The “Religious Text and Discourse” Cultural Association was founded by members of the Department of Romanian Language and General Linguistics of the Faculty of Letters at “Alexandru Ioan Cuza University” of Iași, with valuable support from researchers and academics across the country. Its main event is the annual “Religious Text and Discourse” National Conference. After five editions held in Iaşi, in partnership with the Metropolitan Church of Moldavia and Bucovina and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iaşi, the next two editions of the Conference were hosted by the West University of Timişoara and the ”Lucian Blaga” Universiy of Sibiu. The mission to organise the 8th edition is now passed to the Department of Romanian Language and General Linguistics of the ”Babes-Bolyai” University of Cluj-Napoca.

The aim of the Conference is to engender an academic debate on various topics from different fields, such as linguistics, philology, theology, philosophy, history and art, matters of interest both for the scientific community and for the general public, from a scientific as well as a moral-spiritual point of view. Thus, the participants join their efforts, exchange opinions, discuss the grounds for joint projects, collaborate,present their interest in biblical studies, religious rhetoric, history and art, and disseminate the results of their recent research. The Conference also offers an ideal environment for young researchers (e.g., PhD students, MA students or undergraduates) who do not only present their research and their interests in these fields, but can also create prolific collaborations with mature researchers.

Conference topics and sections:

• Translation of the sacred text
• Rhetoric of the religious discourse
• Literature and religion

The essential coordinates taken into consideration for the three sections are: synchronic-diachronic analysis; written-oral production; translation-original composition. Given the fact that the National “Religious Text and Discourse” Conference is designed as a space of research and scientific communication, in which the participants assume the liberties of their own scientific interests – within the three sections mentioned above – the debates and presentation can tackle a wide range of themes, from translation matters seen from a linguistic and philological point of view, to the abalysis of the religious discourse seen from a linguistic point of view (rhetoric, pragmatic, stylistic), up to the evolution of the religious theme in literature, art and culture.

Therefore, in addition to the scientific contribution, this event addresses to society's moral and spiritual edification by emphasizing the Christian values. The debate is not just scientific, void of spiritual meaning, but an environment where the scientific segment is spiritualised by an authentic and pure Christian belief. This aspect is fulfilled both by the manner in which the participants chose to approach the subjects, and by the fact that the Conference is established as an event under the blessing of local hierarchs.

The scientific organising committee of the Conference:

• prof. dr. Laura BĂDESCU (Piteşti)
• prof. dr. Maria CĂTĂNESCU (Bucureşti)
• prof. dr. Gheorghe CHIVU (membru corespondent al Academiei Române) (Bucureşti)
• prof. dr. Muguraş CONSTANTINESCU (Suceava)
• prof. dr. Wolfgang DAHMEN (Jena)
• pr. prof. dr. Wilhelm DANCĂ (Iaşi)
• pr. lect. dr. Lucian FARCAŞ (Iaşi)
• prof. dr. Constantin FRÂNCU (Iaşi)
• acad. dr. Sabina ISPAS (Bucureşti)
• prof. dr. Gheorghe MANOLACHE (Sibiu)
• prof. dr. Michael METZELTIN (Viena)
• pr. prof. dr. Vasile MIHOC (Sibiu)
• cs I dr. Eugen PAVEL (Cluj-Napoca)
• prof. dr. Lăcrămioara PETRESCU (Iaşi)
• prof. dr. Alexandru RUJA (Timişoara)
• pr. prof. dr. Ioan C. TEŞU (Iaşi)
• acad. dr. Răzvan THEODORESCU (Bucureşti)
• prof. dr. Vasile D. ŢÂRA (Timişoara)
• prof. dr. Rodica ZAFIU (Bucureşti)