2018 RNA Annual Conference

The banquet is generously sponsored by Beyond I do. Local couple Jimmie and Mindy Beall, whose story of employment discrimination is featured is the Beyond I Do ad campaign, will discuss the impact discrimination has had on their family, as well as the prevalence of discrimination against LGBT people across the country. Speakers: Mindy Beall, Jimmie Beall, Brian Rossbert

Tax forms, spreadsheets, FOIA, oh my! This panel will explore the investigative tools that benefit faith-beat reporters. Speakers will explore the behind-the-scenes work that made their highest profile religion stories possible. Moderator: Dawn Araujo-Hawkins. Speakers: R. G. Dunlop, Sam Kestenbaum, Manya Brachear Pashman.

When we hear about the Nones — those who answer None of the Above when asked about their religious affiliation — it's usually about atheists and other secular types who skew higher in income and education. But many Nones have lower incomes, less than a college education and, often, less stable family lives. Many still believe in God and heaven, but don't belong to a faith group. Who are the Nones we don't know, and how do they fit into a wider picture of social and economic dislocation? Moderator: Bob Smietana. Speakers: Brian Alexander, Dan Cox, Linda Mercadante.

The #MeToo tsunami of 2017 and 2018 has reached into sacred spaces and religious organizations. Powerful evangelical pastors are facing new or renewed allegations of covering up sexual abuse ranging from harassment to rape. Mormons have been prompted to denounce "nonconsensual immorality" and to allow a second adult to be present in interviews by male leaders of teen girls on sexuality. Muslim women who have experienced sexual harassment during the Haj, the holiest of pilgrimages, started #MosqueMeToo. Similarly, female clergy and lay women, have reported abuse and harassment through #ChurchToo. In this panel, women share their first hand stories of assault, harassment, manipulation and abuse in religious settings, and how they and their faith communities respond. Moderator: Dina Zingaro. Speakers: Vonda Dyer, Dr. Keren McGinity, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, Sameera Qureshi.

Religion is everywhere these days. Even Outer Space. Both sci-fi and religion deal with big ideas and imaginary worlds and portray the conflicts between good and evil on an epic scale. Mash-ups of science fiction and faith are found in hit TV shows like "The Expanse," the "Handmaid’s Tale," and the "Leftovers" — along with countless books and films. This panel explores what happens when sci-fi and religion meet. No nerd credentials required. Moderator: Kimberly Winston. Speakers: James McGrath, Farah Rishi, John Scalzi, David Williams.

Welcome to the 69th RNA Annual Conference! Please use our welcome reception to greet friends and colleagues, and to network with our exhibitors and sponsors. Enjoy a wide spread of appetizers and small plates, and grab a drink from our cash bar. Sponsored by Spring Green Films. Speakers: Bob Hercules, Steve Sarowitz.

Our own experiences through art can help us find new ways to ponder familiar stories and ideas. We believe the artist's contribution is worth celebrating — and preserving. "Inspiring Generosity: Stories of Faith and Grace in Art" is a new book that explores modern connections to timeless ideas and values. Speaker: Joanna Lindell. Sponsored by Thrivent

We Will Speak Out, IMA World Health, and Sojourners will share the embargoed results of their national report, to be public on Sept. 18: "Broken Silence 2.0: An Update on Pastors' Attitudes and Actions around Domestic and Sexual violence in the #metoo Era." Speakers: Jenna Barnett, Matt Hackworth Sponsored by Sojourners.

Pew Research Center will present its latest data on religious trends shaping the 2018 midterm elections. Speaker: Greg Smith. Sponsored by Pew Research Center.

Faith leaders have spoken out for and against gun control. A hot debate has been armed security in sanctuaries and at houses of worship, especially in light of some shootings at churches. We talk with faith leaders and a victim of gun violence about how faith supports their point of view on guns. Moderator: Holly Meyer. Speakers: Jeff Copley, Dean Feldmeyer, Hollan Holm.

In the struggle between religion and state that is as old as our godless Constitution, the Trump administration has inaugurated a new chapter. Learn how secular forces are conducting a multi-pronged campaign to protect constitutional ideals. Three experts will discuss and take questions on the turn the state-church confrontation has taken in our times. Moderator: Elizabeth Cavell. Speakers: Annie Laurie Gaylor, Andrew Seidel. Sponsored by Freedom From Religion Foundation

RNA President Manya Brachear Pashman welcomes you to the 69th RNA Annual Conference!

Please join us for the crowning event of our annual conference, where we honor the winners of the 2018 RNA Awards for Religion Reporting Excellence. Our emcee for the evening is RNA Contest Chairman and Board Member Jeff Diamant. Speaker: Jeff Diamant.

As the opioid epidemic continues to rage, with a mounting toll of addictions, overdoses and shattered families, how are people of faith responding to this modern health crisis? Speakers: Will Cooke, Rich Nathan. This session had several technical issues, so you may hear moments of silence as you listen.

Trump’s inflammatory immigration policies have reached into the pews, with churches and faith groups hosting rallies, press conferences, and even housing immigrants within their walls. What about immigration motivates the faithful? How has their action made a difference? From protest to sanctuary, let’s explore faith communities’ roles in immigration. Moderators: Danae King. Speakers: Noel Andersen, Edith Espinal, Ruben Castilla Herrera, Joel Miller.

President Donald Trump inherited an open seat on the Supreme Court and more than 100 federal judicial vacancies. How will his appointments to the bench shape the future of the judicial branch in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic America? Some of the country's most hot-button issues wind up before a court, and religious groups on all sides of those debates have a stake in the outcomes of those future court battles. We will explore the lasting impact Trump's appointments will have on the law of the land in America. Moderator: Kelsey Dallas. Speakers: Robert Alt, Susan Becker, Howard Friedman.

We talk to those who both represent minority communities and minority faiths and practice them. How do minority faith traditions navigate daily challenges? How do they work with other community organizations and services? And what should we know when reporting on them? Moderator: Kalpana Jain. Speakers: Imran Malik, Veena Prasad, Simran Jeet Singh, Zerqa Abid.

Religion news doesn’t just live in print or in black-and-white. It lives and breathes on screen and on-the-air. Producers and correspondents of TV and radio broadcasts and podcasts will share the advantages and challenges when reporting on religion with visuals and audio. Religion is a topic rich with sights and sounds, but some stories present hurdles and are harder to tell without the written word. Being “on camera” makes it harder to find people willing to speak publicly especially with vulnerable communities. Since radio and podcast audiences are listening to a story, rather than reading it, producers have to stretch their own creativity to make a story resonate. Panelists will be asked to share how footage and audio shapes the way think of story ideas and how they eventually tell those stories. How does their writing style and language change for telling a story? Are there stories they just can’t manage to tell without words on a page? As news becomes more digital, print reporters can learn and take tips from broadcasters’ and podcasters’ experiences and their knack for tapping into the sights and sounds of religion. Moderator: Liz Kineke. Speakers: Kim Lawton, Dina Zingaro, Amber Khan, Brittany Wilmes.

The Amish community has doubled in size over the past 20 years and spread to 30 states and provinces — far beyond traditional bases such as Ohio. As the community grows, so do culture clashes and adaptations with their new neighbors. This Christian movement has long captured the public imagination for their real and imagined ways, including for its off-the-grid farming and simple lifestyle that have sparked ever-growing tourism and even a genre of Amish romance novels. Moderator: Peter Smith. Speakers: Shelley Shepard Gray, David Kline, Marcus Yoder.

How do philanthropic foundations shape and support religion and/or social change? What are they funding and why? Who benefits? Panelists will explore trends shaping religious giving in America. Moderator: Jean Hopfensperger. Speakers: Thomas Burnett, Jackie Jacobs, David King.