Dr Andrew Root & Christian Gonzalez: Self-Sacrificial Love

This lecture, entitled, ""Nurturing Relationships that Truly Transform: Self-Emptying Love and Adolescent Joy"," was delivered by Dr. Andrew Root and Christian Gonzalez on April 5, 2017 at Yale Divinity School as part of the Joy and Adolescent Faith & Flourishing free monthly Lunch & Lecture Series.

Lecture Abstract:
In this presentation, we’ll explore how faith is passed on and what, if anything, this has to do with theology. We’ll ask specifically, what exactly does it mean to take a theological turn in youth ministry? Looking at the biblical theme of kenosis, we’ll turn away from a technological perspective that sees youth ministry as providing solutions, or faith-formation as getting the knowledge of theology in young people’s heads. Instead we will explore how faith-formation, theology, and ministry are held together, drawing particularly from the life and youth ministry of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, to see how youth workers today can be kenotic guides.

Dr. Andrew Root is the Olson Baalson Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. He is most recently the author of Christopraxis: A Practical Theology of the Cross and Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker. He has also written The Relational Pastor as well as a four book series called A Theological Journey Through Youth Ministry. In 2012, his book The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry (with Kenda Creasy Dean) received Christianity Today’s Award of Merit.

Christian Gonzalez is the Young Adult Ministries Coordinator for the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Department of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. He is a husband, father, coffee drinker, sandal wearer, and CrossFitter. Christian has his MA from Azusa Pacific University in Marriage and Family Therapy and a second MA in Children, Youth, and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary. Christian and his family live in Phoenix, Arizona.

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This lecture is now available on Livestream for playback: http://livestream.com/yaledivinityschool/YMI