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Introduction:
Identity
Derek Poole
Comment:
What's in a Name?
Janet Morris
From
the Director
David Porter
End
Game of the End Times
David Porter
We
Will Not Have Home Rule
Alywn Thomson
The
Lost Field
Tony Davidson
Divine
Assumption
Alan Wilson
Walking
the Tight Rope
William Storrar
Certificate
in Biblical Peacebuilding
Lynda Gould
Liberal
Evangelical Post-Unionism and ECONI
Esmond Birnie
O
God Our Help in Ages Past
Christopher Catherwood
Transformation
Lynda Gould
TRANSFORMATION: ECONI Summer Residential Conference Exploring the Themes of Faith, Culture, Spirituality & Society
Transformation is a four-day Summer School designed to help participants consider the relationship between Christian faith and the issues of Culture & Identity and Spirituality & Society. This year we will be running two independent strands around these themes.
Strand 1: Back to the Future will explore the nature of political, religious and cultural identity. Through a series of creative workshops, Biblical reflections and field trips, we will consider the positive and negative aspects of the relationship between Protestant faith and culture in the context of Northern Ireland.
Strand 2: A Spirituality for Social Engagement is an opportunity to look at what kind of spiritual life and vision is needed if Christians are to engage prophetically with the problems of a divided community. Through a series of workshops, studies and interactive discussion we will seek to define the nature of Biblical spirituality and how this should inform our witness in society.
Speakers and Facilitators
David McMillan will lead our daily Bible readings which will be shared by both strands of the conference, David is Pastor of Windsor Baptist Church, Belfast, and is a member of ECONI's Central Co-ordinating Group.
Lynda Gould (ECONI's Training Officer) will be the main facilitator of Back to the Future, strand 1 of the conference.
Derek Poole (ECONI's Programmes Officer) will facilitate A Spirituality for Social Engagement.
A number of informed and experienced guests will join us to share in the workshops and group interaction of both strands.
Back to the Future
Through a series of creative workshops, biblical reflections and field trips, Back to the Future will explore the political and religious dimensions of culture in Northern Ireland. In particular, the aim of this strand is to deepen our understanding of the relationship between cultural identity and the theological and historical influence of Evangelical Protestantism. The programme promises to provide considerable opportunity for interactive discussion and personal reflection around some of these themes.
- Exploring what it means to be Protestant.
- Considering Protestant perception, prejudice and perspectives.
- How Protestantism has cultivated a particular cultural identity.
- The politics, culture and religious nature of Orangism
A Spirituality for Social Engagement
Central to Biblical spirituality is a concern that God's redemptive love will affect the totality of life. For Christians, spirituality is not an emotional escape from the brokeness of the world but a quest for spiritual resources that will help us in our commitment to the healing of our estranged relationships and the restoration of peace and justice in society. Strand two of our Summer School will be exploring this theme in considerable depth and during our four days together we will be asking many questions that relate our Christian witness and spiritual values to the complexity of our changing world:
- What responsibilities do Christians have for the transformation of society?
- What kind of spirituality is needed for meaningful social engagement?
- What is a Biblical spirituality and how does this influence our social concerns?
- What kind of vision will sustain Christians through difficult and despairing times?
- What is the relationship between the spirituality of the Church and the commitment of the individual?
- In the context of Northern Ireland, how does the spiritual practice of prayer and Biblical meditation nurture social compassion?
Conference Details
Dates: 10th - 14th July 200
Venue: Belfast Bible College (not yet confirmed)
Cost: The full cost for the Conference including fees, field trips, accommodation and meals is £130, or £100 for non-residents. A bursary is available for full-time students and those who are unemployed.
For further details Tel: 28 9032 5258 or email: lynda@econi.org
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