious landscape, its openness to scholarly dialogue, and its unique role in the study of contemporary spirituality make it an ideal location for our 2026 meeting.
The conference will be hosted by the organizations 
(including a fully accredited academic institution) founded by Grand Master Hunyuan Chanshi, who also established the Taiwanese new religion Weixin Shengjiao. Grand Master Hun Yuan Chanshi passed away on January 13, 2026. We honor him as the visionary organizer of several conferences for scholars of all religions, and as a kind and compassionate man whose commitment to interreligious understanding has left a lasting legacy.
The conference will take place from October 10 to 14, 2026, with three days devoted to the opening ceremony and paper presentations and two days of field trips. Further details of the field trips will be announced soon on this website. It will be possible to attend only the academic program, but we believe that the opportunity to explore Taiwan with knowledgeable guides will be exceptional.
We welcome papers on new religious and spiritual movements and institutions, the ongoing debate over the differences between religion and spirituality, and case studies of specific groups and trends, with particular attention to East Asian and Taiwanese developments. Sessions will also address issues of freedom of religion or belief throughout the world.
All conference sessions will be held at Weixin Shengjiao Taichung Branch Temple, located in Taichung City, Taiwan. We recommend booking at Moxy Taichung, which is within walking distance from the conference venue and from where the field trips will depart.
On October 10 the conference will be inaugurated by an Opening Ceremony at Weixin Shengjiao’s Main Altar, Bagua Holy City, in Nantou County, including opening papers, a Special Memorial Event for Grand Master Hunyuan Chanshi, and a guided tour of Bagua Holy City, Weixin Shengjiao College and Hunyuan Culture Hall. The afternoon will offer a guided visit to Weixin Shengjiao’s headquarters, Hsienfosi Temple, in Nantou County.
On October 11–12 the conference will continue in Taichung.
On October 13, our first field trip will take us to the spiritual cultivation center of the Lord of Universe Church (“Leili-ah”) in Yuchi Township, Nantou County. In the afternoon. We will continue with a tour of historical Zhongxing New Village, Nantou County.
On October 14, a field trip will take us to Mount Zion, home of the New Testament Church, a Christian movement now present in several countries with an epic history of persecution and resilience in Taiwan, and to one of the main centers of the Chinese redemptive religion Yiguandao. This field trip will conclude the conference.
On October 15, participants will have the alternative to be taken from Taichung to a visit to the Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy in Taipei. Those who have evening flights will then be taken to the airport. Those who will not join the Tai Ji Men visit should reach Taipei from Taichung through their own means.
We are not yet in a position to assess the registration and field trip fees. They will be indicated later.
Papers and session proposals should be submitted by e‑mail before the close of business on June 15, 2026, to cesnur_to@virgilio.it, accompanied by an abstract of no more than 300 words and a CV of no more than 200 words. PhD students should attach a letter of support from their advisor.
Publication of the preliminary program: before July 1, 2026
Registration deadline: July 31, 2026
Publication of the final program: before August 30, 2026
