Bio

Mark received a PhD from Indiana University and is Professor of Communication Studies at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. His areas of expertise include rhetorical theory and criticism, religious rhetoric, public discourse, and social protest. He is the author of The Rhetoric of Operation Rescue: Projecting the Christian Pro-Life Message and has conducted research on the rhetorical function of film in religious contexts.

General Session Descriptions

Avoiding Pharisaism in Our Approach to Faith and Politics

Drawing upon some of the interactions between Jesus and thPharisees in the Gospels, this talk uses the example of the Pharisees to explore one of the core problems in how American evangelicals conceptualize the relationship between religious faith and poltiical activism: the problem of expectations. In this talk we will look at some of the fundamental and pervasive expectations about how to think about the nature, role, and function of politics for the Christian, and how these expectations can lead us not only to practice politicis porrly, but also to model the Kingdom poorly to others and to our culture.

"Faithful Witness" as a Model for Faith and Politics

In this talk we will explore the idea of being a "faithful witness" -- modeling the Kingdom of God well to others and to our culture by showing and telling what we have seen, heard, and experienced of God and his Kingdom -- as a standard and a guide for thinking about and engaging in politics. We will explore both the general idea itself, as well as some of the major features of a model of faith and politics that grows out of this idea--some specific ways that we will think and do politics differently as Christians if we see our role as "witnesses" instead of "cultural warriors."

Bio

Dr. Trueman’s official title is Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He describes himself as a British round peg jammed into an American square hole. He has written, contributed to, or edited a library of books, including Republocrat: Confessions of a Liberal Conservative. In his essays Carl teaches lessons from history and pokes a bit at the evangelical church’s fondness for therapeutic leanings, entertainment, celebrity culture, and flippancy. His "outsider" perspective and theological commitment make him a perfect fit for speaking into the American church's role in political engagement.

General Session Descriptions

What in the World Is the Church?

Questions concerning the role of the church in politics and society are ultimately rooted in how we define the church. Looking at both church history and contemporary issues, this lecture seeks to set the question of the church's identity in context biblically, theologically, and historically.

Is Christinaity a World-and-Life View?

It is very common to hear Christians talk of the "Christian world-and-life view" or some similar term. But is there such a thing? If we look at the Bible and at church history, is it possible to talk about Christianity in such a way or does this involve both an over-simplification and a misunderstanding of the Bible teaches?

Bio

Born in Montgomery County, Maryland, on the edge of Washington D.C., Bob attended the University of Maryland and earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He then attended Westminster Theological Seminary near Philadelphia and received an M.Div. Bob married April, his partner in life and gospel ministry, and together they have three energetic boys, Alex, Jeff, and Bailey. He has served churches in Philadelphia and Norfolk before planting Grace Presbyterian Church in Chesapeake, VA.

Workshop Description

Talking Politics: Musings from a Dad and Pastor

We will discuss perspectives on political engagement, the polarization of sides, and the disintegration of dialogue. Specifically, we will look at four  major issues facing our political speech: secularization, the mystique of democracy, worshipping freedom, and the lust for power.

Bio

Camille finished a Ph.D. in Rhetorical Studies with a minor in American Studies from Indiana University in 2001. In 2006, Baylor University Press published her dissertation describing how the most conservative of Evangelicals negotiate their cultural separation with their involvement in the civic sphere. After teaching for nearly 20 years on the undergrad and graduate level, Camille is now a work-at-home-mom and independent scholar, researching the intersection of Evangelicalism, conservative politics, and white supremacy in the South in the twentieth century. After leaving a lifetime in fundamentalism, Camille and her husband are now thankful members of Mitchell Road Presbyterian in Greenville, South Carolina raising their two Covenant children, Isaac and Gavin. On any given evening, you will probably catch her knitting, cooking, or Lego-ing.

Workshop Description

As American as Chewing Gum: How Early Evangelicalism Meddled with American Exceptionalism

The most American and most effective expression of Anglo-Protestantism is not, in hindsight, its finest hour. The Lutherans were not welcome in this parachurch enterprise because they seemed Catholic, they drank beer, and they were not native-born. The bulk of the membership came from ordained "Nordic" ministers in Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopalian churches with Presbyterians trailing last. Ministers in the North and South, on the East Coast and West, promoted this patriotic organization as a way to save America from the onslaught of cultural immorality and ecclesiastical ecumenism. Members, in their "uniforms," would march into revivals to show their community strength and to support the visiting evangelist. Local groups put flags and Bibles in public school classrooms, held elaborate community picnics, and opened orphanages and hospitals. Under their socio-cultural authority and with religious-ish language, they baptized babies, performed weddings, and conducted funerals. In the 1920s in small towns and large cities across America this seemingly apple-pie organization perpetuated homegrown terrorism and controlled elections from the local to the national level.

Called as "absolutely American as chewing gum, crooked District Attorneys, and chautauquas," the Ku Klux Klan is part of our religious history as American Evangelicals. Its story is ours. And by unpacking its words, we can learn about our own pride and limitations and how we can more wisely enact our faith in the civic sphere.

Bio

Dave has been trying to understand the world since his parents took him overseas to serve as missionaries in Nigeria and Lebanon. Studying theology in college and then securing his M.Div. at Andrews Theological Seminary in Michigan, he planned on doing urban ministry with an integrated medical-spiritual approach. Instead, he’s been in government public service: providing public relations counsel for the Air Force in Europe and the Pentagon, teaching ROTC at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, leading online learning innovation for the Department of Agriculture and analyzing computer systems used in military decision-making for the Pentagon’s Joint Staff while finishing his PhD in applied psychology. He and his wife, Joanie, have been married for 30 years and have two grown children.

Workshop Description

Working for Caesar: A Christian's Guide to Public Service

Every day, we work for Caesar… by paying taxes and agreeing to obey the laws of the Republic of which we are a democratic shareholder. Though far removed from our Founding Fathers, we agree with the words that served as a Preamble to our Constitution: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

So how do we make certain that the money we pay to run our country—about half of the money we make, when you included added taxes for fuel, property, sales, and entitlement payments--has been accounted for as an honorable Christian servant? This workshop will give you practical tools to use in examining how Scripture’s stories can help you accountably interact with those who are working in government on your behalf. You’ll get an understanding of how to help bring in God’s Kingdom, while you’re also working for Caesar.

Bio

As the Director of Hope for Suffolk, Hayden works with members of the Suffolk community through prayer, counsel, and financial assistance. She works with a team of volunteers and local organizations to address issues of poverty in Suffolk. She has had the opportunity to use her degree in Community Development from Covenant College to work with churches and organizations in the US and in East Africa, the most extensive of which was a two year missions term in Tanzania.

Workshop Description

The Challenge of Loving Your Neighbor: Case Studies in Social Justice and Politics

We will explore the idea of viewing politics through the lens of social justice. We will see the implications for socially just politics by discussing three particular issues: human trafficking, ethical consumerism, and environmental stewardship.

Bio

Extensive training in linguistics and ancient languages brings Dr. Joseph N. Kickasola to public policy as Professor of International Affairs at Regent University. He served as a pastor from 1961 to 1966, and as Professor of Old Testament, Hebrew, and Aramaic at Ashland Theological Seminary from 1971 to 1985. His degrees are from Houghton College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and Brandeis University where he received a Ph.D. in Egyptian hieroglyphics and Coptic. Joe is a much sought after teacher and has spent the last several summers teaching in Israel. His areas of expertise include international affairs and the Middle East, as well as Biblical languages and Biblical law. In 2008 he published an article in the Regent Journal of International Law, entitled "The Clash Over the Qur'an: Qur'anic Reinterpretation and National Reformation in Islam." Since 9/11/2001, based on his knowledge of Islam and written Arabic, he has spoken widely on Islamic politics.

Workshop Description

Engaging Contemporary Islamist Politics: A Christian Guide

A decade after the 9/11/2001 attacks on the United States and on other nations, al-Qa'ida of Osama bin Laden has achieved nothing. The periodization of modern Islamic politics contains four important turning points:  1918 (nation-states), 1948 (Israel), 1979 (Iran's theocracy), and 2011 (the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Syria). Within these periods Islamism (politicized and theocratic Islam) undergoes four distinct phases:  its birth, suicide extremism, political parties, and its wars against the West (and against any opposing Muslims). These events reveal that the clash is not primarily between the West and the rest, but the clash is primarily WITHIN Islam itself--a clash between Muslims at war with a globalizing world and Muslims seeking to integrate with it. There will be an analysis of what is causing the pro-democracy revolutions in the recent and ongoing Arab Spring against authoritarian rule, including the dangers of it becoming an Islamist Winter. The counter-jihad of the Muslim reformists against The Jihad is apparent in politics, religion, literature, entertainment, and especially Internet communication technology. In U.S., Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, founder of AIFD, is very encouraging in this anti-Islamist movement. Lastly, the question of who are the Palestinians will be answered (a subject recently stirred up by presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on 09Dec2011), an answer that will show the demographic inevitability of a two-state solution. Throughout this presentation there is a Christian analysis, evaluation and plausible remedy for many of these political issues facing the Islamic world.

Bio

Dr. Lewis analyzes real world operations as the project lead and primary author for many of DOD’s Joint Lessons Learned studies on Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Most recently, he served as the lead analyst for several studies on civilian casualties, and as lead analyst and co-author for a study that General Petraeus described as “the first comprehensive assessment of the problem of civilian protection.” Dr. Lewis is also a subject matter expert on the subjects of Joint interoperability, Combat ID, and fratricide. Dr. Lewis received his PhD in Physical Chemistry from Rice University in 1997. He received a BS in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary in 1991. He is married to Sandra Lewis, and they have six children with ages ranging from 1 to 15.

Workshop Description

From Augustine to Obama: Imaging Christ in War

Christians sometimes view the choosing of presidential candidates as a binary choice hinging on a specific moral issue, such as the legal status of abortion. Yet political parties represent different positions on a wide variety of issues, and the overall “right” choice based on Christian principles can become less clear when considering this wider spectrum of issues. This presentation looks at an issue that is important for the national security of the United States: the use of military power. We will trace the principles governing the use of force from the Old Testament to the early church and finally to modern day, and its implications for the current conflict in Afghanistan and positions held by current political parties. We will then discuss which political parties may be closer to classic Christian thought on warfare and how this example could affect our thinking about political candidates overall.