Spirituality in the Stone-Campbell Heritage: Past, Present & Future

Christian spirituality has to do with the lived experience of disciples of Jesus, both as individuals and as a community. Spirituality is a journey, a pilgrimage. What is the lived Christian experience of the Stone-Campbell Heritage?

After setting the framework for the study of spirituality in the Stone-Campbell Heritage by exploring the history of spirituality in the movement, our conference will investigate the present work being done in the field of Christian spirituality within our fellowship with an eye on how this work may impact the future. 
 
We were blessed to have a wonderful array of speakers from across the Stone-Campbell heritage:

Douglas Foster, Stone-Campbell historian, “Spirituality & Our History”
Lauren Smelser White, Lipscomb University, “Spirituality & Hermeneutics”
Stanley Talbert, Pepperdine University, “Spirituality & Justice”
Ken Cukrowski, Abilene Christian University “Spirituality & Film”
Heather Gorman, Johnson University, “Spirituality & Sexuality”
Steve Kinnard, Teleios, “Spirituality & Nature”
Randy Harris, Abilene Christian University (retired), “Spirituality & Formation”
Tera Harmon, Abilene Christian University, “Spirituality & the Voices of Women”
Jerry Taylor, Abilene Christian University, “The Future of Spirituality in the Stone-Campbell Heritage”


Thank you for joining us to immerse ourselves in the Spirituality of the Stone-Campbell Heritage: Past, Present and Future.

Our Speakers

Schedule

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025

  • Plenary #1

    Studies of Stone-Campbell spirituality are virtually absent from the movement's literature, perhaps because its emphasis on rational faith led people to assume that we had no spirituality! This is a profound misunderstanding. Beginning with Sandra Schneiders' definition, "the lived experience of Christian faith," the presentation examines the life and thought of two spiritual leaders in twentieth-century Churches of Christ: Foy E. Wallace, Jr. and Leroy Garrett. After briefly setting the historical and cultural contexts, the study assesses a key text by each to discern theological and hermeneutical commitments and describe their respective spiritualities as paradigmatic of the movement.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025

  • Plenary #2:

    It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • Plenary #3:

    Amidst movements associated with human rights and social justice in the United States and abroad, some faith communities, organizers, and publics have severed spirituality and justice into private spheres.  This presentation draws on theological ethics, scripture, and social movements to articulate a pneumatology of justice.  As spirituality studies the lived Christian life in relationship with God, I argue that justice is essential in having union with God.

  • Breakout Session #1

    Understandably, one might ask, “What does Hollywood have to do with Jerusalem?” Yet, like other art forms, film is a vast resource for theological reflection; film explores the full range of the human experience, from love and loss to identity and community to tragedies and triumphs—the list is endless. Together we’ll reflect on the ways that theological engagement with film can deepen our understanding of our world, ourselves, and our faith. Bonus: you’ll leave equipped to start your own movie night!

  • Breakout Session #2

    What has spirituality to do with sexuality? This session will move beyond cliches and overly simplistic answers and instead will explore how the church’s rich tradition of hospitality can shape Christian approaches to sexuality. Drawing on over a decade of experience teaching on the intersection of theology and sexuality, Dr. Gorman will reflect on how hospitality can inform both our beliefs about sexuality and how to navigate difficult conversations around such beliefs.

  • Breakout Session #3

    What has spirituality to do with sexuality? This session will move beyond cliches and overly simplistic answers and instead will explore how the church’s rich tradition of hospitality can shape Christian approaches to sexuality. Drawing on over a decade of experience teaching on the intersection of theology and sexuality, Dr. Gorman will reflect on how hospitality can inform both our beliefs about sexuality and how to navigate difficult conversations around such beliefs.

  • Plenary #4

    A person’s view of Christian formation is dependent upon the understanding of theology and spirituality that undergirds it. Certain assumptions about soteriology and pneumatology lead to particular approaches to the Spiritual life, and this session will explore the distinctive forms this has taken in the Stone Campbell movement.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025

  • Plenary #5

    For the first few centuries of Christianity, records containing the words of Christian women are rare. With only a few exceptions, what we know about these women comes to us in the words of men. How can we listen for the voices of women when we have little or no record of what those voices said? This presentation explores how we might develop skills of attentive listening when the voices themselves are mediated or absent.

  • Plenary #6

    Discover the growing emphasis on spirituality and the contemplative life within the Stone-Campbell heritage, guided by its foundational principles of unity, biblical authority, and commitment to Christian community—principles illuminated in the first six chapters of the book of Acts. This class will explore contemporary challenges and opportunities facing Stone-Campbell churches, particularly the residual effects of a historically limited emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit. We will discuss how an increased focus on the Spirit’s work can foster spiritual activism, deepen spiritual intimacy, and bridge divides across lines of race and politics within the church. Together, we’ll envision how the movement’s core values can adapt and flourish, inviting new generations into a spiritually rich, inclusive, and mission-focused faith community. Whether you’re a long-time member or new to this heritage, join us in imagining a vibrant, Holy Spirit-led future for the Stone-Campbell Heritage.

FAQ

  • Conference dates are February 20-22, 2025, for both in-person and online attendees. You can view the At-A-Glance Schedule HERE.

  • All times listed on the website are Central Time. For those who are attending online, you can convert to your local time zone HERE.

  • There are benefits to both. In-person attendees will be able to interact more directly with the class teachers, and of course, enjoy face-to-face fellowship with other in-person attendees. As of now, all in-person classes are planned to have live teachers.

    Online attendees will be able to join the in-person classes via video stream. Some of the breakout classes will be recorded and then made available later that same day to our online attendees.

    Both in-person and online attendees will have access the the digital pass following the conference, which will include recordings of all sessions.

  • Three options, the rate is $129/night at all three. The first link below is for two of the three hotels. Last day to book for all three is February 6th, 2025.

    Courtyard Abilene East
    AND
    TownePlace Suites by Marriott Abilene Northeast

    PLEASE NOTE: As of 12/15/24, the conference block at the TownePlace Suites is full, but rooms may be available at the regular hotel rates. Details on any available rooms for both hotels may be accessed via the link below.

    2141 Scottish Rd., Abilene, TX 79601

    325-673-0400

    Group Name: TELEIOS CONFERENCE

    Booking Link: Book your group rate room for TELEIOS CONFERENCE

    Start Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025

    End Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025

    Home2 Suites by Hilton Abilene

    2109 Scottish Rd., Abilene, TX 79601

    325-677-1100

    Group Name: TELEIOS CONFERENCE

    Booking Link: Book your group rate room for TELEIOS CONFERENCE

    Start Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025

    End Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025

  • The Abilene Regional Airport (ABI) is the closest to the conference, only 10 minutes from Abilene Christian University, serviced by American Airlines. We recommend using Uber or Lyft for transportation from the airport to the hotel of your choice.

    https://iflyabi.com/

    Alternatively, the closest large airport is Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), serviced by all major airlines and a three hour drive from Abilene.

    https://www.dfwairport.com/

  • The conference programming will begin at 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 20th and conclude at 12:00 PM on Saturday, February 22nd. We recommend arriving sometime on Thursday afternoon, and planning a departing flight for sometime after 3:00 PM on Saturday.

  • The conference is being held in at the College of Biblical Studies at Abilene Christian University:

    1850 Teague Blvd, Abilene, TX 79699

    Plan your route using this link on Google Maps:

    Click here to plan your trip.

  • Hendrick Medical Center (1900 Pine St, Abilene, TX 79601)

  • You are welcome to rent a car, but rideshare options (Uber, Lyft, etc) are also abundant! The drive between the university and the recommended hotels is roughly 2 miles, 5 minutes each way.

  • We have a limited number of vendor tables at the conference that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pricing is as follows:

    --Single Table: $100
    --Double Table: $200

    Please note that to be considered for a vendor spot, you must first register as an attendee here.

    After completing the registration, please contact Angie Schmit, our vendor coordinator: aschmit@chord.org She will let you know the availability of booth space, and send you the reservation form to complete.

  • YES. All classes, both in-person and online, will be recorded. Recordings will be made available sometime after the conference ends (allowing time for editing and adding subtitles). Access to class recordings is included in the registration fee.

  • Yes. Registration includes access to both in-person and online classes. You can choose to join some sessions at Abilene and others from the comfort of your hotel room. The information to access online classes will be provided to you prior to the start of the conference.

  • Yes. Online access is per device, not per person. So, if you and a few friends want to have a watch party gathered around one computer other screen, that is fine! Please keep in mind however that this will mean that you will also watch all the same breakout together. If the members of your group have trouble deciding which classes to attend, we would suggest purchasing more than one registration for your group.

  • For the best experience, we recommend watching the conference using either a laptop or desktop computer. If possible, we also recommend using a wired internet connection as opposed to wifi, as this will provide you the most stable connection possible regardless of how many other devices are in your home. You will be able to access the conference using a mobile device, however the quality of your conference experience may be inferior to those who use a laptop or desktop.

  • Email us at teleiosjournal@chord.org

Additional Questions?

We’d love to hear from you!

teleiosconference@chord.org

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