Undoing Conquest

Join us for Undoing Conquest: Inviting a Season of Origins, a retreat grounded in the work of healing from centuries of Christian violence, resisting the rise of Christian nationalism, and reclaiming a liberating, justice-centered faith. Together, we’ll explore the themes in Kate Common’s book, Undoing Conquest, reflecting on how the church has used stories of conquest to justify violence and genocide, how these violent legacies continue to shape our churches, and what true repair and healing requires of us today. We’ll then explore the Season of Origins, a new justice-centered liturgical season introduced in Undoing Conquest, that provides a practical framework for addressing these inherited harms.

The Season of Origins is a four-week liturgical season designed to help congregations integrate decolonial and restorative justice practices into the yearly life of the church. During the four weeks, Origins moves through four themes—Invite, Name, Repair, and Imagine—and offers a biblically rooted restorative justice framework for worship, discipleship, healing, and reconciliation. We’ll explore the vision behind Origins, its theological and biblical foundations, and the specific needs it aims to address in today’s political and cultural landscape, especially as a creative and practical response to the rise of white Christian nationalism.

During the retreat, you’ll learn about churches across the U.S. that helped design and launch the first Season of Origins this past October, including Episcopal, Baptist, United Methodist, and United Church of Christ congregations, as well as the Riverside Church in NYC. You’ll learn insights, best practices, and creative strategies that emerged from this inaugural Origins season, and consider how you might introduce Origins to your own congregation. Through teaching, conversation, and shared reflection, this retreat provides space to imagine—and begin building—a more honest, healing, and justice-seeking church.

To learn more about the Season of Origins, listen to Kate’s sermon from The Riverside Church, or read more here.