Mae Elise Cannon
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon is a pastor, writer, and academic who cares deeply about God’s heart for the poor and the oppressed. She is the author of Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World (IVP, 2009), Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action (IVP, 2012) and co-author of Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith (Zondervan, 2014). Mae earned her doctorate in American History with the minor in Middle Eastern studies from the University of California – Davis, focusing her dissertation on the history of the American Protestant church in Israel and Palestine. She has worked as both a consultant to the Middle East for Compassion International and as the Senior Director of Advocacy and Outreach for World Vision.
Gender, Justice, & Palestine: Christians, Muslims, & Jews Working toward Freedom & Liberation for All
This workshop will provide an overview of the history of the contemporary aspects of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and how it affects Christians in the region. Shireen Hilal Awad, a Palestinian Christian leader and dean of students at Bethlehem Bible College, will talk about Islam and extremism and what it means to be a Christian living in Bethlehem. In the midst of violent conflict and as two women directly engaged in peacebuilding, what does it mean to advocate for peace, justice, and reconciliation as women working in the land? Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon will provide a historical overview of the conflict and share her experience working in the region and mobilizing American Christians toward more holistic engagement. This conversation will focus on how American Christians and others can constructively contribute toward ending the occupation and working toward a just peace.