Where:
Iliff School of Theology
2323 East Iliff Avenue
Denver, CO 80210
Contact:
The Alumni Office
Iliff School of Theology
Students, Faculty, and Trustees please use the registration links which have been emailed to you, or contact for information.
Featured Speaker
Wednesday Chapel and Closing Plenary
Bishop Gene Robinson (Retired)
The Episcopal Church
Registration is OPEN!
Monday, February 3 through Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of Iliff will gather to discuss, rest, and heal from issues facing our region, nation, and world. We will engage important topics, learn about new possibilities, eat great food, experience moving worship, hear about exciting new initiatives, and celebrate the highlights along the way.
Here are a few things to note:
- Each day will have a different general theme
- As was the case last year, you can register for individual days
- Some events will be available online or in-person for registered participants!
Themes for the conference:
- Monday, February 3: Science & Theology: Making Connections
- Tuesday, February 4: Inspiring & Innovating Ministry: Making a Difference
- Wednesday, February 5: A Complicated Time: Challenges & Possibilities
As usual, we will have a reception on Monday evening where we celebrate new publications within the last two years from alumni, faculty, and staff.
We are also planning alumni reunion (including the ten-year reunion of the first Journey cohort) activities for Tuesday evening – stay tuned! And please check back – we are continuing to add panelists, authors, and more.
Monday, February 3rd – Science & Theology: Making Connections
Doors open at 8:00am. Registration and an informal reception with light breakfast food runs from 8:00am – 9:00am.
Monday’s Renewal events are made possible by a generous grant from Science for Seminaries, a project of the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program, in consultation with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). The project helps a diverse group of seminaries integrate science into their core curricula. For more information, visit scienceforseminaries.org.
Daily Theme(s)
How does theology contribute to conversations in the scientific world? Where does Artificial Intelligence fit into the emerging realities of life?
Dr. Philip Butler
Visiting Assistant Professor
of Theological Studies
Loyola Marymount University
Opening Plenary Speaker:
Encoding Spirituality in Digital Eternalities
9:00am – 10:40am
Note: Our previously-announced plenary speaker, Dr. Philip Kurian, is unable to join us due to unforeseen circumstances. We are grateful to Dr. Butler for stepping in on short notice.
Bishop Kym Lucas
Bishop, The Episcopal Church in Colorado
Monday Opening Worship
Chapel 11:00am – Noon
Monday Lunch
Conference lunch sponsored by our granting partners, including the Henry Luce Foundation, who graciously fund Iliff’s AI Initiative
Lunch
12:00pm – 1:15pm
Coding Workshops
Thanks to a generous grant from the Science for Seminaries project, participants can essential skills in programming using Python. Iliff students may be eligible to receive a stipend for participating in this workshop.
Instructor: Dr. Justin Barber (PhD ’15)
Lead Data Scientist, Iliff
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
1:15pm – 2:45pm and
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Dr. Mohammad Mahoor
Professor of Electrical
& Computer Engineering
Director of the Computer Vision
and Social Robotics Laboratory
University of Denver
Presentation:
Socially Useful Artificial Intelligence
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Dr. Ted Vial
Director of the AI Institute at Iliff
Associate Dean of Curriculum and Institutional Assessment
Harvey Potthoff Professor of Theology and Modern Western Religious Thought
Panelist:
Iliff’s AI Institute – Who, What, and Why?
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Alires Almon
Director of Innovation
Mental Health Center of Denver
Panelist:
Iliff’s AI Institute – Who, What, and Why?
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Kate Newell
CEO & Co-Cofounder
The Faith Space
Panelist:
Iliff’s AI Institute – Who, What, and Why?
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Scholars’ Reception
Monday Evening, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
A wonderful opportunity to hear about recent publications from the Iliff community.
For publications within the last two years. Presentation space available for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and conference presenters.
To request space, please email by January 29th.
Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter
Rev. Dr. Carrie Doehring
Dr. Jeremy Garber
Rev. Dr. Eric Smith
Br. Daniel Klawitter
Dr. Kelly Arora
Students, Faculty, and Trustees please use the registration links which have been emailed to you, or contact for information.
Tuesday, February 4th – Inspiring & Innovating Ministry: Making a Difference
Doors open at 8:00am. Registration and an informal reception with light breakfast food runs from 8:30am – 9:00am.
Daily Theme(s)
How can we be re-inspired to make a difference? What does “making a difference” look like? How can our being in community bring change to a hurting world?
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Leath
Assistant Professor of Religion and Social Justice
Director of the MASJE Degree Program
Pastor, Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Tuesday Morning Plenary Speaker:
Tying The Knot or Jumping the Broom?:
Marriage, Democracy & Entanglement Theory
9:00am – 10:40am
Rev. Dr. Eric Smith (PhD '13)
Assistant Professor of Early Christianity and Contemporary Christian Practices
Tuesday Worship Time (over the lunch hour)
11:00am – 1:15pm
Tuesday Lunch
Conference lunch sponsored by
The SIFR Initiative and ReSource at Iliff
Lunch
12:00pm – 1:15pm
Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter (MDiv '95, MAR '98)
Chief Visionary
Creating a Culture of Renewal®
Workshop:
Taking the Quantum Leap from Discipleship to Apostleship
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Eco-Justice Student Panel
Students who participated in the Peru trip, part of Iliff’s Center for Eco-Justice, will reflect on their experiences.
Image courtesy Isabela Rosales
Participants: Dr. Miguel da la Torre, Isabela Rosales, Cristine de la Luna, Melissa Pluss, Kaitlynne Larson, & Rudy Reyes
Tuesday Afternoon
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Dr. Pam Eisenbaum
Professor of Biblical Studies and Christian Origins
Workshop:
The Bible in the Digital Age
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Dr. Mark George
Professor of Bible and Ancient Systems of Thought
Assistant Director, University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology Joint Ph.D. in the Study of Religion
Workshop:
The Bible in the Digital Age
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Linda Newell
Current Student, Iliff
Presenter: Students Bring It!
Tuesday Afternoon
3:15pm – 4:45pm
C Blanck
Current Student, Iliff
Presenter: Students Bring It!
Tuesday Afternoon
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Sam Fisher
Current Student, Iliff
Presenter: Students Bring It!
Tuesday Afternoon
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Alumni Reception
Tuesday Evening, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Gather for informal conversation with colleagues.
50-year alums and members of the first Journey cohort, please email to register for the conference.
Students, Faculty, and Trustees please use the registration links which have been emailed to you, or contact for information.
Wednesday, February 5th – A Complicated Time: Challenges & Possibilities
Doors open at 8:00am. Registration runs from 8:30am – 9:00am.
Daily Theme(s)
What does leadership look like in complex times? How do we lead effectively in times of division?
Alumni Breakfast
Wednesday Morning Alumni Breakfast
8:30am – 10:00am
Rev. Dr. Tom Wolfe
President & Chief Executive Officer, Iliff
Bishop Henry White Warren Professor
of Leadership and Ministry Praxis
Presenter
Wednesday Morning Alumni Breakfast
8:30am – 10:00am
Dr. Vince Tango (MDiv '09)
Associate Dean of Admissions & Student Services
Adjunct Faculty
Presenter
Wednesday Morning Alumni Breakfast
8:30am – 10:00am
Caran Ware Joseph (MDiv '12)
Chief Operating Officer, Iliff
Presenter
Wednesday Morning Alumni Breakfast
8:30am – 10:00am
Rev. Dr. Eric Smith (PhD '13)
Assistant Professor of Early Christianity and Contemporary Christian Practices
Presenter
Wednesday Morning Alumni Breakfast
8:30am – 10:00am
New Faculty Conversation
10:00am – 10:40am
Dr. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi (MDiv '06)
Director of the Office of Professional Formation
Term Assistant Professor of Leadership and Formation
Presenter
New Faculty Conversation
10:00am – 10:40am
Bishop Gene Robinson (Retired)
Vice-President and Senior Pastor of the Chautauqua Institution
Jameson Jones Chapel Preacher
11:00am – Noon
Winter Term Community Meal
Our Community Meals are open to all! Please RSVP if you are not registering for the conference.
Noon – 1:15pm
Ministry Incubator
Hear about Iliff’s new Ministry Incubator!
Wednesday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
1:15pm – 3:45pm
Rev. Jasper Peters (MDiv '15)
Pastor, Belong Church, Denver
Panelist:
United Methodism: Unraveling the Movements
Monday Afternoon Side-by-Side Option
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Bishop Gene Robinson (Retired)
Vice-President and Senior Pastor of the Chautauqua Institution
Closing Plenary Speaker
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Students, Faculty, and Trustees please use the registration links which have been emailed to you, or contact for information.
The Bearded Theologians Podcast
The Bearded Theologians will be with us once again, starting late morning and continuing into the evening on Monday and Tuesday. They are gathering alumni stories, reactions to the Renewal events, and conversations that might be helpful to others. They will be recording their podcast on campus during the event, and sharing the results later through www.beardedtheologians.com. Look for their base of operations on the main floor of the Library.
