International Conference on Baptist Studies

Our Story

The International Conference on Baptist Studies (ICOBS) was founded in 1997 as a triennial conference dedicated to the study of Baptist history and thought. We have held eight conferences at various institutions in North America, Great Britain, Australia, and Continental Europe. Scholars from all over the world have participated in our conferences, and the proceedings of nearly every meeting have been published. The next conference will be hosted by McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada) from August 4-7, 2027. The theme is TBA. Participation in ICOBS is open to all who are interested in the history of Baptist traditions.

Past Conferences and Themes

ICOBS I (1997) - “International Baptist History” (Regent’s Park College, Oxford, UK)

ICOBS II (2000) - “The Twentieth Century: A Baptist Retrospective” (Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA)

ICOBS III (2003) - “Baptist Identities” (International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, Czech Republic)

ICOBS IV (2006) - “Baptists and Mission” (Acadia Divinity College, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada)

ICOBS V (2009) - “Interfaces: Baptists and Others” (Whitley College, Melbourne, Australia)

ICOBS VI (2012) - “Mirrors and Microscopes: Historical Perceptions of Baptists” (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA)

ICOBS VII (2015) - “Baptists and Revival” (Luther King House, Manchester, England, UK)

ICOBS VIII (2018) - “Baptists, Gospel and Culture” (Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA)

ICOBS IX (2021) - “Baptists and Gender” (cancelled due to COVID-19)

ICOBS X (2024) - “Baptists and Education” (Cambridge, UK)