As of June 25, all presentation slots are currently filled,
and no further proposals are being accepted.

The steering committee will be considering
the possibility of inviting scholars to propose other videos to be included in our collection
after the Gathering has been concluded.

Fifteen-Minute Presentations and Discussions

As of June 25

Our Aug. 7-8 Gathering will be broken into thirty-minute sessions.
Presentations will normally be limited to 15 minutes, followed by fifteen minutes of conversation.
(If you envision a different time structure, indicate your desire in your proposal.)
While this is a gathering of United Methodist scholars, what we are looking for is a little different than a conventional academic gathering. Rather than papers addressed only to other scholars, presenters should offer presentations oriented towards a church audience (clergy and laity), bringing your scholarship to bear on the issues that face us following the General Conference of 2019. The presentations will be live-streamed and preserved online to be used in local congregations and other United Methodist gatherings at other times. (Proposing a presentation includes granting permission to live stream, record, and publish the recording of the presentation online.)
 
The discussion time following the presentation will allow for a deeper dive into deeper academic as well as practical dialogue around the topic presented.

Potential Topics

Envision an audience of diverse United Methodists
existentially concerned about the issues facing the denomination
and potential decisions their congregations will have to make.
The following list of potential topics is meant only to stimulate your imagination, not limit it.
We invite you to propose a topic that intersects with the current ecclesial and ethical crisis
from a perspective about which you are passionate.
Some examples of topics include but are not limited to what we are hoping to receive:
Are there different theological, biblical, ethical, historical, and/or Wesleyan perspectives through which the church might view the issue of ordaining gay individuals and marrying same sex couples in the church than is usually heard in the public debates?



What should preaching, teaching, pastoral care, and administration in the church look like in the midst of this crisis?







What kinds of advice out of your discipline would you offer pastors who serve a congregation whose views related to LGBTQIA+ issues are mixed or are at variance from their own views?
What approach to sexual ethics invites the church to embrace a progressive point of view concerning the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in the full life of the church without going down a slippery slope of affirming “anything goes”?



How can Methodists hold on to our traditional beliefs and practices enshrined in our historical doctrinal standards, liturgies, and hymns while taking theological and ethical stances (such as lifting up the value and rights of the LGBTQIA+ community) that differ from past positions the church has held?


While issues related to the inclusion and rights of LGBTQIA+ persons are well known in the Academy, they may be skewed in local congregations. What might help reframe the conversation in such congregations: a summary of the biblical texts often cited in the debate concerning homosexuality, what is at play in the distinction made between sexual orientation and sexual practice, what role should contemporary reason/science and experience play alongside ancient Scripture and tradition in this discussion?
What practical tools would you offer a congregation as it considers options related to staying in the current denominational connection or seeking alternatives that require leaving the denomination or the denomination splitting?



What does every person in the pew need to understand about the current situation of the United Methodist Church—how we got here, how the General Conference works, the role of the Judicial Conference, etc.?





How does the ecclesial and societal oppression of LGBTQIA+ persons relate to the historical and continued marginalization and minoritization of others in the church on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, class, abilities, and age?

Types of Presentations

The nomenclature of “presentation” is intentionally ambiguous.
While a presentation may be a fifteen-minute lecture, other approaches are encouraged.
Use and discussion of fact sheets, graphics, music, panel discussions,
photography, and videography are appropriate.
 
Because the presentations we envision will be different than those in a conventional academic conference, we encourage you to brainstorm with other scholars in developing your presentations between now and August. We will set up a closed Facebook group for all who register for the Gathering that will allow you to try out ideas with others in the group. 

Covenant

We want to be sure that we address the most central and critical issues that face us in the current ecclesial and ethical crisis.
We want participants to address these issues authentically, drawing on a deep concern for peace and justice
and offering good scholarly resources for the church.

We recognize, however, that even as we who gather share a progressive social vision
that includes a concern for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ persons in the life of the church,
there is still diversity among us and perhaps even greater diversity among those who might watch our presentations online.

Presenters and attendees participating in discussions, therefore,
are expected to exhibit respect for those holding differing points of view, resisting temptations to demonize others.

Similarly, participants should exhibit reverence for the gospel of Jesus Christ
and the traditions of the Wesleyan movement and The United Methodist Church,
even as we debate their proper interpretation and application.

Submission of Proposal

To submit a proposal for consideration by the Steering Committee,
simply click on the button below to send an email with an abstract of what you wish to present.

The abstract should include mention of the mode of the presentation
as well as an introduction to its content and methodology.
The abstract should be no longer than 350 words.