Symposium 2024: “Bravely Facing this Moment”

Symposium 2024

This Symposium, instead of having a singular “Honored Teacher” to headline the event, the program will feature a variety of contributing presenters and workshop leaders.

The Symposium schedule will begin with program sessions on the evening of Monday, August 26, and continue through the morning of Wednesday, August 28. Program elements will include shared worship, critical analysis of recent political developments, community conversations, and ideas for practical action. The program is still in development and details will be added to this page as they are confirmed.

Bravely Facing this Moment: Defending and Renewing Democracy

2024 is a crucial year for American democracy. Intertwined forces of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism seek to reverse progress toward a more inclusive and pluralistic society. But if we commit ourselves to collaborative efforts of imagination and reconstruction, we can both protect democracy and expand its practice beyond the constricted norms and habits that define the present. This year’s Starr King Symposium will unite diagnosis and prescription, featuring both a timely, up-to-the-minute analysis of the political dangers confronting us, as well as tangible proposals for how we can embody a richer, multi-religious democratic culture in the service of beloved community.

Two Attendance Options

Symposium participants have two options for program attendance:

Registration

Registration is now open on Eventbrite! Click here to register now. The deadline to register to attend in-person is July 26.

If you are a Current Student planning to attend Symposium for course credit, please make sure to enroll in the Symposium course on Populi. General Registration for summer courses remains open until June 17, but if you wish to enroll in Symposium after that date, please contact Chris Schelin for admission into the course. The in-person enrollment deadline for students has passed.

Accommodation Subsidy for Students

Starr King students registered for credit for Symposium are eligible to apply for a subsidy reimbursement in support of accommodation expenses. Each student may receive up to $125/night or $250 total. Information on applying for the subsidy will be provided at a later date.

Draft Schedule

Please Note: This is a draft schedule and is subject to change.

MONDAY, AUGUST 26

• 3:30 pm PT/6:30 pm ET – In-Gathering Worship
• 4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET – The Christian Nationalist Threat – Bradley Onishi

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

• Morning Community Gathering (TBD)
• 10:30 am PT/1:30 pm ET – How to Talk Across the Divide – Pamela Cooper-White
• 1:30 pm PT/4:30 pm ET – Advocacy for Genuine Religious Freedom (TBD)
• 4:00 pm PT/7:00 pm ET – Everyday Democracy – J. Tyson Casey

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28

• 9:00 am ET – Integrative Reflection and Closing Worship
• 9:00 am PT – Integrative Reflection and Closing Worship

Program Sessions

In-Gathering Worship: Beloved Community Boosts Immunity

In a season that heightens our anxiety, worshiping together in celebration of shared values builds our immunity to fear and despair. Together, we honor the sacred power among us and strengthen one another in the work of resilience and transformation. We begin our Symposium in song and prayer led by Pastor Jacqueline Duhart, trusting that spirit will lead us forward in hope.

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism and How to Talk Across the Divide

Based on her most recent book The Psychology of Christian Nationalism, Dr. Cooper-White will address these questions, which are of pressing importance to the future of American democracy and the evolving character of American Christianity. Who are Christian nationalists and what do they believe? Why is this movement so dangerous? How do people we think of as “good people” get drawn in to the irrational beliefs held by this movement, including outright lies and conspiracy theories? What are the conscious and unconscious motivations that draw people into this movement? And are there strategies to help us to talk across a widening political and religious divide?

The Christian Nationalist Threat to Democracy and the Church: A Theology of Supremacy

Where did Christian nationalism originate? How has it taken an authoritarian turn in the last decade? What can we expect in the months leading to the 2024 elections? In this presentation, Dr. Bradley Onishi answers these questions by tracing the ascendance of contemporary Christian nationalism from the 1960s to the present, with a focus on race, xenophobia, and national image. Drawing on his work as a historian and his training as a theologian, Onishi will demonstrate how Christian nationalism threatens both democracy and the Christian church.

Mundane and Magnificent: Practices for Everyday democracy

Insights into the everyday constraints and openings for experiencing democracy cultivates space to engage each other through shared governance practices—from the mundane to the magnificent. Conditions of collapse and authoritarianism are accelerating, yet within this reality are opportunities to experiment living in a more just, regenerative, and democratic culture. Under the leadership of Prof. Tyson Casey, come explore the current circumstances and conditions we face—political, social, ecological, habitual, and institutional—so that you can better practice and change our culture day by day, moment by moment.

Featured Speakers