Symposium 2024: “Bravely Facing this Moment”

Symposium 2024

This year we continue our experiment in offering multi-locational, hybrid education, structuring a program that supports the full participation of persons who may gather either online or at one of two locations on opposite ends of the country. Instead of having a singular “Honored Teacher” to headline Symposium, the program will feature a variety of contributing presenters and workshop leaders.

The Symposium schedule will begin with program sessions on the evening of Monday, August 26, and continue through the morning of Wednesday, August 28. Program elements will include shared worship, critical analysis of recent political developments, community conversations, and ideas for practical action. The program is still in development and details will be added to this page as they are confirmed.

Bravely Facing this Moment: Answering the Call to Protect Democracy

2024 is a critical year for American democracy. The intertwined forces of right-wing authoritarianism and Christian nationalism are engaged in an all-out effort to reverse progress toward a more inclusive and pluralistic society. These threats are not new, but they have taken a more insidious form as advocates reject democratic norms to achieve their goals. This year’s Starr King Symposium will feature a timely, up-to-the-minute analysis of the critical dangers confronting us, as well as tangible proposals for how, together, we can both defend and strengthen democracy in the service of beloved community.

Three Attendance Options

Symposium participants will have three options for program attendance:

Registration

Registration information coming soon! If you are a Current Student planning to attend Symposium for course credit, please make sure to register for the Symposium course during Early Registration (April 15-26) or General Registration (June 3-14).

Accommodation Subsidy for Students

Starr King students registered for credit for Symposium are eligible to apply for a subsidy reimbursement in support of accommodation expenses. Each student may receive up to $125/night or $250 total. Information on applying for the subsidy will be provided at a later date.

Programs

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism and How to Talk Across the Divide

Based on her most recent book The Psychology of Christian Nationalism, Dr. Cooper-White will address these questions, which are of pressing importance to the future of American democracy and the evolving character of American Christianity. Who are Christian nationalists and what do they believe? Why is this movement so dangerous? How do people we think of as “good people” get drawn in to the irrational beliefs held by this movement, including outright lies and conspiracy theories? What are the conscious and unconscious motivations that draw people into this movement? And are there strategies to help us to talk across a widening political and religious divide?

The Christian Nationalist Threat to Democracy and the Church: A Theology of Supremacy

Where did Christian nationalism originate? How has it taken an authoritarian turn in the last decade? What can we expect in the months leading to the 2024 elections? In this presentation, Dr. Bradley Onishi answers these questions by tracing the ascendance of contemporary Christian nationalism from the 1960s to the present, with a focus on race, xenophobia, and national image. Drawing on his work as a historian and his training as a theologian, Onishi will demonstrate how Christian nationalism threatens both democracy and the Christian church.

Featured Speakers