2010 Rna Annual Conference

The 61st Annual RNA Awards Ceremony

Sponsored by FaithWords/Hachette Book Group, featuring author Philip Yancey and his new book, "What Good is God? In Search of a Faith That Matters."

Investigating religious institutions and their leaders differs from any other topic. Investigative skills have been crucial for the latest reports on clergy abuse and faith groups. Yet investigations into faith communities also bring charges of bias and public attacks on the character of journalists. RNA members share their tips in how to weather public rebuke, how to find time for long-term projects and how documents can be a reporter’s best friend. Moderated by Melissa Nann Burke, York Daily Record. Panelists: Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times Melissa Nann Burke, York Daily Record Dan Burke, Religion News Service

Who is the next public face of Evangelicalism? With Billy Graham retired and James Dobson gone from from his powerful spot, who will replace these forceful voices among evangelicals? When news happens and you’re looking for an evangelical perspective, whom do you call? Moderated by Steve Rabey. Panelists: Esther Fleece, Focus on the Family R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Southern Baptist Seminary

Sponsored by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Imprint, featuring Donald Kraybill and his new book, "The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World,” at Baur’s restaurant, 1512 Curtis St. Kraybill photo by Charles Studio of Photography.

We are all keeping our eyes on the online audience. What will draw audiences in and keep them? Serious explorations of news, theology and denominations? Or the "fog” of spirituality (as one blog calls it). Or angel-puppies inspirational fluff? What do the metrics tell us? Religion journalists at the forefront of communicating online share their experiences. Moderated by USA TODAY’s Cathy Grossman. Panelists: Alana B. Elias Kornfeld, The Huffington Post Rod Dreher, John Templeton Foundation Eric Marrapodi, CNN.com

Sponsored by Lovell-Fairchild, Wynkoop Brewing Company, 1634 18th St. LANDMARKS, LANDMINES AND THE CHRISTIAN FILM MARKET Welcome to the religion reporter's "Whom would you invite?" fantasy guest list: Producer David Evans (THE GRACE CARD), famed actor Corbin Bernsen (RUST, LA LAW, PSYCH) and actor Michael Joiner (THE GRACE CARD). Hear never-before-told war stories and inside strategies from pioneers of a new film niche. Hear what makes a movie Christian, who's making Christian movies, the stats, the criticisms, the kudos, the landmarks, and the landmines. Make them tremble as they field questions in a roomful of top reporters. And enjoy a great meal.

We are familiar with spiritual directors, a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church and other faiths. But today there are self-appointed spiritual teachers all over the internet and networks of speakers. They often claim to help people find spiritual peace. But who are these people? Do credentials matter? How do you know a genuine teacher from a guru with a gimmick? What are the uses, abuses and charm of this self-appointed role? Moderated by Kimberly Winston.

When is a celebrity’s faith on or off limits? Is it anybody’s business? And how do you write about a celebrity’s religion without making them sound like poster children for the cause? Rainn Wilson, a star of NBC’s "The Office,” tells how he chooses to discuss his faith. Moderated by The Star-Ledger’s Jeff Diamant.

The Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Archbishop of Denver. Moderated by David Gibson.

When missions mix with global affairs and natural disasters, mayhem can occur. We all covered the case of the "Idaho 10” during the Haiti earthquake. How do faith-based mission groups and secular non-governmental organizations coordinate in facing disasters and in dealing day in and out with chronic problems like poverty, disease, starvation and war refugees? Moderated by the The Miami Herald’s JD Kaleem. Panelists: Abe Levy, San Antonio Express-News Mike Ebert, North American Mission Board, SBC (pictured L) Heather Paul, SOS Children's Villages (pictured R)

New technologies enable people to access ancient wisdom through new gadgets, gizmos, and games. Does this change how we use or what we know about what's at the heart of the Bible? A seasoned Bible marketing team from Somersault (www.SomersaultGroup.com), a publishing services firm embracing Web 3.0 strategies for inspirational content, will clue us in with facts, figures, trends, and analysis. Consider this session a foundation for articles you’ll write for the 400th anniversary of the KJV Bible in 2011. Panelists: Jeannette Taylor, Somersault John Sawyer, Somersault

Craig Blomberg, professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. For several hundred years the King James Version of the Bible was the only major English-language translation of the book held sacred by nearly one third of the world’s population. Why has there been such a proliferation of translations in the last 50 years or so? Why do new translations, once they are published, get updated? In what ways are they updated? How do they address the particularly sensitive issues of gender, culture, and particularly memorable texts? What can we expect in 2011, the four-hundredth anniversary of the publication of the KJV? Blomberg, who has participated in four different translation projects over the last two decades will address these and related topics.

Sacred text translation 101 A team of experts from the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship at The American Bible Society will discuss what goes into Bible translation, from inception to publication, why it’s done, and ethical issues surrounding how stakeholders shape a translation project. Translation and Power Sacred texts, including the Bible, as translations involve more than a linguistic exchange of words or phrases. Cultural exchanges are a very important, but often seldom discussed, part of translation. Inherent in such exchanges are questions of ideologies, ethics, and power. Experts from the American Bible Society’s scholarly department of the Nida Institute will discuss these issues while providing examples from their considerable experience in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Panelists: Steven Berneking, Senior Manager for Translations James Maxey, Translations and Biblical Scholar Kuo-Wei Peng, Translations Officer

The Bible gets quoted in political speeches used to justify political positions. Wayne Grudem of Phoenix Seminary, known for his advocacy of an inerrant and literal interpretation of the Bible, especially on issues of gender, looks to the uses and misuses of scripture as we prepare for fall election coverage.