Karam Forum (an Oikonomia Network event) is a gathering for theological educators and Christian academics. Leading Bible and theology scholars will help you train a new generation of Christians who follow King Jesus by loving their neighbors in their daily tasks. Faithful discipleship to Christ involves working every day in homes, workplaces, and communities to help God’s world flourish. See our event website for more details.
Karam Forum 2021 has become an all-digital event, taking place Tuesday, January 5, 10:00-2:00 central time (11-3 eastern, 8-10 Pacific). Instead of our usual two-day, in-person gathering we will spend half a day together collaborating from our home bases. Mark Labberton, John Nunes, Darrell Bock and more will focus on how theological education can seize the present moment to thrive in the coming century. See the announcement here and watch our newsletter (subscribe here) for more information as it becomes available.
The event will be free, and no advance registration will be required. Just open http://karamforum.org in your browser when the event time arrives!
In addition to provocative presentations and catalytic conversations, we will be convening “scholarly R&D lab” discussions to explore new research and publication opportunities. Our long-term goal is to launch our own academic journal! Get in on the ground floor and contact us today to get a copy of your chosen paper in advance of the meeting. Special breakout sessions will also be available for members of the Kairos Project network, and for faculty and administrators working on the Accelerated Pastoral Degree Programs supported by the Kern Family Foundation.
On top of our main event on Jan. 5, we are also holding a Karam Forum Global Session, so the Pacific region can connect. The Global Session will be on different dates depending on where you are. In Australia, the global session will take place on Thursday, January 21 from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm Sydney time. If you’re in the U.S., it will be on Wednesday, January 20, from 7:00-9:00pm central time (8-10pm eastern, 5-7pm Pacific). Look for more announcements about this special event, coming soon.
Karam, the Hebrew verb meaning “to tend vineyards,” communicates the vast range of work that goes into creating a healthy and flourishing vineyard. Vineyards need tending – bearing fruit, flourishing, requires careful and creative work.
Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is described as a vineyard, a people planted and tended by God. The gleaning laws require that vineyards be places where people of all social stations have the opportunity to flourish interdependently, through a combination of generosity and diligent work. Most important to us is our Lord’s uses of the vineyard image. In particular, Christ said that he was the vine and we were his branches. This image sums up the Oikonomia Network’s commitment to whole-life discipleship as the root of all we do.
Blasts from the Karam Forum Past
Check out our photo gallery from Karam Forum 2020 and see our Past Events page to view talks from all our previous meetings!
