CONFERENCES

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“Reconstructing Religious Liberty in a Time of Religious and Secular Extremes”
October 20-21, Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church, Southern Adventist University

The NAD Public Affairs and Religious Liberty ministry is excited to announce its upcoming October 20-21 conference “Reconstructing Religious Liberty in a Time of Religious and Secular Extremes.” Hosted by the Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church in partnership with Southern Adventist University, this two-day event will explore new ways to talk about religious freedom within a culturally and politically polarized America.

Seventh-day Adventist Christians have long advocated for both strong free exercise protections and a robust separation of church and state. Unfortunately, today’s religious and secular extremes threaten these fundamental values, albeit in very different ways.

A diversity of preliminary speakers and panel discussions will seek to answer the questions:

  • How can we effectively engage with those who believe religious freedom is merely a cover for bigotry?
  • And, on the other hand, how do we engage with people of faith who increasingly fear cultural marginalization, and who’ve become vulnerable to the appeal of religious nationalism?

Registration is now open with an Early Bird rate of just $49Register now to join academics, theologians, and religious freedom experts as we consider these increasingly divisive issues.

Schedule:

Thursday, October 19, 2023

4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Event Check-in

Friday, October 20, 2023

8:00 am-2:00 pm

Event Check-in

9:00 am-9:20 am

Welcome/Intro

9:20 am-10:30 am

Plenary Speaker - David French, Op-Ed columnist, New York Times

10:40 am-11:30 am

Plenary Speaker - Dr. Samuel Perry, author, “The Flag and the Cross”

11:40 am -12:30 pm

Digital Hatred: the Polarization of Identity Politics

12:45 pm-1:45 pm

Lunch Provided

2:00 pm-2:40 pm

Plenary Speaker - Dr. Tobias Cremer, Junior Research Fellow, University of Oxford

2:50 pm-3:40 pm

Panel Discussion - The Long View: Lessons from the History of Religious Extremism

3:50 pm-4:40 pm

Plenary Speaker - Dr. Shirley Hoogstra, President, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

Sabbath, October 21, 2023

9:30 am-12:00 pm

Event Check-in

10:30 am-11:30 am

Panel Discussion - The Final Crisis: Extremism Counterfeits, and Faithfulness

11:45 am-1:00 pm

Church/Divine Worship

1:30 pm-2:30 pm

Lunch Provided

2:30 pm-3:20 pm

Plenary Speaker - Pastor Ivor Myers, Lead Pastor, Living Manna Online Church

3:30 pm-4:20 pm

Panel Discussion - Workplace Accommodation: A Battle Won, A Battle Continuing

4:40 pm-5:20 pm

Panel Discussion - Groupthink Politics: The Pitfalls of Liberal and Conservative Extremes

 

Register Now


NAD PARL Virtual Webinar Series

While the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed in-person events in 2020 and 2021, NAD PARL and its partner ministries have remained vigilant in our religious freedom advocacy and government and communtity outreach initiatives.  We launched a quarterly Public Affairs and Religious Liberty webinar and have participated in virtual programming for the Adventist News Network, NAD Health Ministries and the Conscience and Justice Council.

Religious Liberty and Current Events” January 23, 2021


Conscience and Justice Council 2021 Virtual Convention


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In January 2022 we were able to safely host a scaled down version of our annual Religious Freedom Prayer Breakfast. The event featured prayers for religious freedom, our community, our nation, elected officials, global health and healing, peace and unity of spirit. Inspirational keynote remarks were provided by attorney Eric Baxter of Becket Law. Becket is a frequent partner in our religious liberty advocacy efforts.


Religious Liberty Dinner