International Collaboration on Faith and Violence
May 27-29, 2019
Acadia Divinity College,
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Because Domestic Violence affects so many people in our society, including many people who are part of congregations, it is important that religious leaders and congregations understand the dynamics of abuse and the most effective ways to address domestic violence, to respond to the needs of victims, and to provide a safe place for those seeking help and healing.
Acadia Divinity College and its Taylor Centre for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care will host a collaborative meeting of researchers from around the world who have been studying ways that congregations respond to the needs of those whose lives have been affected by violence. The meeting will include public opportunities to understand the issue of domestic violence, to hear about the latest research, and to learn about how best to respond to people’s very real needs in congregations.
SCHEDULE
Date | Event | Time | Location | Information |
Monday, May 27, 2019 |
Public Presentation Churchgoers’ Experiences of, and Church Responses to, Domestic Abuse: A Case Study from the UK |
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm | KC Irving Environmental Science Centre Auditorium | Dr. Kristen Aune of Coventry University, UK and Dr. Rebecca Barnes of the University of Leicester, UK |
Reception | 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm | KC Irving Environmental Science Centre Auditorium | Join us for a reception following the public presentation. | |
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 |
Clergy Breakfast Presentation: Holy Hush or Shattered Silence: Clergy and Intimate Partner Violence |
8:30 am – 10:00 am | Sheldon L. Fountain Learning Commons | Dr. Nancy Nason-Clark of the University of New Brunswick, Canada Registration Required |
Public Presentation Australian clergy responses to domestic violence: Results from the 2016 Australian National Church Life Survey |
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm | KC Irving Environmental Science Centre Auditorium | Dr. Ruth Powell of Alphacrucis College, Australia | |
Reception | 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm | KC Irving Environmental Science Centre Auditorium | Join us for a reception following the public presentation. | |
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 |
Worship Service Sermon: Hearing the Whole Story |
11:30 am – 12:15 pm | Manning Memorial Chapel | Sermon by the Rev. Daphne Marsden, women’s prison chaplain of Christ Church, New Zealand |
Community Lunch | 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Manning Memorial Chapel | Join us for lunch following the morning worship service. $4 suggested donation. |

Conference Attendees Can
Audit This Course for
$99
The Church’s Response
to Domestic Violence
A One-Week Intensive Course Designed to Equip You And Your Church
To Faithfully Respond to Care for Those Who Suffer
Fall 2019
Domestic violence is a serious and pervasive problem in contemporary society and in church congregations. This course will define and explain what domestic violence is, provide an overview of current research, explain the role of churches and church leaders in responding to the needs of victims, and provide information about accessing community resources, all in the context of a Biblical understanding of care for those who suffer. The course will consider the church’s response to social needs as an important aspect of witness.
Instructor: Dr. Stephen McMullin, Sheldon and Marjorie Fountain Associate Professor of Evangelism and Mission, Acadia Divinity College, Canada