This call is hosted by the Christian Peacebuilding Network (CPN), a multi-org group we helped found, and is part of a series of monthly conversations to help connect Christian peacebuilders and discuss themes related to peacebuilding and the Christian faith.
Peacebuilding work involves bringing people together across lines of difference to connect, build understanding and empathy, and work together toward a just and holistic peace where reconciliation becomes a possibility. The process of building friendships with those who are different catalyzes new insights, questions, and perspectives, which will in turn challenge people to unlearn simplistic and harmful “us-vs-them” narratives and ideologies. This process can sometimes be quite painful, yet this unlearning-relearning process is both normal for human development and critical for faith maturation. In this CPN meeting, Keith Giles will introduce the theme and share about what helps support people through that unlearning-relearning process and share his firsthand experience of seeing how a reconstructed faith leads people to lead lives that are more oriented toward empathy and love for our neighbors and toward the work for justice and peace.
If you’re a Christian peacebuilder, join us for this online discussion to talk and process together about the following questions.
Discussion questions:
What critical moments of unlearning and relearning have you experienced as part of your journey into peacebuilding?
In your peacebuilding work, what kind of support do you provide for people going through processes of unlearning and relearning across lines of difference?
Time:
3:00pm Central Europe (5:00pm East Africa Time, 4:00pm Jerusalem, 2:00pm UK, 9:00am USA Eastern)
Facilitators:
Keith Giles
Keith Giles is a former pastor who left the pulpit to follow Jesus and start a house church where no one takes a salary and 100 percent of all offerings are given to help the poor in the community. He has been a published writer since 1989.
He is the author of several books, including: "Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible" and "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb."
Keith is the co-host of the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast which has featured interviews with Bart Ehrman, John Fugelsang, Richard Rohr, Brad Jersak, Greg Boyd, and many others.
Keith also teaches several online courses including "Square 1: From Deconstruction to Reconstruction" and other courses based on his many books.
You can follow him online and find out more about his books at http://www.KeithGiles.com.
Bryan Carey
Bryan is a peacebuilding consultant and Director of International Partnerships at Peace Catalyst International. Bryan and his family have lived in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina since 2017, where they have been learning alongside and supporting the work of Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox peacebuilders. Bryan also hosts workshops, conducts trainings, and teaches about peace-oriented theology, peacebuilding practices, and how Christian groups can get involved in community peacebuilding. He regularly organizes learning experiences for international and regional Balkan participants that cultivate understanding and empathy for the narratives of other groups, ultimately with the aim to deepen relational connections that allow for collaborative work.