“Faith and failure, triumph and travail, hope and hard questions—this is the complex mix facing youth ministry leaders in the black church today. Youth Ministry in the Black Church: Centered in Hope is the bridge between youth leaders’ desire for holistic and relevant ministry and the hope-centered leadership necessary to make it happen. Using Scripture, case illustrations, anecdotes, best practices, and reflection points, this resource is practical and beneficial for leaders, pastors and parents. Youth Ministry in the Black Church is sure to renew the vision and promise of youth ministry in churches.”

Congratulations, colleagues!

Program times are Monday at 6:00 P.M., Tuesday at 11:00 A.M., Thursday at 11:00 A.M. and Saturday at 2:00 P.M. They are listed as “Religious Education Association” on the AIB schedule. The next program will air on Saturday, June 15, at 2:00 P.M. EDT.

At this time, we do not know which presentations will appear in the broadcast, nor on which program day. That information will be posted here as soon as it is known.

Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters collaborated with REA to video-record several breakout sessions and plenary presentations at the Atlanta meeting. They also interviewed several REA members at the meeting. We are grateful for their assistance in expanding our outreach and visibility.

REA:APPRRE Members will recall that Fr. Greeley delivered the opening plenary at the 2008 Annual Meeting in Chicago on “How Stories About God Get Written.” As he left the meeting, he suffered a terrible injury. His clothing caught on the door of a taxi as it pulled away and he was thrown to the pavement, resulting in severe head injuries. His daughter told the New York Times “he had been in poor health and under 24-hour care [ever] since.” An obituary appears in the New York Times.

Congratulations, Alan!

• Recognition as an RSO on the AAR website and a link to the RSO’s website.
• Recognition of the RSO in the AAR Annual Meeting Program Book front matter, including a brief description of the association.
• Discounted rates for meeting space at the AAR Annual Meeting and for AAR membership-list rental.
• Listing of the RSO’s program within the AAR’s program in the Program Book, rather than simply with other additional meetings.

We eagerly anticipate the opportunity for broader exposure of our field and its contributions within the expansive scholarly dialogue that characterizes AAR-SBL meetings. This year in Baltimore, Nov 23–26, will be an important inauguration, so please make it a priority to participate, if you plan to attend AAR/SBL.

Mary Hess has graciously agreed to spearhead our programming.  As we await further instructions from AAR, I urge members to send us your best ideas for a session that will help the wider AAR understand what is distinctive and fascinating about the field of religious education!  You can send them to secretary@religiouseducation.net.

The William Rainey Harper Award was named after the first President of the University of Chicago, who was the founder of the Religious Education Association in 1903. It is presented to outstanding leaders whose academic contributions and/or professional service from across the disciplines and fields of study has had a significant impact on the theory and practice of religious education. Previous esteemed recipients include Elie Wiesel, Margaret Mead, Paulo Freire, James Fowler, and most recently, Parker Palmer.

The award recognizes Jackson’s significant contribution to the study and advocacy of religions and education in the school experience of young people. Professor Jackson, who holds positions at Warwick University and the European Wergeland Centre in Oslo, is an expert consultant on religious diversity and education and Co-Editor of the Waxmann book series Religious Diversity and Education in Europe. Between 1994 and 2012 Professor Jackson led the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit (WRERU), the largest research team in Europe dedicated to religions and education.

“Simply the breadth of Robert Jackson’s work and the range of disciplines on which he draws makes him a very strong candidate for this award. I also appreciate the fact that his work has had impact in many interreligious, intercultural and international areas, and that makes him a worthy recipient in the context of the mission of REA,” wrote Sara Lee, a member of the Committee who recommends award recipients to the Board.

More information about Professor Jackson, including his extensive curriculum vita, can be found on the Warwick website.

“More and more, the work of Christian faith formation and discipleship is happening online, or at least with help from social media and other Web technology. Parishioners are forming support groups on Facebook to extend their communities’ mutual care beyond Sunday morning. Christians are tweeting if they ♥ Jesus. Digital disciples are praying and serving with help from Mobile content, and apps nurture their spiritual practices and encourage them to bring their Christian faith to bear on the many aspects of their busy lives.  Although our proclamation remains the same, the world is changing very quickly; our ideas about ways to form disciples for that world need to change with it.”

For more information and to register, please go to www.eformationvts.org.

“Framed by the Great Commission’s imperative to ‘make disciples,’ Faith Formation 4.0 shows how to reclaim the characteristics of the original oral tradition of the Early Church while using today’s tools of digital media for interactive faith formation and storytelling. It examines four distinct eras in faith formation and communications including 1.0 (Jesus telling stories and the oral tradition), 2.0 (Paul’s letters to build and guide the church), 3.0 (The Reformation, printing press, and rise of mass media) and 4.0 (reclaiming the oral tradition through digital media), providing an accessible guide for pastoral leaders as they navigate the digital landscape.”  Read the publisher’s press release.   Purchase it through the REA Bookstore!

Congratulations, Julie!