The Faith Leadership Conference
Forging a Faithful Path in Chaotic Times: Looking at Self, Congregation, and Our Society
The Faith Leadership Conference is an annual event exploring the challenges and possibilities faced by leaders of faith communities. Each year the conference has a specific focus, and includes presentations on Bowen theory, case studies, and discussion.
In this year’s conference, “Forging a Faithful Path in Chaotic Times,” we we will look at ourselves, congregations, and some specific examples of societal emotional process in a time of sharp divisions. The conference will explore the basics of Bowen theory to support looking at ways to understand your congregation’s history and ability to deal with issues and controversy, and the leader’s capacity to act.
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Date: February 10, 2023
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm ET
Location: Online via Zoom
REGISTER: Eventbrite
Conference Description | Schedule | CEU/CEs | Conference Fee/Register
About this Conference
The faithful path for religious traditions is being challenged from all sides. Specific expressions of societal emotional process are showing up as sharp divisions. Faith leaders find themselves in one corner or another or regarded as irrelevant. In this conference, we will look at ourselves, congregations, and some specific examples of societal process.
The conference will explore the basics of Bowen theory, look at ways to understand your congregation’s history and ability to deal with issues and controversy, and the capacity to act. We will look at all of this with an eye toward faith leaders moving on a faithful path for themselves and their faith communities.
Bowen theory suggests that the faithful path in any religious tradition is not to be found in either polarization or compromise, but rather through differentiation of self in relationship. For a religious leader it can mean pursuing a religious vision while maintaining relationships with the people who both disagree and agree with you. This is difficult to do, especially amid emotional intensity, your own and others.
Schedule
Time |
Title |
Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9:30 | Welcome and Introduction | Kenton T. Derstine |
| 9:35 | Defining a Responsible Self in Congregations Differentiation of self is the central concept in Bowen Theory. Randy Frost will discuss the difference faith leaders can make in congregational life with a responsible focus on their own functioning. |
Randy T. Frost MDiv Director, The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family |
| 10:00 | Tales from Religious Leaders Emlyn Ott and Carol Jeunnette will discuss what is going on out there. What are pastors findin in their congregations? From Christian nationalism to "woke" ideologies, societal processes are at work, and many are "repurposing Sundays". These tales will be viewed through the lens of Bowen theory as it describes congregations and the differentiation of the leader. |
The Rev. Dr. Emlyn A. Ott Executive Director, Healthy Congregations, Inc. Director of Doctor of Ministry Programs and Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership, Bexley Seabury Seminary Federation |
| 10:45 | Break | |
| 11:00 | Tales from Religious Leaders (Continued) |
The Rev. Carol P. Jeunnette, Ph.D. |
| 12:00 | Lunch Break | |
| 1:00 | Taking Religious Positions in an Intense Societal Environment Many persons in congregations are finding their identity (pseudo-self) and belonging (togetherness and fusion) in political and other social views fueled by mass media, social networking apps and internet algorithms. Many faith community leaders are finding their teaching roles eclipsed. The concepts of Bowen Theory will serve as a resource for the challenges of finding a faithful path forward. |
The Rev. Edward J. Henley Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida Faculty, Bowen Center |
| 2:15 | Break | |
| 2:30 | Dialogue: Forging a Faithful Path: Presenters and Participants. | |
| 3:30 | Adjournment |
CEU/CEs
The conference day will provide 4.5 Category I continuing education credits for social work and for counseling.
REQUIREMENTS FOR CE ELIGIBILITY
Pay the CEU/CE fee of $15 at the time of registration.
Attend the live-streamed or in-person conference in its entirety. Your attendance will be tracked throughout the conference.
If livestreamed, enable video and show your name on the screen, so that you are visible throughout the entirety of the conference, except during designated breaks or lunch.
Submit a completed evaluation no more than 60 days after the conference. Shortly after the submission of your completed evaluation, you will be emailed a certificate.
Polices: The Bowen Center does not offer refunds for CEs. We do not offer continuing education credit for viewing class recordings. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to verify their state’s professional licensure criteria for CE qualifications.
Learning Objectives:
Increased ability to identify common symptoms of anxiety in self, families, and communities - especially as it manifests in the reactivity described as “polarization.”
Increased ability to see the reciprocity involved in relationship patterns.
Decreased focus on the functioning of others; increased focus on self when tension rises in a relationship or group.
Increased ability to see the emotional patterns described by Bowen theory and one’s part in them.
Increased imagination for responsible engagement of family, work and faith community when tensions manifest in the emotional processes of conflict, distance, triangulation and over/under-functioning - common components of polarization.
To develop a better understanding of how Bowen theory conceptualizes the process of polarization in families, churches, communities, and society, and how individuals can address their part in that process.
The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is authorized by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to provide continuing education credit. This program is a Category I offering.
The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6225. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
If you have any questions about Continuing Education, please email ceu@thebowencenter.org.
ACEP No. 6225
