Perception, Formation, and the Meaning of Technology
8:00 – 9:00 am
Paper #1: Sacred Narratives and Silent Lands: Ellen G. White, Indigenous Erasure, and Adventist Memory
Julius Nam, La Sierra University
Summary. This paper examines how Ellen G. White’s portrayal of American origins obscured Native American dispossession, arguing that these historical omissions were foundational to Adventist identity and institutional development. Drawing on postcolonial perspectives, it urges the church to integrate Indigenous histories into its historiography and reframe its mission around justice, reconciliation, and shared belonging.
Paper #2: A Glass or a Wall? Shame Avoidance and the Rise of Chatbots
Marina Garner, Loma Linda University
Summary. Argues that shame-avoidance is a key reason people turn to AI for advice, care, and even relationships, since chatbots offer comfort without the relational risk of being judged. Drawing on Scheff and Bernard Williams on shame, it weighs the benefits and dangers of this dynamic for pastoral care and proposes that the church can offer what AI cannot: a shame-bearing community.
Paper #3: Way-out to too Way-out: A Conservative Church Copes with New Communication Platforms
Gil Valentine, Avondale University
Summary. A historical study of how Adventism has repeatedly adjusted to new communication technologies—from pamphlets and periodicals to photography, film, and television—often perceiving them as threats to identity and witness. It seeks to identify the patterns and processes of discernment that helped the church adapt, offering principles for navigating present and future change.
Discussion (15 minutes)