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Equipping Leaders

The Psychology of Polarization

(Presented by Science for the Church)​

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Zoom Webinars 10/8/24, 10/22/24, and 1/21/25 10:00 to 11:30

 

Register Here

 

This election season reinforces the toxic polarization that stains American society.  The Pew Research Center regularly releases information about these divisions; an August 26, 2024 release is typical:  “The Political Values of Harris and Trump supporters:  Wide differences over cultural issues, role of government, and foreign policy.”  (The Political Values of Harris and Trump Supporters | Pew Research Center))

 

They write, “Some of the widest gaps between Harris and Trump supporters are on issues that have divided Americans for decades, such as the role of guns in society, race, and the legacy of slavery.  In addition, voters who back Harris and Trump have sharply different views on immigration, gender identity, and whether society should prioritize marriage and having children.”

 

These differences of opinion make it difficult for us to enjoy time spent with loved ones, colleagues, and other members of our churches.  Spending time on social media makes our blood pressure rise.  Is it too early to dread Thanksgiving dinner and the relative who drives us crazy?  All too often, conflict escalation is a much more typical path than conflict reconciliation.

 

And yet, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5 that God has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  “God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them.  He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.”  The Holy Spirit both calls and equips us to work for shalom in the midst of toxic polarization.

 

To help you live into this call, the Synod is partnering with Science for the Church to offer three webinars on the Psychology of Polarization.  Science for the Church engages the hard sciences and Christianity to strengthen the church.  In past years, they have offered workshops on racism and mental illness, and they have been excellent.

 

Each zoom workshop will be an hour and a half, with a presentation by and Q&A with a scholar with recent work on polarization, and then a facilitated conversation about how the church can build our capacity to defuse toxic polarization.

Upcoming Workshops

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Boundaries Training Workshop

April 9-10, 1:30- 4:30 Eastern

September 28 9:30- 4:30 Eastern

October 15-16, 6:00- 9:00 PM Eastern

November 7, 9:30-4:30 Eastern

Boundaries Training Workshop

Boundaries Training Workshops

2024 Offerings 

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The Synod’s overarching theme is “In our Synod, we’ll try anything to equip leaders who attend to God’s creative, emerging future.”  Part of this equipping is offering Boundaries Training Workshops through LeaderWise.

 

It’s our experience that pastors, church staff, and other leaders who transgress boundaries by-and-large are not predators. In fact, not even close. Most people in ministry who violate boundaries are individuals who know and follow the rules most of the time but whose judgment may be impaired due to an unusually stressful time in their lives. With that in mind, Not-Your-Average Boundaries Training is tailored to focus on strategies to foster emotional resiliency and well-being. While we still cover the requirements—“Don’t sleep with a parishioner unless you’re married to them” and the like —we believe the best prevention is to encourage clergy to take steps to manage their stress in order to maintain balance and perspective when temptation arises. We further teach concepts of power and rank, plus a 4-step strategy to help stop them in their tracks before they commit a boundary violation; and participants leave with their own personal prevention plan.

Past Workshops

  • The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    Tue, Jan 21
    Jan 21, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Jan 21, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Tuesday 10/8/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 10/22/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 1/21/25 10:00 to 11:30

2023

  • No Workshop due to Advent
    No Workshop due to Advent
    Wed, Dec 04
    Dec 04, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Dec 04, 2024, 10:00 AM
    God bless you as you preach!
  • Boundaries Training Workshop
    Boundaries Training Workshop
    Thu, Nov 07
    Nov 07, 2024, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM EST
    Nov 07, 2024, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM EST
  • Preaching with an Ecological Lens
    Preaching with an Ecological Lens
    Wed, Nov 06
    Nov 06, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Nov 06, 2024, 10:00 AM
    HyeRan Kim-Cragg, Emmanuel College (U of Toronto)
  • The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    Tue, Oct 22
    Oct 22, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Oct 22, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Tuesday 10/8/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 10/22/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 1/21/25 10:00 to 11:30
  • Boundaries Training Workshop
    Boundaries Training Workshop
    Tue, Oct 15
    Oct 15, 2024, 6:00 PM EDT – Oct 16, 2024, 9:00 PM EDT
    Oct 15, 2024, 6:00 PM EDT – Oct 16, 2024, 9:00 PM EDT
  • The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    The Psychology of Polarization (Presented by Science for the Church)
    Tue, Oct 08
    Oct 08, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Oct 08, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Tuesday 10/8/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 10/22/24 10:00 to 11:30 Tuesday 1/21/25 10:00 to 11:30
  • Lyrical Theology and Hymns as Midrashim
    Lyrical Theology and Hymns as Midrashim
    Wed, Oct 02
    Oct 02, 2024, 10:00 AM – Oct 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Oct 02, 2024, 10:00 AM – Oct 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Catherine Williams, Lancaster Theological Seminary
  • Boundaries Training Workshop
    Boundaries Training Workshop
    Sat, Sep 28
    Sep 28, 2024, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT
    Sep 28, 2024, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM EDT
  • Preaching Luke Backwards
    Preaching Luke Backwards
    Wed, Sep 04
    Sep 04, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Sep 04, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Eric D. Barreto is Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary and an ordained Baptist minister.
  • ARTivism and Proclamation
    ARTivism and Proclamation
    Wed, Aug 07
    Aug 07, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Aug 07, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Lis Valle-Ruiz, McCormick Theological Seminary
  • No Workshop Due to Independence Day
    No Workshop Due to Independence Day
    Wed, Jul 03
    Jul 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Jul 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    God bless you as you preach!
  • Preaching the Letter of 1 John in a Polarized Church
    Preaching the Letter of 1 John in a Polarized Church
    Jun 05, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Janette H. Ok, Fuller Theological Seminary
  • Prophetic/Apocalyptic Preaching
    Prophetic/Apocalyptic Preaching
    Wed, May 01
    May 01, 2024, 10:00 AM
    May 01, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Neal Presa, New Brunswick Theological Seminary
  • Boundaries Training Workshop
    Boundaries Training Workshop
    Tue, Apr 09
    Apr 09, 2024, 1:30 PM EDT – Apr 10, 2024, 4:30 PM EDT
    Apr 09, 2024, 1:30 PM EDT – Apr 10, 2024, 4:30 PM EDT
  • No Workshop--Enjoy your break after Holy Week
    No Workshop--Enjoy your break after Holy Week
    Wed, Apr 03
    Apr 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Apr 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
  • Rediscovering Lost Treasures: Forgotten Preaching Texts of the Old Testament
    Rediscovering Lost Treasures: Forgotten Preaching Texts of the Old Testament
    Mar 06, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Dennis Olson, Princeton Theological Seminary
  • Real People, Real Faith:  Preaching Biblical Characters
    Real People, Real Faith:  Preaching Biblical Characters
    Feb 07, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Led by Cindy Halvorson, LeaderWise
  • Exploring the Themes of Lent 2024
    Exploring the Themes of Lent 2024
    Wed, Jan 03
    Jan 03, 2024, 10:00 AM
    Jan 03, 2024, 10:00 AM

2022

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