RNA2016: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2016 RNA Annual Conference!

3:00pm EDT

Registration open

2nd floor foyer

Wednesday September 21, 2016 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Registration

8:00am EDT

Registration open

2nd floor foyer

Thursday September 22, 2016 8:00am - 9:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Registration

8:15am EDT

Bus departs DoubleTree for pre-conference programming at the Museum of the Bible and the Newseum

Catch the bus out the front doors of the hotel. Be on the bus and ready to depart by 8:10 a.m.

The pre-conference program is not included in a full conference pass; a separate ticket must be purchased in advance.

Thursday September 22, 2016 8:15am - 9:15am EDT
Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Pre-conference program

9:30am EDT

TOUR: Museum of the Bible hard hat tour (pre-conference program)

VIEW VIDEO

Programming note: Due to technical difficulty on our buses this morning, we weren't able to show you this important message. View the video here.

Museum of the Bible is an innovative, global, educational institution whose purpose is to invite all people to engage with the Bible. In 2017, Museum of the Bible will open its 430,000-square-foot nonprofit museum just three blocks from the Capitol in Washington, D.C. A digital fly-through of the Museum is viewable here.

Website | museumofthebible.org Twitter | @museumofbible Newsroom | demoss.com/museumofthebible

EVENT NOTES:
Attendance at this event requires the purchase of a pre-conference program ticket (9/13 update: program is SOLD OUT.)

Participants of the hard hat tour are REQUIRED to wear closed-toe shoes, per OSHA regulations for construction sites. Long pants are strongly recommended. Hard hats will be provided onsite. This event will require climbing several sets of stairs. Those who are unable to do so will be offered optional activities on-site.

This tour is sponsored by Museum of the Bible.

Thursday September 22, 2016 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Museum of the Bible 409 3rd St SW, C-700 Washington, DC 20024

Pre-conference program

11:00am EDT

PANEL: Around the World in 45 Minutes… (pre-conference program)

What are some of the top international religion stories we’re missing and how can we bring those stories home in ways that serve our editors' and audiences' needs? Leading journalists share practical ideas.

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Brian Pellot

Director of Global Strategy, Religion News Foundation

Brian Pellot is director of global strategy at Religion News Foundation and Religion News Service. He has worked and reported from more than 50 countries and currently lives in Cape Town, South Africa. Brian’s writing has appeared in the Daily Beast, Washington Post, Huffington... Read More →

Speakers

Tom Gjelten

Correspondent, Religion and Belief, National Desk, National Public Radio

@tglelten Tom Gjelten covers issues of religion, faith and belief for NPR News. His reporting draws on his many years covering national and international news from posts in Washington and around the world. In 1986, Gjelten became one of NPR's pioneer foreign correspondents... Read More →

Yonat Shimron

National Reporter/Senior Editor, Religion News Service

Yonat Shimron is National Reporter/Senior Editor at RNS. She joined RNS in April, 2011 and became managing editor in 2013. She was the religion reporter for The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. from 1996 to 2011. During that time she won numerous awards. She is a past president... Read More →

Thursday September 22, 2016 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Pre-conference program

11:45am EDT

BRIEFING: Religion and Foreign Policy: from the office of Shaun Casey, U.S. State Department (pre-conference program)

Leslie works for Shaun Casey, the Special Representative for Religion and Global Affairs to Secretary of State John Kerry. She’ll discuss the office’s work on policy and refugees, particularly.

>> LISTEN to this presentation

Speakers

Rachel Leslie

Advisor for Public Diplomacy and Outreach, Office of Religion and Global Affairs, U.S. Department of State

202-485-1599Rachel Leslie is a Foreign Service officer serving as the advisor for public diplomacy and outreach in the Secretary’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs. Previously she served in Damascus, Riyadh, Manama and Jerusalem. She also studied advanced Arabic at the Foreign... Read More →

Thursday September 22, 2016 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Pre-conference program

12:00pm EDT

Lunch at the Newseum (pre-conference program, sponsored by the Newseum)

Lunch was made possible through the generosity of the Religious Freedom Center at the Newseum.

Media contact:
Reverend Nathan C. Walker | Executive Director
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CENTER OF THE NEWSEUM INSTITUTE
555 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. | Washington, DC 20001
Office: +1 202/292-6447
nwalker@newseum.org
www.ReligiousFreedomCenter.org
Twitter: @NewseumReligion

Thursday September 22, 2016 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
TBA

Pre-conference program

1:00pm EDT

PRESENTATION: Google News Lab Tools for Reporters (pre-conference program)

We need your feedback. Tell Sam your thoughts on his presentation here: tinyurl.com/spjgoogle

Attend this workshop to get an overview of how Google's tools can help you research stories, fact-check, find what's trending, and locate and quickly visualize useful datasets. The workshop will highlight: advanced Google Search techniques and refinements, Google Trends, Google Public Data Explorer, and more — to ensure you're fully covered on how to fully uncover things. Sample of Google News Lab tools: https://newslab.withgoogle.com/lessons

>> LISTEN to this presentation

Resources for journalists:

Google News Lab main site: g.co/newslab
Google News Lab lessons: https://newslab.withgoogle.com/lessons

Moderators

Brian Pellot

Director of Global Strategy, Religion News Foundation

Speakers

Sam Stewart

Project Lead, Stanford University

Samaruddin Stewart started his career ahead of the digital curve. His first job was creating digital photographs, streaming video and associated multimedia for The Arizona Republic’s website – an innovative position in 2000. He covered the NFL, NBA, PGA and dozens of top news... Read More →

Thursday September 22, 2016 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Pre-conference program

3:00pm EDT

PANEL: Islamophobia in Focus: Muslims and the Media (pre-conference program)

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Research shows that 9 in 10 of all news reports about Muslims, Islam and organizations are related to violence – war or terrorism. In fact, most Muslim newsmakers are warlords or terrorists. Alarmingly, media representations of Islam were worse in 2015 than any other time since 9/11. Are such portrayals representative of today’s global realities? Are Muslims simply over-sensitive? Are concerns with media depictions of Muslims and Islam in the West reflective of a liberal culture obsessed with political correctness? If not, are there opportunities for change?

>> LISTEN to this panel.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS PANEL on the Religious Freedom Center's website.

This panel is presented through the generosity of the Newseum. Though part of the RNA pre-conference program, it is also open to the public.

RNA's pre-conference programming is not part of a full conference pass and requires the purchase of a separate ticket.

Our thanks to the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute for footage of this event.

Moderators

Engy Abdelkader

Faculty, Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Engy Abdelkader is faculty at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, where she teaches courses on international terrorism and human rights as well as civil liberties and national security. The author of "When Islamophobia Turns Violent: The 2016 U.S... Read More →

Speakers

John Esposito

Founding Director, Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University

University professor, professor of religion and international affairs and of Islamic studies at Georgetown University, John L. Esposito is founding director of the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in the Walsh School of Foreign Service. Previously, he was Loyola... Read More →

Arsalan Iftikhar

The Muslim Guy

@TheMuslimGuy Arsalan Iftikhar is an international human rights lawyer, global media commentator and author of the book "SCAPEGOATS: How Islamophobia Helps Our Enemies & Threatens Our Freedoms." He serves as senior editor for The Islamic Monthly and for nearly a decade, he was... Read More →

Dalia Mogahed

Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

Dalia Mogahed is the director of research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. She is former executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, where she led the analysis of surveys of Muslim communities worldwide. With John L. Esposito, she coauthored... Read More →

Ayman Mohyeldin

Foreign Correspondent, NBC News

@AymanM Ayman is a Foreign Correspondent for NBC News and Anchor for MSNBC.Photo via Flickr... Read More →

Roland Schatz

Founder and CEO, Media Tenor International

Roland Schatz is the founder and CEO of Media Tenor International, a leading media content analysis company. He is also a co-founder of the C-1 World Dialogue initiative. In 2009, he spoke at the World Parliament of Religions on the panel "Media Savvy: How Journalists and Religious... Read More →

Thursday September 22, 2016 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Newseum 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Pre-conference program

4:45pm EDT

Bus departs Newseum to return to DoubleTree (pre-conference program)

Busing is available for pre-registered, pre-conference attendees only. The pre-conference program is not included in a full conference pass and requires the purchase of a separate ticket.

Thursday September 22, 2016 4:45pm - 5:45pm EDT
TBA

Pre-conference program

6:00pm EDT

Exhibitor Sneak Peek

Thursday September 22, 2016 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Exhibits

6:00pm EDT

Welcome Reception

VIEW VIDEO

Kick off the conference with a large spread of appetizers and drinks, followed by Interfaith Comedy Night (2nd floor, Discovery & Collaboration rooms, followed by a 7:20 presentation in Pinnacle Grand).

Welcome by Conference Chairman Peter Smith, RNA board member

Sponsored by the film "Hidden Figures"

Media inquiries:
Corby Pons
Corby@witpr.com

Thursday September 22, 2016 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meals

7:30pm EDT

PANEL: Interfaith Comedy Night

Is it any wonder that some of the best comedians come from religious groups living with their backs to the wall? With so much depressing, even horrifying news on the religion beat, we hear from comedians of different faiths. They provide a sample of their routines and follow up with a question-and-answer session on this complex interplay of faith, humor, tragedy and resilience.

>> LISTEN to this event

Moderators

Dina Zingaro

Associate Producer, CBS News

Speakers

Mo Amer

Comedian

323-244-3955 // Mo@moamer.comMohammed "Mo" Amer is an established stand-up comedian from Houston, Texas, who tours comedy clubs and theaters worldwide. He has performed in more than 27 countries on five continents, as the first and only Arab-American refugee comic to perform for... Read More →

Jenna Kim Jones

Comedian

801-358-6463 // @jennakimjonesJenna Kim Jones has appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and performed stand up alongside some of the best comedians including Jim Gaffigan, John Oliver, Wyatt Cenac and Aasif Mandvi. Her podcast, "#SorryNotSorry with Jenna Kim Jones," is... Read More →

Matty Litwack

Comedian

301-542-7093 // @matty_litwackMatty is a rising star in the comedy world with a unique origin story. He was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family as the youngest of 5 brothers, spending most of his education home-schooled. Matty earned his GED and entered community college at the... Read More →

Thursday September 22, 2016 7:30pm - 9:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

General session

8:30am EDT

Registration open

2nd floor foyer

Friday September 23, 2016 8:30am - 6:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Registration

8:45am EDT

Power Networking Breakfast

Take a whirlwind tour of #RNA2016 Power Neworking exhibitors over a hot breakfast. Then be sure to visit each exhibitor on Friday to complete a Paraclete Press 2016 Exhibitor Quest card for a chance to win a Fitbit Blaze smart activity watch.

Quest cards are available at the RNA registration desk. Hand in completed cards before the Saturday Awards Banquet (need not be present at the drawing to win).

Friday September 23, 2016 8:45am - 10:00am EDT
Connection Room, 2nd flooor

Meals

8:45am EDT

Exhibits open

Friday September 23, 2016 8:45am - 6:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Exhibits

10:00am EDT

Refreshment break in Exhibitor Room (Sponsored by Thrivent Financial)

Enjoy hot coffee and tea, as well as assorted cold beverages, compliments of Thrivent Financial.

Thrivent media contact:
Callie Briese
612-844-7340
callie.briese@thrivent.com

Friday September 23, 2016 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Exhibits

10:30am EDT

Welcome & announcements

Greeter: Peter Smith, Conference Chairman and RNA board member

>> LISTEN to the welcome

Friday September 23, 2016 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Pinnacle Grand, 2nd floor

General session

10:45am EDT

PANEL: Race, Religion & #BlackLivesMatter in the Post-Obama Era

We hear from experts about how the #BlackLivesMatter movement has and will shape American discourse and policy, including after the first African-American president leaves office. How has it compared to the influence of the civil rights movement, which was deeply connected to black churches? If it is happening mostly outside the walls of the church, is the church catching up to it or has it been left behind?

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Adelle Banks

Production Editor/National Reporter, Religion News Service

@AMBankstw // 202-463-8777Production Editor/National Reporter, Religion News Service

Speakers

Kip Banks

Pastor, East Washington Heights Baptist Church

301-520-6223 // @KipbanksThe Rev. Kip Banks is pastor of the East Washington Heights Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and the former general secretary of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, the church convention of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Banks has also served... Read More →

Kelly Brown Douglas

Susan D. Morgan Professor of Religion, Goucher College

410-337-6260 The Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas, PhD., is the Susan D. Morgan Professor of Religion at Goucher College and serves as canon theologian at Washington National Cathedral. Prior to coming to Goucher College she was associate professor of theology at Howard University School... Read More →

Ryan Herring

Editor-in-chief, TheGhettoMonk.com

502-500-3320 // @infiniteidealRyan Herring is a writer, activist, and founder and editor-in-chief of TheGhettoMonk.com.

Friday September 23, 2016 10:45am - 12:00pm EDT
Pinnacle Grand, 2nd floor

General session

12:00pm EDT

Refreshment break in Exhibitor Room (Sponsored by Thrivent Financial)

Enjoy hot coffee and tea, as well as assorted cold beverages, compliments of Thrivent Financial.

Thrivent media contact:
Callie Briese
612-844-7340
callie.briese@thrivent.com

Friday September 23, 2016 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Discovery Room, 2nd floor

Exhibits

12:30pm EDT

Lunch & panel: Christians in the Middle East (Sponsored by Knights of Columbus)

Topic: Christians in the Middle East

>> LISTEN to this event

Presenters:

Andrew Walther, Vice President of Communications and Strategic Planning, Knights of Columbus
Nina Shea, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Religious Freedom, Hudson Institute
Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, Visiting Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, and Senior Fellow in National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress

Lunch is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Friday September 23, 2016 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Connection Room, 2nd flooor

Meals

1:30pm EDT

Refreshment break in Exhibitor Room (Sponsored by Thrivent Financial)

Enjoy hot coffee and tea, as well as assorted cold beverages, compliments of Thrivent Financial.

Thrivent media contact:
Callie Briese
612-844-7340
callie.briese@thrivent.com

Friday September 23, 2016 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Exhibits

2:00pm EDT

PANEL: Give Me Religious Liberty or Give Me an Amicus Brief!

From the Free Exercise Clause to Zubik v. Burwell, questions about how religious rights fit into the legal framework have kept U.S. courts busy since the country’s founding. How did carving out a space for religious accommodation under the law become deafening calls for amnesty? What religious liberty cases currently traveling through the court system should we be keeping our eyes on?

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Tim Townsend

Freelance

Speakers

Sarah Barringer Gordon

Arlin M Adams Professor of Constitutional Law & Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania

215-307-6409Sally Gordon works on religion in American public life and the law of church and state, especially for the ways that religious liberty developed over the course of American national history. She is a frequent commentator in the press as well as in scholarly literature... Read More →

Marie Griffith

Director, John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University

314-935-9345 // @RMarieGriffithMarie Griffith, the John C. Danforth Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis, is currently the director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics and the editor of the Center’s journal, "Religion... Read More →

Douglas Laycock

Professor of Law and Religious Studies, University of Virginia Law School

434-243-8546Douglas Laycock is the Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law and Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia and the Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law Emeritus at The University of Texas. His many writings on religious liberty are forthcoming... Read More →

Friday September 23, 2016 2:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
Pinnacle Grand, 2nd floor

General session

3:15pm EDT

Refreshment break in Exhibitor Room (Sponsored by Thrivent Financial)

Enjoy hot coffee and tea, as well as assorted cold beverages, compliments of Thrivent Financial.

Thrivent media contact:
Callie Briese
612-844-7340
callie.briese@thrivent.com

Friday September 23, 2016 3:15pm - 3:45pm EDT
Discovery Room, 2nd floor

Exhibits

3:45pm EDT

PANEL: How Immigrants are Changing the Church in America

Check out church signs across America, and it is easy now to find congregations of Filipinos, Nigerians, Brazilians, Mexicans and Koreans — to name a few. About 75 percent of foreign-born residents in the United States now are Christians, and they are here to stay. Our panel shares some of the names, trends and controversies to look for so we can better tell the stories behind one of the most significant and least-covered shifts in the American religious landscape.

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Laurie Goodstein

National Religion Correspondent, The New York Times

@lauriegnyt

Speakers

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson

General Secretary Emeritus, Reformed Church in America

616-648-2931 // @WesWgmWesley Granberg-Michaelson served as general secretary of the Reformed Church in America for 17 years. Prior to that he was director of church and society at the World Council of Churches in Geneva. Earlier in his career he served as the legislative assistant... Read More →

Jehu J. Hanciles

D.W. Ruth Brooks Associate Professor of World Christianity, Candler School of Theology, Emory University

404-727-4219Jehu J Hanciles is D.W. Ruth Brooks Associate Professor of World Christianity, Candler School of Theology. Born in Sierra Leone, Hanciles lived in Scotland and Zimbabwe before coming to the U.S. in 1998. He is author of "Euthanasia of a Mission: African Church Autonomy... Read More →

Gabriel Salguero

President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition

Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero is the president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, a coalition of Latino evangelical congregations and organizations committed to advancing the Gospel in the public sphere. He is also a pastor at Calvario City Church, in Orlando, Florida. Salguero... Read More →

Maria Liu Wong

Dean, City Seminary of New York

212-749-2717 // @CitySemNYMaria Liu Wong, Ph.D, is dean of City Seminary of New York, research scholar with LearnLong Institute for Education and Learning Research, and co-author of “Christ in the Capital of the World: How global Christians are revitalizing NYC far beyond Manhattan... Read More →

Friday September 23, 2016 3:45pm - 5:00pm EDT
Pinnacle Grand, 2nd floor

General session

6:00pm EDT

Dinner & discussion: The Moral & Cognitive Capacities of Animals (Sponsored by AAAS)

Over the past year, a number of stories have surfaced in the news that involve the killing of animals (Harambe, a gorilla who was killed after a child entered his enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Cecil, an iconic African lion who was killed by a recreational game hunter, for example). These stories offer unique opportunities for religion reporters to consider a variety of issues relevant to their beats. One such question is how do the moral and cognitive abilities of humans and animals compare? And, what does it mean if these abilities show similarities? In this dinner discussion, Dr. Irene Pepperberg will introduce her revolutionary work with African Grey parrots to touch on these types of questions. RNA member Kelsey Dallas will respond with remarks designed to help journalists think through how they might report on the issues raised by research like Pepperberg’s.

>> LISTEN to this event

Presenter: Irene Pepperberg, Research Associate, Harvard University, Adjunct Associate Professor, Brandeis University
Discussant: Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News National

Media contact:
Christine Scheller
202-326-7075

Dinner is sponsored by AAAS.

Friday September 23, 2016 6:00pm - 7:30pm EDT
Connection Room, 2nd flooor

Meals

7:45am EDT

Breakfast & data release: Religious Liberty Survey (Sponsored by Pew Research Center)

Experts from the Pew Research Center will present embargoed findings from their latest survey on religious liberty issues.

>> LISTEN to this event

Presenters: Greg Smith & Jessica Martinez, Pew Research Center

Media Contact:
Anna Schiller
202-419-4514

Breakfast is sponsored by the Pew Research Center.

Saturday September 24, 2016 7:45am - 8:45am EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meals

7:45am EDT

Registration open

2nd floor foyer

Saturday September 24, 2016 7:45am - 5:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Registration

9:00am EDT

PANEL: Women and Religion: When Faith and Feminism Collide

In many ways, women are more religious than men, the purveyors of faith in their communities. They show up for services more often, and take more responsibility for passing on faith to children. Yet they are often denied leadership roles, a voice and even the respect afforded to men in their traditions. How do they cope? What happens when they can’t reconcile their religious identities with their respect for themselves as women?

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Lauren Markoe

Managing Editor, Religion News Service

Lauren Markoe covered government and features as a daily newspaper reporter for 15 years before joining the Religion News Service staff in 2011. She was Washington correspondent for The State (Columbia, S.C.), where she won a 2004 first prize for feature writing from the National... Read More →

Speakers

Chani Gettler

Owner, Inspirational Living, Inc

201-477-0274 // @ChaniGetterChani Getter is an ordained One Spirit interfaith Minister who was raised in an Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish home. At the age of 23 she left an arranged marriage and as a single mother began a journey of self-discovery. Today, she is a spiritual leader... Read More →

Kate Kelly

Founder, Ordain Women; Human rights attorney

@kate_Kelly_esqKate Kelly has a doctor of law degree from American University Washington College of Law, the only law school in the world founded by, and for, women. She is a human rights attorney and lives in Salt Lake City. In 2013 Kate founded a group called Ordain Women to advocate... Read More →

Pam Palmer

Activist

Pam Palmer is the mother of a child sexual abuse survivor. As a longtime Evangelical Christian, she had to make the difficult decision to organize a Class Action civil lawsuit against the all-male leadership of Sovereign Grace Ministries after discovering the gut-wrenching sexual... Read More →

Jennifer Zobair

Author

@jazobairJennifer Zobair is a graduate of Smith College and Georgetown University Law Center. She is the author of the debut novel "Painted Hands" and co-editor of "Faithfully Feminist: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Feminists on Why We Stay." More information about her work can be... Read More →

Saturday September 24, 2016 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

General session

10:15am EDT

Refreshment break

Saturday September 24, 2016 10:15am - 10:30am EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Break

10:30am EDT

PANEL: Nuancing the Nones

The Nones or "unaffiliated" are already the nation's second largest group. But they're far from a monolith, ranging from fiery atheists to "apatheists," or vaguely spiritual folks who have disconnected from denominational brands and apathetic about the whole business. What does it mean to the public square — and to voting patterns, which correlate closely to religious identity — when one in four Americans are unaware or uninterested in the religious distinctions of particular faiths?

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Kimberly Winston

National Correspondent, Freelance Journalist

National Correspondent, Religion News Service; Editor, ReligionLink

Speakers

Daniel Cox

Director of Research, PRRI

202-238-9425 // @DCoxPRRIDaniel Cox specializes in survey research, youth politics and religion. He has coauthored several academic book chapters on topics relating to religious polarization and gay and lesbian issues in the black Church. His work has been cited in The New York... Read More →

Sarah Jones

Social Media Editor, The New Republic

202-400-1122 // @onesarahjonesSarah Jones is the social media editor of the New Republic. Prior to joining TNR, she worked for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. She's also covered American religion, secularism and politics for Religion News Service, Scalawag... Read More →

Tom Krattenmaker

Communications Director at YDS; contributing writer USA Today, Yale Divinity School

@tkrattenmaker // 203-436- 8379A writer specializing in religion in public life, Tom Krattenmaker is a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors and is communications director at Yale Divinity School. He also serves as a board member of the Yale Humanist Community. His forthcoming... Read More →

Scott McConnell

Executive Director, LifeWay Research

Scott McConnell has researched the needs and preferences of church leaders, laity and the unchurched for LifeWay Christian Resources for almost 20 years. He was recently named executive director of LifeWay Research, where for 10 years he has led national polling that regularly measures... Read More →

Saturday September 24, 2016 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

General session

11:45am EDT

Refreshment break

Saturday September 24, 2016 11:45am - 12:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Break

12:00pm EDT

Lunch and panel: Beliefs — A Different Face for Evangelicals (Sponsored by Lifeway Research)

Beliefs — A Different Face for Evangelicals
When evangelical is defined by beliefs (based on a LifeWay Research study with the NAE) the complexion of evangelicals changes. The panel will reflect this diversity and will address the theological convictions that make this group stand out in cultural conversations today. The pastors and ministry leaders on the panel will share how they are acting on their beliefs and some of the challenges they face as American culture shifts.

>> LISTEN to this event

Moderator Scott McConnell, Executive Director, LifeWay Research
Nikki Toyama-Szeto, Vice President of Global Strategies for Christian Engagement, International Justice Mission
Michael Kelsey, pastor, McLean Bible Church’s Montgomery County Campus in Rockville, Md.
Daniel Escobar, church planter and pastor of La Red, a church that meets weekly at the Gala Hispanic Theatre in the heart of Washington, D.C.
Carmen LaBerge, writer, speaker and host of the daily Christian talk radio show, "The Reconnect with Carmen LaBerge"

Plus embargoed research on the State of American Theology.

Lunch is sponsored by Lifeway Research.

Saturday September 24, 2016 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meals

1:00pm EDT

Refreshment break

Saturday September 24, 2016 1:00pm - 1:15pm EDT
Discovery Room, 2nd floor

Break

1:15pm EDT

PANEL: Countering Violent Extremism, Five Years In

In the summer of 2011, the Obama administration issued a new “countering violent extremism” strategy based on building relationships with communities that are likely to be recruiting grounds for extremists. Local police would be at its center. CVE enjoys bipartisan support. Researchers have said it holds promise. Critics say it’s based on simplistic ideas of radicalization and that it stigmatizes Muslim communities. This panel looks at CVE from the perspectives of participants, critics and researchers. It also looks at such efforts aimed at a different population — white supremacists.

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Dilshad D. Ali

Managing Editor, Patheos Muslim

Dilshad D. Ali is the managing editor of Patheos Muslim, a channel at Patheos.com, the largest multifaith news and blog site in the world. Patheos Muslim hosts more than 20 blogs and about 30-35 bloggers and columnists, covering all aspects of Islam and issues pertaining to American... Read More →

Speakers

Seamus Hughes

Deputy Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University

240-472-8570 // @seamushughesSeamus Hughes is the deputy director of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security. He previously worked at the National Counterterrorism Center, serving as a lead staffer on the U.S. government’s... Read More →

Imam Mohamed Magid

Executive Director, All Dulles Area Muslim Society

703-433-1325 // @imammagidImam Magid is the Imam of All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center in Sterling, Va. He is the chairman of International Interfaith Peace Corps and has served as the president of the Islamic Society of North America. He also occupies the chairmanship of the... Read More →

Tony McAleer

Executive Director, Life After Hate

Tony McAleer is an international speaker who spent 15 years as part of White Supremist Movement. His journey of spiritual change began after the birth of his children which lead him to over 1000 hours of personal and group therapy. As co-founder and board Chair for Life After Hate... Read More →

Faiza Patel

Co-director, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

646-292-8325 // @FaizaPatelBCJFaiza Patel serves as co-director of the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program. She has testified before Congress opposing the dragnet surveillance of Muslims, organized advocacy efforts against state laws designed to incite fear... Read More →

Saturday September 24, 2016 1:15pm - 2:30pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

General session

2:30pm EDT

Refreshment break

Saturday September 24, 2016 2:30pm - 2:45pm EDT
Discovery Room, 2nd floor

Break

2:45pm EDT

PANEL: Cover the Godbeat Using this One Weird Trick: Digital Tools for Reporting on Religion

Just when you think you've got social media all figured out, along come new networks like Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope. And what's this about email and podcasts making a resurgence? Digital-savvy religion journalists share their experiences and best practices for using social media to cover the beat.

>> LISTEN to this panel

Moderators

Emily McFarlan Miller

National Reporter, Religion News Service

Speakers

Sarah Pulliam Bailey

Religion Reporter, The Washington Post

317-250-0052 // @spulliamSarah Pulliam Bailey is a religion reporter for The Washington Post, covering how faith intersects with everything. She runs something called "Acts of Faith," a mix of news and commentary on anything to do with religion.

Nicola Menzie

Podcaster, Faithfully Magazine

@namenzie // 347-687-8795Nicola A. Menzie is an independent reporter working in digital media. She is the lead host for the race-and-Christianity show "Faithfully Podcast," launched in spring 2016 during her time as a Tow-Knight Entrepreneurial Journalism Fellow. Nicola has written for religionnews.com, christianpost.com... Read More →

Kate Shellnutt

Associate Online Editor, Christianity Today

Phone: 757-635-6525 // @kateshellnuttKate Shellnutt is associate editor and social media producer for Christianity Today, the country’s leading evangelical publication. Before CT, Kate worked as a religion reporter for the Houston Chronicle and Houston Belief. She studied religion... Read More →

Saturday September 24, 2016 2:45pm - 4:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

General session

4:15pm EDT

Members Meeting

Saturday September 24, 2016 4:15pm - 4:45pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meeting

7:00pm EDT

Silent Auction & Awards Banquet (Sponsored by the International Shinto Foundation and The Shack)

>> LISTEN to this event

Order of events:

Presentation: The Shack
Dinner
Welcome
Recognition of Handa Fellows by the International Shinto Foundation, Lead Conference Sponsor
Lifetime Achievement Award recognition
Presentation of the 2016 RNA Annual Conference Awards
Closing announcements
Auction checkout

Thank you to our opening sponsor, "The Shack." We'd also like to thank our Lead Conference Sponsor, the International Shinto Foundation, for its generous support of this evening and our entire event.

Saturday September 24, 2016 7:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meals

10:00pm EDT

Banquet After Party

Meet in the lobby bar right after the banquet to congratulate your colleagues and cap off the conference with a cocktail (be sure to pay for/pick up your auction winnings first!).

Drinks courtesy of West End Strategy, Washington National Cathedral and Interfaith Alliance

Saturday September 24, 2016 10:00pm - 11:30pm EDT
DoubleTree by Hilton 8727 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Meals