Session Topics
Why I Still Believe: Three Mindsets I Discovered in Doubt
Planary I | Mary Jo Sharp | Apr. 10, 7pm
In this talk, Mary Jo Sharp will walk through her personal journey with doubt. In this journey, she discovered that even when she was an athiest, her philosophical framework included beliefs that are inherently Christian: she just didn’t know it. She found that in order to be intellectually honest with herself, she couldn’t walk away from the Christian faith, because ultimately, it entailed her very identity.
The Christian and Identity Politics
Plenary II | George Yancey | Apr. 11, 9:30am
In this talk, Dr. Yancey will first discuss the origins and nature of identity politics as it has developed in the United States. He will discuss how it emerged within leftism, but now identity politics has invaded conservative Christian spaces. He will go on to discuss how identity politics, whether on the left or the right, is fraught with perilous dysfunctions for the individuals who use it and for the larger society. He will close by discussing how Christians can escape the sickness of identity politics, focusing on the fact that our ultimate identity is in Christ.
Did Jesus Really Say He Was God? Why You Can Trust His Claims—and Ground Your Identity in Christ
Plenary III | Mikel Del Rosario | Apr. 11, 1:15pm
Many Christians say their identity is found in Christ, but how confident can we be in who Jesus really is? Dr. Mikel Del Rosario examines the historical evidence for Jesus’ divine self-understanding and how the resurrection vindicates his claims. Discover how Jesus’ identity gives us a solid foundation for anchoring our own identity in him.
Allegiance Matters
Plenary IV | Matthew W. Bates | Apr. 11, 3:15pm
Allegiance is foundational to our identity in the Christ, because it is intrinsic to the gospel and to our response to it. In part 1, we will explore what Scripture says about faith and the gospel to demonstrate why allegiance is uniquely essential for life in the Christ. In part II, we will examine practical dimensions of allegiance, showing why allegiance to Jesus is key for effective discipleship and evangelism amid the “nones” and “dones” today.
Breakout Track I: Identity and Christian Witness
What is a Woman? | Sophia Smith Luke
A 2022 documentary by Matt Walsh by this title went viral as a critique of gender and transgender ideologies on the secular left—but followers of Jesus have not always been able to provide a strong definition of “man” or “woman” either. In conversations about gender and sexuality, defining terms is foundational, but notoriously controversial and challenging. What is a “woman”? What is a “man”? What must Biblical Christians include or exclude in an ontology of gender in order to serve these discussions well?
Everyone is an Apologist | Kurt Jaros
Apologetics for some people is a naughty word. But at its root, the word simply means “to defend what one believes”—and everyone does that! In this breakout, Dr. J explains why apologetics should be more widely accepted.
Room in the Great Hall: Identity as Ecclesial Belonging | Sean Luke
In Mere Christianity, CS Lewis envisioned Christianity as a Great Hall with many denominational rooms. But, he avers, one cannot stay in the Hall forever. In this talk, I argue that ecclesial identity is the way we make our identity in Christ particular and specific–the way we particularly situate ourselves to serve God’s kingdom
Breakout Track II: Topics in Apologetics
Recovering the Gospel’s Lost Purpose | Matthew W. Bates
Why did God give the gospel? Scripture gives a foundational reason: because kingship leads to the recovery of fame or honor. Seriously?!? In this workshop, we’ll explore together what Scripture says about how the gospel leads to restoration of honor for humans, creation, and God. We will focus on how to reframe the gospel in preaching and teaching, so that we can better emphasize not simply forgiveness from sins and eternal life—as important as those themes are—but Scripture’s glory cycle.
Imagination Stations: Attuning Apologetics to Modern Imaginaries | John Szott
Does it sometimes feel like others are tuned into a completely different frequency, making conversation impossible? Have reason and logic lost their effectiveness in apologetic encounters? Well, it might be time to engage the imagination. Far from being merely about faeries and artwork, the imagination is essential for how someone sees the world and understands his or her place in it. In this breakout, John Szott will explain the imagination as a cognitive capacity. He will also touch upon our contemporary context, with its increasingly fragmented modern imaginaries. Finally, John will provide practical strategies for winsomely attuning apologetics to another’s imagination.
Loved And Valued: The Gospel in the Midst of Confusion | Patti Tilton
The “Jesus Loves Me” song that many people learned as children doesn’t often resonate in a world where God’s love for humanity is said to be limited. In this session we’ll evaluate and deconstruct barriers to the Gospel, with the expectation that our confidence in God’s love and justice will grow and people will once again be enchanted by God and the Gospel.