Faith Formation

War and Religion in America

American historian James Bratt will explore the alternative destinations in style, ritual, and spirituality which the antebellum pilgrims sought and found on the road out of revivalism. Liturgical scholar Lester Ruth will respond and discuss analogies on the worship scene in the 21st century, especially noting the recurring popular impulse for alternate forms of worship.

January 1, 2008 | 67 min listen
Panel Discussion on Church Art Galleries

There continues to be a growing interest in church visual art galleries, exhibitions, and educational opportunities related to art within our churches.

January 1, 2008 | 69 min listen
Seeing Your Congregation with Expert Eyes: Culture, Race, Ethnicity

In an update from their Symposium session in 2007, five Calvin College social scientists describe what they've learned through in-depth analysis of congregational and worship life.

January 1, 2008 | 53 min listen

Overcoming Challenges to Racial and Ethnic Diversity

By looking at successfully diverse churches across the nation, this session revealed critical attitudes for cultivating a hospitable church, perspectives on recent immigration and the neighborhood church, and experiments on musical variety and global awareness.

January 1, 2008 | 50 min listen
A View from Latin America: An Interview with Gerardo Oberman

A pastor/musician/liturgist from Argentina speaks of the many changes in worship in his country and throughout South America in the past generation, especially with respect to the influence of Pentecostalism. Since many Latin Americans have migrated in recent years to the United States, his perspective may well help North American churches understand better the complex dynamics of worship life in Central and South America.

January 1, 2008 | 47 min listen
Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching

This workshop audio will help participants begin to explore the possibilities and homiletical impact of engaging in an ongoing, vigorous program of reading for preaching.

January 1, 2008 | 64 min listen

An Invitation to 'The Liturgy of the Hours'

From the age of the Apostles, to the Early Church Fathers, to the Middle Ages, to the present, we are invited to join that great cloud of witnesses who have worshiped God around the clock from hour to hour, from one time-zone to the next, in ceaseless prayer and praise. This session explored how to incorporate the rhythm of what some call 'The Liturgy of the Hours' into busy contemporary life.

January 1, 2008 | 56 min listen
In Spirit and In Truth: The Role of Chapel in Higher Education

In what unique ways can corporate worship fuel, inspire, and respond to the academic calling of the student and teacher in higher education?

January 1, 2008 | 63 min listen

Seeing What Is Really There: Preaching and the Imagination

Frederick Buechner writes that people "as a rule see only what they expect to see and little more." The preacher's calling is see beyond what we expect to see and help congregations to do the same. This session discussed what the preacher can do to be faithful to this calling.

January 1, 2008
How Race Works in Multiracial Churches

This workshop was given for those who want a deeper understanding of racial dynamics in today?s churches. Stories and examples from real congregations showed how race within churches is becoming complicated?and creatively reconstructed?through the post-1965 waves of immigration. Most important, we show how various good-intentioned priorities and programs work --and often don?t work-- in racially diverse churches.

January 1, 2008 | 58 min listen
America's Emerging Religious Landscape: An Interview with Richard Ostling

This wide-ranging question-and-answer session discussed religious and journalistic trends in the United States with the former religion writer for Time magazine and The Associated Press.

January 1, 2008 | 60 min listen