Biblical Faith in the Shadow of Empire, Ottawa Conference

Biblical Faith in the Shadow of Empire
Ottawa Conference

September 24, 2005

From Egypt to Babylon, from Persia to Rome, the biblical story is told in the shadow of empire. In the first century the apostle Paul founded and shaped small communities that embodied an alternative ethic in the face of an aggressive and dominant empire. These communities drew their hope from the gospel of Jesus; their covenantal character was nourished by the Israelite vision of faithful life in the shadow of empire.

What does Paul's subversive challenge to empire teach us today? What does a gospel-shaped community have to learn from the vision of Israel and first century christians? From the first century to the present, from subversive speech to ethics, this conference will explore how the gospel shapes our imagination and gives us the resources to live in the shadow of empire today.

Keynote Speaker

Sylvia Keesmaat is adjunct professor at the Institute for Christian Studies. Prior to this she was professor of biblical studies at ICS from 1994-2004. Sylvia has specialized in the apostle Paul and New Testament interpretations of Israel's scriptures and has written extensively on contemporary biblical hermeneutics and social justice. She is the author of Paul and His Story: (Re)Interpreting the Exodus Tradition, and in 2004 co-authored (with Brian Walsh) Colossians Remixed: Subverting The Empire (IVP) .

Order Colossians Remixed from the ICS Bookshop

Schedule and Location

8:30 - 9:00	Registration	St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church 82 Kent Street, Ottawa, ON
9:00 - 9:15	Welcome
9:15 - 10:15	Morning Keynote
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 12:00	Workshops
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 1:30	ICS Update
1:30 - 3:00	Workshops
3:00 - 3:15	Break
3:15 - 4:45	Afternoon Keynote
5:30 - 6:00	Reception with music
6:00 - 7:30	Dinner with music
7:30 - 8:15	Book Reading
8:15 - 8:30	Closing

Workshops

Christians and Human Rights

Of the global forces described by Sylvia Keesmat, human rights has the greatest potential for public good. And yet, Christians are ambivalent about human rights. Some see the human rights movement as a secular threat, while others embrace human rights without critique. This workshop will explore different approaches to human rights and consider what Paul might say about human rights activism as a strategy for Christians who want to be agents of justice in Canada today and in global affairs. It will explore the thesis that Christians can bring a useful perspective to human rights work and should engage more intentionally to help shape a field that has the best potential to be a humanizing force in globalization.

Kathy Vandergrift, now Director of Policy for World Vision Canada, has many years of experience in social justice work at the urban, national, and international level. Kathy has worked in governing offices and in social movements in a life-long search to be more effective in her work for justice. Most recently, working for the rights of children has brought her to the Security Council, to remote northern Uganda, and many other places.

Thank God It's Tuesday: Bearing Fruit for God's Kingdom in the Workplace

Many Christians find that it is in our work places where we spend a large portion of our waking hours and that the world's selfreliance and resistance to God are most pronounced-and the testing of Christians' faithfulness to God's call to divine-human partnership is most acute. To bear fruit for the kingdom on the job requires courage, intentionality, biblical vision and support. While not guaranteed to make you spring out of bed on a weekday morning, this workshop will highlight five ways (competence, presence, ethics, lifestyle and change) you can honour kingdom values in the workplace and point you to some possible sources of support.

Lisa Chisholm-Smith is a graduate of the Institute for Christian Studies and oversees faith education programs for adults, children and youth for the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. A USbased ecumenical network called the Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life is one of the sources of support for her own workplace ministry.

Women and Empire

Women tend to suffer more from systemic injustice than men. But many women remain agents for justice, even in the face of powers that oppress or threaten them. Women support, submit, or subvert empire as they choose to become complicit or to challenge the structures and forces that shape their lives. This workshop will consider examples of women from Bible times and today who live under empire and the different ways in which women choose to respond. What does the Bible teach us about women and empire? And how do Christians respond today to those who challenge that the Bible offers only a source of oppression for women?

Chandra Pasma completed a Masters Degree in Political Science with a focus on women in electoral politics. Presently she works as a legislative assistant for a member of parliament.

Reconciliation after Genocide

Some survivors of the genocide in Rwanda who came to Canada are searching for new ways of forgiveness and reconciliation between the Batutsi community, who were primarily victims, and the Bahutu community, who were primarily aggressors, although some were punished for refusing to take part in the genocide. This workshop will consider the findings of a research project on the factors which enhance or undermine forgiveness and reconciliation between these groups and ways to promote enhancing factors and limit undermining factors.

Oscar Gasana was born in Rwanda and studied in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and London. After working with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa for over 15 years, Oscar came to Ottawa, where he recently completed studies in theology and conflict studies at St. Paul's University. He is President of Humura, an association established by genocide survivors in the capital region to assist survivors, remember the victims, and raise awareness about the horrors of genocide

Struggling for a Living Wage: new immigrants on the margins of the job market

There is a growing documented rise in precarious employment - jobs that are lowpaid, insecure and where employment standards are lax. This coincides with other growing trends - new immigrants who are skilled professionals who cannot work in their field and the rise in poverty among new immigrants. These trends have increased over the past twenty years. Is it a coincidence that new immigrants figure among those most likely to have precarious jobs? What has driven these trends? And, as Christians concerned with public justice, what can we do to reverse them?

Greg DeGroot-Maggetti is Socio-economic Policy Analyst for Citizens for Public Justice. He leads CPJ's socio-economic work, often appearing before the Standing Committee on Finance, and meeting with politicians and policy advisors. Greg represents CPJ on Campaign 2000 and the Campaign Against Child Poverty - two national child poverty coalitions and is also a member of the National Council of Welfare, an advisory committee to the Minister of Social Development.

Welcoming the Stranger as Neighbour: examining barriers to integration

Newcomers face tough challenges, specially those who seek protection in Canada. To assist these vulnerable but heroic survivors integrate into Canadian society, it is critical that we familiarize ourselves with the systemic barriers and personal challenges they face as they come to terms with Canadian reality. This workshop examines how we, in the light of our core values of compassion and public justice, can help make the road less hazardous for these people whom we need to regard as our neighbours.

Chris Pullenayegem is Refugee Policy Analyst for Citizens for Public Justice. In this role, Chris coordinates CPJ's refugee initiative called "The Getting Landed Project". Prior to joining CPJ, Chris worked as a Designated Immigration Officer at the Canadian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka, compiling many years of experience in Canadian immigration and refugee issues.

Presentations

CameronStrings - Guitar Duo and Vocals

Music from the Renaissance and Baroque, jazz standards, Celtic tunes, hymns and originals played on classical guitar and a special, hybrid 11- string guitar strung with silk and steel strings. The effect is a fresh and unique sound and an elegant re-interpretation of popular repertoire.

Tara and Scott Cameron have been making music together since their marriage in 1989. Two children and three cats later, they are still making music as the guitar duo, CameronStrings and as music directors at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Merrickville, Ontario. (Visit their website at http://www.cameronstrings.ca)

Alison Grezik Book Reading

Alison will be reading from a new short story called "Understanding Fiction", about a pregnant nursing student who is intrigued by her famous English professor at the University of Windsor.

Alison Gresik completed a B.A. degree in English at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario. She studied with Aritha Van Herk at the University of Calgary while doing her M.A. in creative writing. Her book Brick and Mortar was published by Oberon Press in 2000 and was nominated for the 2001 Ottawa Book Award. Her short fiction has appeared in Descant, grain and the anthology The Company We Keep. You can visit Alison's website at http://www.gresik.ca.

ICS would like to thank the following sponsors whose
support helps students attend this conference: