EFC IV: Reinventing Authority and Leadership in a Fragile World

Introduction

Education cannot exist without guidance and leadership. Consequently, pedagogical relationships are characterized by forms of authority. In our current world authority is confronting us with feelings of complex ambiguity. At the one hand authority is perceived as problematic in itself, an assault one someone’s autonomy and subjectivity, emphasizing and maintaining inequality. At the other hand strong forms of authority are returning in politics, society and also education. In a global scene with tensions between nations and interest groups, there is a tendency to support strong and even autocratic leadership. 

At the same time one can observe the fragility and vulnerability of authority and leadership as it is executed, also in the domains of church and education. Leaders everywhere, those in educational and religious institutions included, struggle with the task of navigating between different demands and interests. The delicate reliability of authority has increased enormously due to the impact of social media and artificial intelligence. Who knows which statements and voices should be heard or can still be trusted? 

All these considerations have led us to dedicate the fourth EFC conference to authority and leadership in the context of school and church. How should pedagogical and theological leaders and institutions express and embody authority in an era in which leadership is fragile? What forms of authority are fruitful in educational, pastoral care and church leadership? This topic is a logical follow-up of the findings of the previous conference, in which we observed that the loss of traditions went hand in hand with uncertainty about authority. The urgency for this theme is strengthened by our observation that churches and schools are in need for leaders who are not only able and willing to interpret our fragile world wisely, but who also have the courage to act wisely and, in the meantime, can sensitively guide people in forming their own judgments. 

Invited Keynote speakers

• Prof. dr. Annette Edenhofer (DE)
• Dr. Øyvind Fosse (NO)
• Prof. dr. Roel Kuiper (NL)
• Dr. Marloes Hoencamp (NL)

Location and lodging

The conference will be hosted by the Theological University of Apeldoorn.

More information

For more information about the conference, visit this page.