We live in an individualistic world. Media, schools and even churches teach the importance of self in this world dominated by iPods, iPhones, myriads of self-help books, seminars and, of course, the now common, me-time. Is this the world God intended for us? Have we advanced technology so far that it is virtually eliminating personal relationships? What does a world look like when we follow God’s blueprint for relational living?
The place where the Bible sets out the foundations required to create a society of right relationships in terms of structures, resources and processes is primarily in the law which God gives to Israel when it is first established as a nation. This workshop explores how these institutional and biblical norms, as deepened and extended by the rest of biblical teaching, provide the basis for social transformation today. Soulfest will address this issue of lost relationships and present how the unintended consequences of this loss have deeply affected our lives. It not only impacts our individual lives, but also our society as a whole, the communities in which we live, our economy, our businesses and our public policy.
PLACE: All sessions will be held in the Backroom (across the hall from Mercy Street).
FORMAT: Six one-hour lectures and six 1 hour and 45 minute mini-session. Each session will address a different topic and, although inter-related, are very informative as stand-alone sessions.
| Thursday, July 30 |
| 10-11am |
Relationships: the Big Idea | Rev. Dr. Dale Kuehne |
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Christianity has lost its compelling force as a transforming influence in American public life: it has been reduced to a story – my private relationship with God. But the God of the Bible cannot and will not be confined to this small box. The Lord, who made the Universe, is passionately concerned about the way every political, business, professional, criminal, medical, educational and sexual relationship is conducted. So the Christian message has immense potential to transform America today. Bring it on!
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| 11:15am-1pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session A: Sunroom, Session E: Backroom, Session D: TBD
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| 1-2pm |
Lunch (Meal Tent: see map) |
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| 2-3:45pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session C: Sunroom, Session B: Backroom, Session F: TBD |
| 4-5pm |
Christianity is a Relational Religion | Dr. Michael Schluter |
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The Christian understanding of the nature of God, the atonement, ethics, lifestyle and eternal life is all about relationships. But so are business, education, healthcare, finance and criminal justice. Michael will show how a Biblical understanding is distinctive from all other worldviews and provides an exciting and integrated way to think about every area of life.
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| Friday, July 31 |
| 10-11am |
Relational in Design: Healthy Relationships in a Broken World | Dr. Sharon Willmer |
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The importance of relationships for human well-being is supported by scientific evidence which provides penetrating insights into human development and relationship maturity. The centrality of our Relational Core, and its non-negotiable mandates for Relational Health, can be demonstrated with vivid clarity and riveting impact – inspiring hope, confidence, understanding, application and resiliency to relational damage. |
| 11:15am-1pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session A: Sunroom, Session E: Backroom, Session D: TBD
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| 1-2pm |
Lunch (Meal Tent: see map) |
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| 2-3:45pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session C: Sunroom, Session B: Backroom, Session F: TBD
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| 4-5pm |
Rediscovering the Biblical Social Agenda | Dr. Jonathan Burnside |
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Does the Bible address political, economic and social issues and if so
where, and in what ways? This session explores how biblical law can be
used creatively as a source of wisdom to address the great issues of our
time, including the environment, the family and public sexual ethics.
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| Saturday, August 1 |
| 10-11am |
Is this the End of Capitalism? The Biblical Vision for a Relational Economy | Dr. Paul Mills |
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The financial crisis has resulted in the end of Wall Street as we knew it and unprecedented federal involvement in US banks. Does the failure of Western banking herald a new era of government control of the economy? Has the market system failed? If we take the Bible seriously, there may well be a better, and surprising, alternative.
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| 11:15am-1pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session A: Sunroom, Session E: Backroom, Session D: TBD
|
| 1-2pm |
Lunch (Meal Tent: see map) |
|
| 2-3:45pm |
Mini Sessions (click for descriptions) | |
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Session C: Sunroom, Session B: Backroom, Session F: TBD |
| 4-5pm |
Building a Relational Society: Next Steps for New England | Dr. Rev. Dale Kuehne |
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Each of us has to move from relational thinking to relational practice. What can we do to put relational issues at the centre of life in New England? In our personal lives we need to rethink the way we live – from use of iPods and computers to meal times and holidays. In our working lives, we need to bring relational values into the organisations where we work. With God’s strength and enabling we can change the world. Its time to go out and do it!
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Session A
The Nature of Personhood: How Important is it? | Professor Sharon Willmer |
These three breakout sessions will take three major themes. The first will be ‘Understanding your Inner World’, the second will be ‘Healthy Relationships: what is needed?’, the third will consider how you can best cope ‘When Relationships have been damaged’. Through these three themes the nature of ‘personhood’ will become clear, as will its importance. Held each morning from 11:15 – 1:00 in the Sunroom.
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Sharon Willmer serves on Full-time faculty at California State University, Fullerton, in the Child and Adolescent Studies Department where she teaches Child & Adolescent Development, Developmental Psychology, Developmental and Behavioral Disorders of Childhood & Adolescence - Developmental Psychopathology, Professional Development, and Internship classes. She is also in private practice applying and developing successful intervention strategies. She has taught on the university level for more than 16 years and has received commendations for her extraordinary ability to inspire and educate students. A noted speaker, Sharon has made presentations at local, national and international conferences including the International Conference on Missionary Kids and the Association of Christian Schools International. Currently, she is consulting with the Relationships Foundation (UK) in the area of Child & Adolescent Development with implications for Public Policy, Cultural Renewal & Relationship Injury Prevention.
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Session B
Sex and Intimacy: Why the Biblical view of Sex is Good News for Everybody |
Dr. Rev. Dale S. Kuehne |
Western societies have become tragically confused by failing to distinguish between sex and intimacy. Moreover, many people think that the Bible is out to destroy people’s enjoyment of life and simply restrict their behaviour. This breakout session will explain how the Bible understands intimacy, and what roles it has for sex in ‘the good life’. While we may need to change our behaviour in one way or another, there is good news for everybody in what the Bible teaches about sex and intimacy.
Rev. Dale S. Kuehne, Ph.D. – Dale joined the Department of Politics at Saint Anselm College in 1994 and is now an Associate Professor. In 2000, he became the founding Director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. In addition to his responsibilities in the academy, in 2001 Dale received his ordination from the Evangelical Covenant Church of America and serves as the Pastor of the Emmanuel Covenant Church in Nashua, NH. His current research focus mirrors his personal passion to examine how Christian faith informs politics. Most recently he has added Human Sexuality to the mix and recently authored a book Sex and the iWorld (to be released in June). Dale resides in Manchester, NH with his wife Rachel, his daughters Leah and Naomi and his son Ryan.
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Session C
The Financial Crisis: a Biblical Alternative to Debt on Wall Street |
Dr. Paul Mills |
Church leaders have been conspicuous by their silence over the financial crisis - because the Church has lost its prophetic voice over money and debt. The Bible has more to say about money than any other practical subject and breakout sessions will explore what its teaching means for Christians, churches, and society.
Paul Mills, Ph.D. – Paul is a senior economist who works in Washington DC on global financial stability, the U.S. financial system, innovative risk transfer, climate change and financial markets, and Islamic finance. He graduated in economics from Cambridge University and worked as a researcher at the Jubilee Centre before returning to the University to complete his PhD. He then joined the UK Treasury in 1992 and established the UK Debt Management Office in 1998. He returned to the Treasury in 2000 to lead policy sections managing the UK government’s balance sheet, then financial stability and regulation.
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Session D
Thinking Relationally about Crime and Justice |
Dr. Jonathan Burnside |
What is a biblical vision of justice and how might this work out in the context of crime and punishment? This breakout session explores some of the biblical pictures of justice and the wider context in which crimes take place. We also explore the challenge of taking responsibility by exploring the 'ripple' effects of our own behaviour. Finally, we see how victim and offender mediation can help in the journey towards restoration.
Dr Jonathan Burnside is Reader in Biblical Law at the School of Law,
University of Bristol. His work explores the relationship between law,
theology and criminology. He spearheaded the 'Relational Justice' project
for the Jubilee Centre in the 1990s and was appointed by the UK Home Office
and Prison Service to head an evaluation of faith-based prison units.
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Session E
Family in the Rworld: Pressures from Within and Without |
Michael and Auriel Schluter |
Auriel will help you explore the relational dynamics in your world, starting with your primary family group and opening up an understanding of how you respond to other situations in life.
Michael will explain how the economic system and changes in technology have created huge pressures on family relationships, and will then look at how public policy can be used to ease those pressures.
Michael is the Chairman of the International Jubilee Network and the Relationships Foundation International. He is influencing leaders around the world and across the political spectrum – from the Conservative Party in the UK to the Labour Party in Australia. Michael and his colleagues have also consulted over the years on such diverse issues as land reform with the ANC and the White Establishment in pre-apartheid South Africa, to peace-building in Sudan, to criminal justice reform and community finance strategies for fighting persistent pockets of unemployment in the UK. In January 2009, Michael gained public recognition when he was awarded a ‘CBE’, (Commander of the British Empire) “for charitable services through the Relationships Foundation and Jubilee Centre.” Michael lives in England with his wife Auriel and has three grown children.
Auriel is a former teacher and youth worker now practicing as a counsellor and involved with various ministries in her church in Cambridge, UK.
She believes, as Calvin did, that "the knowledge of God and of ourselves is mutually connected” and so seeks to use counselling insights to encourage personal and spiritual growth and better relationships. Auriel lives in England with her husband Michael and has three grown children.
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Session F
Finding Passion and Purpose: Identifying your Vocation and Choosing your Career; |
Cheryl Buford, MPA, MS |
“Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside us.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes) But that doesn’t have to be true for you! Join us as for three interactive sessions where we’ll help you catch a glimpse of the beauty of your unique design. This allows you to put words on your irrepressible goals and distinctive contributions. You’ll leave better equipped to live your passion successfully, consistently and deliberately.
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Cheryl has helped a diversity of clients (from at-risk youth to corporate and ministry leaders) discover their unique strengths and capabilities. She also has experience in the government, nonprofit and education sectors and recently served as the Associate Director for Program Analysis and Evaluation at the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Department of Education. What ties these worlds together is Cheryl’s love for furthering great ideas, as well as helping individuals and organizations flourish.
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