Facilitator: Jim Memory

Identity is one of the key concepts of our age.  As one author has put it, “An obsession is gripping the world—the obsession with identity”.  This Hope Lab will briefly review key concepts around identity and how, in practice, our different identities compete with one another for pre-eminence.  We will also reflect on our Evangelical identity and look to scripture for wisdom to guide us through the identity maze.

Polarisation is one of the most pressing issues in today’s ideological landscape. Many of us will automatically think of the situation in the US, but we see similar patterns also across Europe. In this Hope Lab we will look at the dynamics of polarisation, including an exploration of some of the hot topics of today’s Western culture. We will also reflect on what an Evangelical response to these sentiments may look like.

When war or conflict arises, the church should carefully think about questions of national identity, nationalism, and adherence to Christian principles. Based on the idea of “contextual crisis theology” (reflecting on Christian faith and practice in times of existential crisis), this Hope Lab aims to look at how believers deal with their loyalty to Christ, their duties towards their country, and the risks associated with nationalism. It will distinguish between a biblical national commitment and extreme nationalism and will consider five major tensions that affect faithful witness: justice versus peacebuilding, nonviolence versus the protection of the vulnerable, safety versus vulnerable proximity, evangelism versus holistic social ministry, and memory versus forgiveness.

Jim Memory is Co-Regional Director for the Lausanne Movement in Europe, Director for Partnerships for ECM International, and editor of Vista Journal.

Olof Edsinger is General Secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance

Roman Soloviy is Chair of the Eastern European Institute of Theology, Regional Editor for Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia at Langham Literature, and Editor of Theological Reflections: Eastern European Journal of Theology