We are excited to extend this call for papers for Unlocking Capacity for Just Relationships the second event in the Conversations in the Canadian Church series brought to you by the New Leaf Network.
Canadian Churches have been doing work over the years to attend to the brokenness in our history of unjust relationships with Indigenous people in Canada. More work is needed, and the work moves at a human pace. Yet, when we get stuck, be it from fear of taking the wrong step or ignorance of what else to do, we need the community to come together to build new capacity to unlock the next step.
On March 1, 2024, we invite you to join us for a creative session that will engage the practical, emotional, and theological places we get stuck in as we seek to build Just and Responsible relationships in the Canadian church that includes everyone. Whether you are generationally Canadian, a newcomer, Indigenous, or your ancestors who arrived from elsewhere, we want you to feel welcome in the conversation.
This conversation will be interdisciplinary. We want to draw out the resources of academia, the church & para-church worlds, from the arts and family life.
Date: March 1, 2025
Location: Online and Onsite at select Hybrid Hubs (more info to come)
Call for submissions:
One way to get unstuck is to change your perspective. In the hope of cross-pollinating our ideas across networks, we invite you to use an interdisciplinary approach to share with us how you approach unlocking new capacity.
We are opening up a call for submissions of proposals regarding 2000-word papers or 20-minute presentations from the fields of theology, pastoral practice, psychology, the arts and beyond on the topic of unlocking capacity for just relationships.
The complex issues in our history call for nuanced and innovative approaches. If your experience or research has been around the margins, we welcome your perspective to the conversation. We are richer for the diversity that comes together to seek a journey toward Just Relationships.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
Descriptions of where Reconciliation efforts have gotten stuck in your context
Indigenous testimony of how fears and trauma have been faced with courage
Practical experiments for building capacity in your local context
Stories of failure in efforts and learning from mistakes
Ways in which you have used art to make meaning around Just relationships
Research on how to open up new capacity for growth and healing
Biblical guidance for healing and restoration of relationship
Submission Guidelines:
If you wish to contribute to this significant dialogue, we encourage you to submit an abstract of your proposed paper for consideration. Abstracts should be between 250-300 words (while full papers will be 1500 words, about 10 min when read aloud) and submitted in Word format via email to info@newleafnetwork.ca by Feb 2, 2024.
Our committee of reviewers will carefully evaluate each submission, and notification of acceptance will be sent out by February 9, 2024. Please include your full name, contact information, academic/professional affiliation (if any), and a brief bio with your submission.
Thank you for considering our invitation. Should you have any inquiries or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@newleafntwork.ca.
Warm regards,
The New Leaf Team