On Nov. 10 and 11, Asbury University will be hosting its third annual Embrace Conference. The Embrace Conference’s theme this year is Unified: Christians and racial reconciliation. Each year the university offers the opportunity for both majority culture students and students from diverse ethnic backgrounds to engage over issues present in our world today.
According to Asbury’s website, during the conference, “We will explore together what mutuality looks like in the context of our Christian faith, and discuss the role of Christians in the work of racial reconciliation in our world today.”
Soong-Chan Rah is scheduled to be the keynote speaker. There will be talkback sessions following Rah’s chapel discussion. There also will be multiple breakout session attendees can choose from based on their areas of interest. Some of the topics include immigration, colorism and cross-cultural relationships.
Additionally, there will be a showcase of a photograph collection called the Now You See Me Series. This collection was created by Asbury students Eliza Tan and Etta Mawadri and showcases the stories of U.S. ethnic minority students.
“I hope that anyone who attends the conference learns something about themselves and about whoever the ‘other’ is for them,” said Maria Brown, intercultural affairs coordinator. “I hope that participants come away energized, challenged, and encouraged, and better able to live out their faith.”
Many feel the conference carries additional relevance this year considering the events that unfolded both nationally and locally over the summer this year. Brown emphasized that she believes these conversations are always relevant and important, even when they don’t make national headlines. Esther Jadhav, associate vice president of intercultural life, also spoke to this.
“Current events in our nation have revealed that we still live in a world where hatred and strife is rampant,” said Jadhav. “As Christians and fellow believers we hope to see the Kingdom of God in our midst, where we live in unity and generosity with each other amidst our cultural and ethnic differences. Because differences are not a thing to fear, differences need to be understood so we can engage with each other in a more charitable way.”
More information about programming and registration can be found at www.asbury.edu/life/conferences-camps/embrace/.
