Pastor Bob Roberts was invited to speak at UC-Berkeley on the panel called “Long Bridging for Belonging and Democracy” with DeAngelo Bester, Myriam Méndez Montalvo, Pastor Bob Roberts, Omar Salha, Yuna Blajer de la Garza.
Pastor Bob spoke on the importance of building relationships with those different than you, all while never sacrificing your own theological identity.
Robertshas been invited to speak at several universities this year, including participating in a panel discussion at an “Othering and Belonging Conference” sponsored by the University of California at Berkeley.
People of faith need to keep the conversation going with people outside their faith and beyond their “tribe,” looking for opportunities to promote peace and understanding, he said.
“And when a hand is extended to us, we need to reach out and grab it,” Roberts said.
About the Event:
The 2024 Othering & Belonging Conference took place in Oakland April 25-27. This was a 2.5 day uniquely-curated gathering where together we discussed cutting-edge ideas, utilize the power of arts and culture, and strategize on the narratives, practices, and relationships that we need to build places of belonging.
Belonging without othering is a radical new proposition to create a shared future for all including our earth. It will take all of us to build that shared future in which to live, together. Where might belonging without othering, as a political, social, economic, and spiritual frame, take us? We hope you will help answer that question in April, joining over 1,700 attendees, speakers, and culturemakers across richly diverse issue areas, geographies, and places of work. Our conference will center bridging as a response to fracturing and elevate the need for more complex and nuanced stories that reflect our true, multi-layered identities.
