Watch Overcoming Disunity in the Body of Christ

On October 1–2, Washington Adventist University and the Columbia Union Conference will livestream “Overcoming Disunity in the Body of Christ: Concrete Steps,” a G. Arthur Keough Two-Day Summit.

Speakers will discuss justice and renewal, cross-cultural and racial reconciliation, colorblindness versus dual identity, and more. 

More information

Dates/times: 
Friday, October 1 - panel sessions (9:30 am – 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm – 8:45 pm)
Saturday, October 2, 2021- panel sessions (10:00 am – 10:50 am; 11:00 am – 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm)

Presenters and Panelists:

• Dr. Christena Cleveland, social psychologist, public theologian, author, and activist, the founder and director of the Center for Justice + Renewal;
• Dr Andrea Luxton, president of Andrews University;
• Dr. Ella Simmons, General Vice-President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists;
• Dr. Calvin B Rock, former General Vice-President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

 

What will be discussed:

The theme of the Summit and the subthemes of the panel sessions are based on the ideas in the book, Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart, by social psychologist Christena Cleveland, who has agreed to give a keynote presentation at the Summit.  Below are some of the subthemes of the Summit:

1.     Overcoming disunity in the Body of Christ: Concrete Steps toward Justice and Renewal

2.     From “them” and “us” to one common identity in Christ

3.     How and why a strong biblical and theological foundation can sustain and nourish the hard and painful work of cross-cultural and racial reconciliation

4.     Steps to addressing and overcoming our cognitive and cultural biases and groupthink: Utilizing the insights from social science

5.     Concrete acts leading to cross-cultural reconciliation:

• Working together toward a larger goal
• Creating equal statusEngaging in personal cross-cultural interaction
• Providing leadership and facilitating and modeling cross-cultural interaction

6.     Colorblindness vs. dual identity and multicultural perspective: how to adopt and live out our one true, common identity without losing our uniqueness

7.     Steps to overcome and prevent marginalization of non-majority groups and individual members.  What can you do as a leader? What can the church do?

8.     How the painful work of repentance and forgiveness can gradually become a reality in our church. Adopting a single identity in Christ as a crucial precondition for genuine repentance and forgiveness   

Click here for more information on how to register.