At Work in the Garden: The Faith and Work Conference

Presenter: Steven Bouma-Prediger

In his international bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World, Peter Wohlleben makes the case that the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. What kind of education is needed for us to understand our arboreal neighbors rightly? What kind of education would enable us to perceive the land as more than real estate? What kind of education cultivates not just head knowledge but also the virtues necessary for us humans, made in God’s image, to responsibly care for our home planet, especially in this time of climate crisis? In this paper I explore what an undergraduate liberal arts education would look like if we took our calling to care for the earth seriously. Hence the title of my talk: “Education for Earthkeeping: The Liberal Arts in a Time of Climate Crisis.” 

Presenters: Julie Ooms & Rachel M. De Smith Roberts

In this panel, we will contend with two major “weeds” that disrupt our tending of God’s garden: distraction, which can prevent us from both productive work and true rest, and an efficiency mindset, which devalues leisure and reduces meaningful work to a series of checklists. As we uproot these weeds, we must replace them with virtuous practices that cultivate their opposites, attention and rest. We will argue that we can cultivate such virtues through reading practices that form our characters in virtuous directions, and we will examine reading practices that form us towards habits of attentiveness and leisure. 

Presenter: Christine Crouse-Dick

In academic culture, leadership often means doing more, faster, with less support—a recipe for burnout that serves no one well. This workshop explores how intentional slowing down can enhance both individual and institutional health. Drawing on research in burnout recovery, self-compassion, and trauma stewardship, participants will examine boundary-setting as community care, curiosity as resistance to productivity culture, and practical strategies for leading with both competence and compassion. Designed for anyone in academic leadership (formal or informal) who suspects there is a better way.

Presenter: David Mulder

Is the rise of artificial intelligence the end of education as we know it? Or just the next bump in the road? We must carefully consider the ethical implications for what generative AI means for the current and future situation in education. At the same time, perhaps the joys and challenges of learning and leading in the age of AI give us an opportunity to recapture our very human sense of wonder, curiosity, and playfulness—characteristics central to human creativity!

Presenter: Travis West

Sabbath and work are two sides of the same coin; they need each other to be understood and for each to reach their full potential. But the culture of work that prevails within the US today is more akin to Pharaonic Egypt’s anxious obsession with productivity than the Sabbath-shaped community of sufficiency and trust in the wilderness. Many today are shaped by a culture of exhaustion that longs for respite but doesn’t know how to find it. In this workshop—if I’m honest, I prefer the language of playshop—we will return to the beginning and explore how the first creation account in Genesis 1 establishes patterns of flourishing—what Eugene Peterson called “rhythms of Grace”—by which God models the purpose of both work and rest within time. These patterns, shaped around a weekly Sabbath practice, function like a metronome to establish a life-affirming pace for the song that is our life in a world obsessed with speed. 

Presenter: Derek Schuurman

Ever since the 19th century when the Luddites revolted in opposition to the industrial revolution, concerns over automation have persisted. With recent developments in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), many have begun to warn of the end of work—and perhaps the end of humanity. Still others believe that AI could lead us toward some sort of paradise. This talk will explore how the biblical story shapes our view of work and informs now we might responsibly harness the possibilities of AI.

Presenter: Emma Nydam

What does it mean to be "at work in the garden" as an artist? In this session, science illustrator and watercolor artist Emma Nydam explores how observing and drawing the natural world can become an act of faithful attention, stewardship, and worship. Through stories from her career, examples of her artwork, and interactive demonstrations of observational drawing, she will share how art has shaped the way she sees God's creation and how careful observation reveals both the beauty and order of creation. Along the way, Emma will demonstrate how her work as a science illustrator combines art, biology, conservation, and her Christian faith in a primarily secular field. Whether you're an artist, educator, scientist, gardener, or simply someone who enjoys the outdoors, this session invites you to consider how your creativity (and perhaps picking up a pencil to draw!) can cultivate wonder and care for God's creation. No artistic experience is necessary—only curiosity and a willingness to look closely at the world God has made.

Presenter: Melinda Rangel

Competition is often viewed with skepticism within Christian communities because of its association with pride, selfish ambition, and the pursuit of personal gain. Scripture certainly warns against sinful motives that can emerge within competitive environments. Yet competition also appears throughout creation, economic activity, education, and athletics. This presentation argues that competition, when properly understood, is not inherently opposed to Christian discipleship but can serve as a God-given mechanism for stewardship, discovery, service, and human flourishing. Drawing from biblical theology, Christian scholarship, and classroom practice at a Christian liberal arts college, a framework for understanding redeemed competition is presented through six dimensions: competition as creation mandate, discovery, sharpening, neighborly love, community, and stewardship.

Presenter: Jordan Raynor

Christian or not, it’s pretty hard to dispute that Jesus was the most productive person to ever walk the earth. And because Jesus was 100% God and 100% man, we know that he faced the same 24 hour time constraint you and I face today. How did Jesus manage his time 2,000 years ago? And how can we manage our time like he might today? Those are the questions I answer in this supremely practical talk where you walk away with 7 practices you can implement immediately to redeem your time in the model of our Redeemer.

Presenter: Michaela O'Donnell

What does it take to flourish when the world of work keeps changing? Drawing on the De Pree Center’s research with leaders who remain healthy and grounded amid the complexities of modern work, Michaela O’Donnell will explore what enables people to sustain a sense of purpose and well-being. She will also offer a theology of vocation sturdy enough to withstand changing technologies, shifting workplaces, and evolving expectations about work.