Multiethnic Symposium
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Plenaries
Dr. Benjamin Looker
Associate Professor of American Studies, Saint Louis University
Casual observers traversing the American metropolis can often be lulled into thinking that the visible disparities built into the landscape are somehow natural and inevitable, the result of immutable social processes rather than human choices or agency. However, understanding the divergent fates of individual neighborhoods with vastly different access to resources requires us to take seriously an array of forces — from policy decisions to forms of cultural representation — that operated at the metropolitan scale across numerous decades. In short, urban history matters if we’re to make sense of the city in the present day.
In this presentation, Dr. Benjamin Looker proposes several frameworks for fruitfully bringing such historical thinking to bear when interpreting and engaging with neighborhood spaces of the present. Along the way, he explores why numerous generations of American social thinkers, artists and activists have persistently attributed an immense power and significance to the neighborhood as a social form and arena for human interaction. And, highlighting the conference location, he illustrates these themes with examples of several St. Louis neighborhoods whose evolution has been especially consequential to the metropolis as a whole.
Dr. Mark Koschmann
Associate Vice President of Faith and Ministry and Chair of the Department of Theology and Ministry, Concordia University, Saint Paul, Minn.
Cities matter. As the city goes, so goes the entire culture of the arts, scholarship, communication, philosophy and commerce. Dense and diverse, cities foster creativity and innovation. They also promote the lively exchange of ideas and continue to be mainstays of economic, political and social influence around the globe. Consequently, cities matter (even for people who might not consider themselves in an urban context). To be sure, there are problems in the city and these problems often spill over into surrounding regions. Yet, the prominence of cities means that faithful Gospel proclamation in the city will spread outward to people all over the world. In Acts 1:8, Jesus leaves the disciples with these words: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Taking our cue from the Book of Acts, Christians have the opportunity – led by the Spirit – to proclaim the Gospel, advocate for justice and instill hope for generations of people living in and around cities. In doing so, Christians point to God’s work of redemption, reconciliation and restoration in Jesus.
Sectionals 1
Dr. Vince Bantu
President of Meachum School of Haymanot; Assistant Professor of Church History and Black Church Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
What is the role of social justice in the ministry and theological discourse of the church? The mere mention of the word justice has caused polarizing responses from various denominational and theological institutions at an escalating pace. This session will explore various approaches to a theology of justice throughout church history, while proffering a theology of justice that is Good News for the oppressed.
Dr. Gerard Bolling
LCMS Urban Pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, St. Louis, Mo., and Assistant Professor of Leadership and Theology at Concordia University Texas, Austin
Using findings from his research on urban ministry development as well as practical on the ground experience from his pastoral ministry, Dr. Gerard Bolling reflects on building capacity within city ministry via human resource development, community engagement, program development and mentorship.
Sectionals 2
Deaconess Janine Bolling
Deaconess; Executive Director, Our Saviour Lutheran School in The Bronx in New York City
Shelly Schwalm
Director of Christian Education; University Ministry Associate, Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn.
For those who are called to the city, there are many challenges and choices to face. In this session, Deaconess Janine Bolling and Director of Christian Education (DCE) Shelly Schwalm will share their experiences of life and ministry in the city with a focus on how God empowers us to serve with joy. Bolling and Schwalm will help participants explore what a heart for the city is, and how intentionally being where God has placed us brings the Gospel to our communities in need.
Josh Wilson
Founder and Executive Director, Mission: St. Louis
Josh Wilson will share information about a transformational workforce development program, Beyond Jobs. This critical program creates sustainable change by pairing tangible employment with critical wraparound services so people can get and keep meaningful jobs. Wilson will share both individual stories of incredible participants and the underlying evidence-based structure of the program that leads to these outcomes. He also will share how to get involved with Beyond Jobs and other opportunities at Mission: St. Louis.
Sectionals 3
Marcus Gray
Hip-hop artist, Clear Sight Music
The expectation in rap music is that artists will bluntly state what they mean to say. The Gospel message, too, is very clear and blunt. For that reason, they pair well. As rap music and hip-hop customs have spread throughout the known world, and in particular, to suburban youth, it is nearly impossible to talk about missions or cultural engagement without addressing the rap listener. Historically, Lutherans have excelled in both verbiage and practice as it relates to the two realms (temporal and spiritual) and the two types of righteousness (passive and active). For this reason, arguably, Lutherans do right to understand hip-hop culture and how to produce artists who can speak relevantly to matters of faith (justification by faith alone), the duality of the human experience (temporal and spiritual realms) and rap music as a vocation. This course will bind these affairs together, with the goal of seeing how God can use the arts to teach, shape minds and restrain evil by way of sound Lutheran theology in harmony with melodic sounds and heavy bass.
Dr. Vince Bantu
President of Meachum School of Haymanot; Assistant Professor of Church History and Black Church Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary
People of African-descent are severely under-represented in the majority of institutions of theological education at every level. Furthermore, the availability of accessible, contextual and graduate-level theological education remains out of reach for the majority of Black ministry leaders. This session will explore models for vibrant theological education for ministry leaders of African-descent through a presentation of the work of the Meachum School of Haymanot. Participants will also gain practical tools at making contextualized theological education available to marginalized communities.
Sectionals 4
Dr. Reed Lessing
Professor of Theology and Ministry, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
The Old Testament prophet Zechariah has much to say about the city — especially in chapters 8 and 14. Zechariah 8 envisions God’s plan for the city in time, while chapter 14 envisions God’s plan for the city at the end of time. Christians are called to live in this tension. We are called to work for the vision of chapter 8 now even as we joyfully anticipate chapter 14’s vision of final restoration.
Mark Kempff
Instructor, curriculum developer and administrative assistant to the Director of the Center for Hispanic Studies, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Christ alone is the Redeemer of the family and therefore there is an urgency of ministering among families in the complex North American urban context. To meet the challenges of city life, the church gathers and empowers with the Gospel as it promotes and encourages the home to be a refuge, a place to become, a place of hope, a blessing and a sacred space for all to thrive. What does it mean to thrive? How do we minister with and among families who are only surviving? This presentation will provide participants with a brief overview of some of these realities, needs and tasks that the church in the city needs to embrace in practical ways.
Marcus Gray
Hip-hop artist, Clear Sight Music
The expectation in rap music is that artists will bluntly state what they mean to say. The Gospel message, too, is very clear and blunt. For that reason, they pair well. As rap music and hip-hop customs have spread throughout the known world, and in particular, to suburban youth, it is nearly impossible to talk about missions or cultural engagement without addressing the rap listener. Historically, Lutherans have excelled in both verbiage and practice as it relates to the two realms (temporal and spiritual) and the two types of righteousness (passive and active). For this reason, arguably, Lutherans do right to understand hip-hop culture and how to produce artists who can speak relevantly to matters of faith (justification by faith alone), the duality of the human experience (temporal and spiritual realms) and rap music as a vocation. This course will bind these affairs together, with the goal of seeing how God can use the arts to teach, shape minds and restrain evil by way of sound Lutheran theology in harmony with melodic sounds and heavy bass.
This sectional is available in person only