It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who perhaps captured the question best. “Who Am I?” he famously asked in a short poem:

Who am I? This or the Other?
Am I one person today and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,
And before myself a contemptible woebegone weakling? Or is something within me still like a beaten army Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?
Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine!

Discussing our identities, and how they change, and why it matters will be the topic for the Adventist Forum Conference in Orlando, Florida February 21–23, 2020.

Early registration for the event is now open, and will continue until January 20, 2020. The cost is $150, and includes three meals: Sabbath lunch, supper, and Sunday lunch. After January 20, the cost will be $225. (Scroll to the end of the registration form options to find the Early Bird rate.)

Gerald Winslow will open the Conference on Friday evening with a presentation on “Why Identity Matters.” A special liturgy is planned for the Sabbath morning worship service, at which Miguel Mendez will preach. Roundtable Discussions are always a highlight of Adventist Forum Conferences, and Sabbath afternoon will include a lively session examining institutional identity issues and the community, “official” discussions of gender and sexual orientation, identity and the law, and ethnic identity and the church identity in Rwanda.

Other highlights of the program will include the showing of a new film Saturday evening that examines the historical intersection of religion and violence. Produced by Ken and Claudia Peterson and Brad and Dorothee Cole, J.E.S.U.S.A. includes interviews with David Bentley Hart and Greg Boyd among others.

Nick Zork will lead the music for the weekend. Edwin Hernandez, president of AdventHealth University, will speak on Sunday. There will also be a panel of presenters on Sunday discussing the role of music, literature, and culture in identity. Vanessa Corredera of Andrews University, as well as Nick Zork, and Davina Buruchara will present.

Comfort Suites Downtown Orlando is offering a discounted registration rate for the weekend.

Now is the time to put your plans in place to attend the Adventist Forum identities Conference.

Register now by clicking here.

Bonnie Dwyer is editor of Spectrum.

Image credit: SpectrumMagazine.org

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