We’re grateful to everyone who made Karam Forum 2021 such a fruitful and inspiring time. A lot of people – a lot of people – pitched in to make this new mode of meeting work for our learning community. We all felt the power of connecting again after so long apart, the presentations were as thoughtful as they were provocative, and participant feedback is buried-the-needle positive. Karam Forum is now established as a sustainable conference, supported entirely by the members of our amazing community, for the coming decade.
Thank you!
Now, the reward for a job well done is more work, so mark your calendars for Karam Forum 2022! We’ll convene in Denver on Nov. 17-18, and our keynote speaker will be Amos Yong of Fuller Theological Seminary.
While you count the days until we gather again, enjoy the memories below – and check out the first conference video, Gavin Ortlund’s EWP Talk, released elsewhere in this month’s newsletter!
We learned a lot from our next-door neighbors in Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and, of course, the Land Down Under.
Speaking of next-door neighbors, in every city we visit, Karam Forum is honored to yield the stage to the people who are leading the change on the front lines in local churches and communities.
This year, in the name of public decency, we managed to restrain Nathan from talking about corn lovers. So instead we heard about “salads” made from whipped cream and Snickers. We’re not sure how much lower he can go, folks.
Gavin Ortlund helps us hear Gregory of Nyssa’s testimony about justice from across the centuries.
Jennifer Powell McNutt reminds us that the Reformers made justice and social witness central to their mission because they believed in a God who crosses the tracks.
The great thing about church history is that everyone agrees about it, and it never raises tough issues that are uncomfortable to wrestle through together. Uche Anizor highlights some key questions . . .
. . . while Brent Waters pretends he doesn’t just love to upset the apple cart.
Day Two! Vince Bacote and Greg Forster modeled collaboration across differing perspectives – like most of our Friday presenters – by sharing the stage as co-hosts . . . except when one of them was serving as Your Humble Photographer.
Jennifer Woodruff Tait and Charlie Self got the easy job: co-presenting on the Industrial Revolution and the Wesleyan Movement in a way that took seriously both positive and negative perspectives on the period. Alas, goblins in the cameras ate our pictures of their presentation, but here’s the panel afterward, which (as one participant said) was “LIT!”
Jay Moon talks about Wesley as an innovator who came up with new ways to do things – like Your Humble Photographer suddenly realizing that his phone-camera had a zoom function.
Is there any aspect of modern economic history that P.J. Hill doesn’t know so well, you would think that one thing was his only specialty? We feel sure there must be, but we haven’t found it yet. We’ll keep you posted.
“Local ministries” come in many forms! Global heavyweight investment firm Eventide, which strives to bring transcendent insight to investing, has a DFW office. Blake Schwarz, perennial friend of Karam Forum, did double duty this year, interviewing pastors (above) and financiers about how to bring life to the world in the modern economy.
In our final collaboration across different perspectives, conservative witness for justice David French discusses the highs and lows of working for justice in the 21st century . . .
. . . along with progressive witness for justice Michael Wear. If you’re a member of Karam Fellowship, mark your calendar to continue that conversation in our webinar on the church and politics this Jan. 18. (And if you’re not, please consider supporting our work by joining today!)
Thanks again for making Karam Forum 2021 such a joy. We’re looking forward to seeing you in Denver next year!
