a virtual symposium
15-17 October 2015
(Thursday – Saturday)
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN ARCHIVED. YOU CAN NOW VIEW THE CONFERENCE RECORDINGS. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ON OUR ON-DEMAND VIDEO PAGE.
This virtual symposium, sponsored by MCC’s Office of Formation and Leadership Development and the MCC Theologies Team, will engage participants from various faith and denominational perspectives in a number of presentations, panel discussions, and other opportunities for dialogue around the important topic of Sexuality and Spirituality. Metropolitan Community Churches began as a prophetic movement that was passionate and intentional about integrating sexuality and spirituality. Through this conference, we want to keep this conversation vibrant within MCC, and much more broadly by including our ecumenical and interfaith siblings who are likewise passionate about integrating sex & spirit. The common theme uniting presenters, panelists, and participants in this conversation is a desire to engage this topic, a heart for the marginalized among us, and the willingness to be honest, edgy, and vulnerable in our dialogue.
In this online conference, we will ask the question, “Who Are We, Really?” as we re-engage sex and spirit. The question will be posed about who we are as embodied sexual beings in the world, who we are in our intimate and sexual relationships and families, and who we are in our spiritual communities. This three day virtual event will present some academic papers and scholarly responses, panel discussions about specific topics related to the above, and more informal opportunities for individual sharing and connection.
The online conference will will consist of three sessions each day in various formats, including informal discussion, panel discussion, and paper presentations. Paper and Panel Presentations do qualify for CEUs (1.5 per session). You can register for the entire conference ($100 USD), one single day of the conference ($50 USD), or per session ($25 USD each).
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF PRESENTERS
PROGRAM
The program will consist of 3, 90-minute sessions each day in the time blocks that follow:
- Block 1: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm ET (2:30 – 4:00 pm GMT/UTC)
- Block 2: 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET (5:00 – 6:30 pm GMT/UTC)
- Block 3: 4:00 – 5:30 pm ET (8:00 – 9:30 pm GMT/UTC)
The types of presentations in each time block will vary each day as outlined in the full program detail below.
THURSDAY – 15 October 2015
Session 1: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN? WHERE ARE WE GOING? (A Panel Presentation moderated by Rev. Dr. Thomas Bohache)
- Rev. Beulah Durrheim (Cape Town, South Africa)
- Rev. Elder Diane Fisher (Tallahassee, Florida USA)
- Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski (Denver, Colorado USA)
- Rev. Dr. Ngeo Boon Lin (New York City USA, China and Malaysia)
- Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry (Founder of MCC) (Los Angeles, California USA)
- Rev. Mykal Slack (North Carolina USA)
(Click for list of presenter bios)
Session 2: DECONSTRUCTING HETERONORMATIVITY (Paper Presentations)
- Queering the Trinity: Who’s Your Daddy? by Rev. Daniel Borysewicz
- Masculinity “In a Frock on a Rock:” The Pinkwashing of Wild Colonial (Gay) Boys by Rev. Karl Hand
- Shoulder to Shoulder: Links Between Discrimination, LGBTQ-Based Social Support, and Psychosocial Adjustment among LGBTQ Youth by Dr. Siân E. Jones
Session 3: HOW DO WE BRING SEX TO CHURCH? (An open discussion)
- English-language moderated by Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos
- Spanish-language moderated by Rev. Elder Margarita Sánchez De León
FRIDAY – 16 October 2015
Session 4: THE MARGINS OF OUR MOVEMENT — TRANS*, INTERSEX, GENDER QUEER, POLY* (Paper Presentations)
- B-T-P: Engaging an Intersectional Frontier by Rev. Rachelle Brown
- A New Trans* Theology of Indecency by Denise Burke
- God as the Holy Polyamorous One by Rev. Dr. Edgard Danielsen-Morales
Session 5: WHAT KIND OF SEX ARE WE (REALLY) HAVING? (An open discussion)
- English-language moderated by Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos
- Spanish-language moderated by Rev. Elder Margarita Sánchez De León
Session 6: INTEGRATING SEXUALITY AND SPIRITUALITY AS A PARADIGM FOR WHOLENESS/WELLNESS/AUTHENTICITY (A Panel Presentation moderated by Rev. Dr. Thomas Bohache)
- Marie Alford-Harkey (Religious Institute, Connecticut USA)
- Dr. Xochitl Alvizo (California State University, Northridge USA)
- Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas (Goucher College, Baltimore, Maryland USA)
- Rev. Dr. Joseph Goh (Monash University – Malaysia)
- Dr. Jay Michaelson (Chicago Theological Seminary)
(Click for list of presenter bios)
SATURDAY – 17 October 2015
Session 7: IS THERE A GENERATION GAP IN MCC REGARDING SEX? ARE THERE DOUBLE-STANDARDS FOR SEXUAL BEHAVIOR ON THE GENDER SPECTRUM OR FOR CLERGY/LAITY? (An open discussion)
- English-language moderated by Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos
- Spanish-language moderated by Rev. Elder Margarita Sánchez De León
Session 8: HEALING QUEER BODIES AND THE BODY OF CHRIST (A Panel Presentation moderated by Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos)
- Dr. Susannah Cornwall (Research Scholar, University of Exeter UK)
- Rev. Dr. Robin Gorsline (Author/Theologian, Maryland USA)
- Rev. Jakob Hero (Chaplain – Tampa, Florida USA)
- Rev. Miller Hoffman (Pastor, Open Door MCC in Boyds, Maryland USA)
- Dr. David Williams (Program Director, MCC HIV/AIDS Advisory Council, New Jersey USA)
(Click for list of presenter bios)
Session 9: TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF THE FULL BODY AND EVERY BODY (Paper Presentations)
- Touch Me and See Me: Embodying the Erotic by Rev. Joe Cobb
- Wounding the Soul and Scarring the Body: A Theological and Pastoral Response to Self-Harming Behaviours by Kate Rowley
- The Disabled Body: Part of the Body Part of Wholeness by Theresa Inés Soto
If you have any questions, please contact Kharma Amos at RevKharmaAmos@MCCchurch.net or Tom Bohache at RevTomBohache@MCCchurch.net.
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