Thus Far by Faith: Still Pressing Forward
Child Advocacy, Child Well-being, and Justice
Graduate Intensive | Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary
at the 2023 Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
at the 2023 Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry
July 17–20, 2023 | CDF Alex Haley Farm | Clinton, TN
Proctor’s Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary offers an immersive experience for seminary students who wish to engage and cultivate necessary prophetic voices with communities on the margins—communities contending against systemic injustices that directly impact children and youth. In addition to participating in the full Proctor Institute, seminarians who attend DAFS spend the week learning from the greatest theological minds of our time.
Who Can Attend
Proctor Institute invites graduate students who attend DAFS-affiliated seminaries and divinity schools the opportunity to participate for course credit in our Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary (DAFS). Those who are interested in registering for the credit-bearing graduate course must sign up through their seminary or university (to pay for and receive credit hours) as well as register for CDF’s Proctor Institute, which includes the DAFS sessions. DAFS sessions will take place Monday, July 17, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. DAFS seminarians will then join in CDF’s Proctor Institute main sessions for the remainder of the week.
Registration Options
DAFS students can participate in person or virtually. However, the 2023 Proctor Institute is an in-person event only.
For persons attending the Proctor Institute and DAFS in person: the registration cost is $200 for early registration and $250 for regular registration. This includes lunch and dinner Monday–Thursday. You will need to book your hotel separately (see here).
A virtual attendance option is available for DAFS (Monday only): This option will give you access to the Zoom sessions on Monday, July 17, 2023 only. Please note that this registration option does not include access to the Proctor Institute. The virtual option is $100 for early bird registration and $150 for regular registration.
Note: in order to receive credit for this course, you need to pay tuition to one of the participating seminaries, plus conference registration.
If you have questions about the Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary at Proctor, please contact us at faith-based@childrensdefense.org.
2023 Schedule for Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary
Some faculty may require pre-travel sessions or have additional meeting times with their students over breakfast, dinner or after hours. DAFS faculty will adapt this syllabus to the specific needs of the faculty and students.
Times may be adjusted as the sessions are finalized.
| Sunday, July 16 | In order to arrive at the first session on Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., you may need to arrive on Sunday. Students make their own travel arrangements |
| Monday, July 17 | |
| 9:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | “Seminarians: Building Community, Defining Our Work Together” |
| 1. Setting the stage (Dr. Parrish) 2. History (Dr. Davis) 3. Tour of Alex Haley Farm (Dr. Love); Ancestors/Cloud of Witnesses (Dr. Love and Dr. Davis) 4. Plenary session on a theology of child well-being, a theology of child advocacy, and how they relate (Dr. Wilson) |
|
| 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | Lunch with your faculty member |
| 2:15 p.m.–3:15 p.m. | Reading reflections (small groups) 1 |
| 3:15 p.m.–3:30 p.m. | break |
| 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. | Reading reflections (small groups) 2 |
| 5:30 p.m. | Dinner (Haley Tent) |
| 7:00 p.m. | Proctor Institute begins with opening worship in the chapel |
See the full Proctor event schedule, which begins on Monday evening, July 17, on the 2023 Proctor event page.
2023 DAFS Course Guide
Students in the Dale P. Andrews Freedom Seminary are expected to come prepared for each class session. This course will require an informed class interaction and the timely completion of all assignments. Your personal schedule must allow you to keep up with the due dates for readings and other assignments. All readings are to be completed before attending the Proctor Institute so you can fully engage in the sessions and seminarian discussions.