UniteBoston

Bridging Divides Across Christians for the Flourishing of the City

Convergence: Becoming a River of Healing

Unity isn’t something we have to manufacture; it’s a reality Jesus has already accomplished that we are called to actively practice together. Pastor Josiah Armstrong—reformer, revivalist, and founder of The Body United —challenges us to cross denominational, cultural, and generational lines to steward what God is releasing across New England. 

Dive into his blog reflection below, and register now for The Body United: A Divine Convergence happening September 11–12 right here in Boston!

P.S. If you are interested in learning how to lead your community in the peacemaking, reconciling Way of Jesus, consider joining us for the Online Beloved Community Lab. Applications are due this Friday August 21! 

There are moments when God calls His people not simply to do more, or continue on in business as usual, but to shift and come together differently.

We believe we are living in such a moment.

Across Boston, New England, and beyond, God is stirring His Church. New believers are coming to faith. Churches are being strengthened. Leaders are being raised up. Communities are being served. New ministries and initiatives are emerging. There is a growing hunger for the presence of God and a renewed desire to see the Gospel embodied in ways that bring hope, healing, and transformation to our cities.

Yet in the midst of all that God is doing, we must ask an important question:

How will we steward what God is releasing among us?

No single church, denomination, ministry, or network can contain everything God desires to do. We need one another.

Psalm 46 gives us a beautiful picture: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” The picture is not of one stream replacing another, but of many streams converging into one river—bringing life to the city and ultimately becoming a source of healing.

Photo by Rolands Varsbergs on Unsplash

This is the heart behind Body United.

Body United is not an attempt to erase our distinctions or create another organization. It is an invitation to discover what becomes possible when the diverse expressions of Christ’s Church learn to walk together in the reconciliation Jesus has already accomplished for us.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that Christ Himself is our peace. He has broken down walls of hostility and made us one (Eph 2:14). Unity, then, is not something we manufacture; it is something Jesus has already given us. Our calling is to learn how to walk in it.

And this is where the challenge becomes deeply practical.

We live in a divided world. Political, racial, cultural, theological, and generational divisions are increasingly shaping how people see one another. Sadly, the Church has not been immune. We see silos between denominations, cultures, networks, theological traditions, generations, and expressions of ministry. We can faithfully labor in our own assignments while remaining largely disconnected from the rest of the Body of Christ laboring around us.

We cannot believe that this is the fullness of what Jesus intended.

Jesus prayed in John 17 that His people would be one, “as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You.” And He connected that unity to the witness of the Church: “that the world may believe.”

That means our unity is not merely an internal concern for the Church. It is part of our mission.

The question, then, is not simply, “Do we believe in unity?” The question is, “Will we practice it?”

What would it look like for us to intentionally cross the lines that have separated us? To sit at tables with people who don’t look like us, worship exactly like us, or share all of our theological language? To listen before we critique? To honor what God has entrusted to another part of the Body? To choose relationship over suspicion, reconciliation over rivalry, and love over territorialism?

This is where convergence becomes more than a gathering. It becomes a way of life.

I remember experiencing a small glimpse of this at a previous Body United gathering. Leaders who had served in the same region for years sat around tables together, some meeting one another for the first time. They came from different traditions and expressions of the Church, yet as they shared stories, listened, prayed, and discovered one another’s assignments, something began to happen. Barriers that had existed simply because people had never met began to disappear. What had been separate became relational. And what became relational suddenly became possible.

That is the power of convergence.

It is more than gathering in the same room. It is coming to the table—to listen, to honor, to learn, to pray, to discern, and to ask, “What is God doing among us, and how might we participate together?”

So, what do we do now?

We begin by saying yes.

Yes to relationship. Yes to reconciliation. Yes to the humility required to learn from one another. Yes to the hard and beautiful work of practicing the “one another” commands of Scripture across the lines that have historically divided us.

We begin by finding one another.

Pastors need to know pastors outside their denomination. Churches need to know the churches serving their neighborhoods. Ministries need to discover the resources and gifts present in other streams. Leaders need places where they can listen, discern, pray, and dream together. We need rhythms of relational connection that move beyond occasional events into sustainable patterns of collaboration.

And then we begin to work together- to build the kingdom side by side.

We pray together. We serve our communities together. We respond to needs together. We share resources. We strengthen and train leaders. We collaborate around mission. We celebrate what God is doing in another church as though it were happening in our own.

This is the radical shift required for the next season.

If God is entrusting His Church with a greater measure of His presence, influence, harvest, and responsibility, then we need a new wineskin capable of stewarding what He is releasing. We cannot carry a new work of God with old patterns of isolation, competition, suspicion, and fragmentation.

We need to recover the ancient paths in our modern times.

The wineskin must become relational as God always intended it- as a covenantal family.

It must become collaborative.

It must become mature.

It must look like a people who don’t merely preach reconciliation but embody it; who don’t merely sing about oneness but practice it; who don’t merely affirm the Body of Christ in theology but actually make room for the whole Body in relationship and mission.

This is the prophetic witness our divided world needs.

Imagine what Boston might see if the Church became a visible demonstration of another way of living together. Imagine Pentecostal and Presbyterian, Catholic and evangelical, charismatic and traditional, younger and older, Black, white, Latino, Asian, immigrant and native-born believers discovering that their differences do not have to prevent their love.

Imagine the city seeing a people who disagree on some things but refuse to divide over them; who honor truth without sacrificing love; who pursue holiness without losing humility; who carry different assignments but share one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one mission.

This is convergence.

Many streams. One river.

Many expressions. One Body.

Many assignments. One mission.

And one Lord who is worthy of a Church that faithfully reveals His Son.

The hope of Body United is not simply that we would gather. It is that we would become—a people increasingly formed into the likeness of Christ, walking in the unity He prayed for, and releasing through our relationships transformative good works and a visible witness of His glory.

As we converge, may God teach us to walk in the reconciliation He has given us, to embrace the gifts He has placed in one another, and to become a river of His presence that makes glad our cities and brings healing to the land.

Jesus, make us one.
Teach us to walk together. 
And let our unity become a visible witness of Your glory.

Save the Date: Experience “Convergence” Live on September 11–12

If Josiah’s message resonates with you, we invite you to move from reading about unity to practicing it! The Body United 2026 Gathering is bringing together Christians of all backgrounds to seek God’s wisdom and vision for our cities. Through shared worship, strategic conversations, and relational networking, this event aims to build sustainable, long-term partnerships across New England. 

Last year, over 1200 people attended from over 120 different churches and ministries! Space is limited for this regional gathering—click here to view the schedule and secure your spot!

The Heart of Belovedness: My Journey in the Beloved Community Lab

UB Board President Dr. Michael James shares his personal reflections from participating in the inaugural Beloved Community Lab pilot cohort. In a culture driven by polarization, Michael explores what it truly takes for Christian leaders to remain present to one another across deep theological, political, and cultural divides. 

Read his moving testimony on how truth, love, and belovedness can transform our leadership, and learn how you can join our nationwide Fall Beloved Community Lab Online Cohort!

What does it actually take for Christian leaders to remain present to one another across deep theological, political, and cultural divides?

In a world increasingly shaped by polarization, contempt, and fear, the Church is often tempted to mirror the very hostility surrounding us. But as I look back over this past year in the inaugural pilot cohort of the Beloved Community Lab (BCL), I feel a profound sense of gratitude and hope: the Church can become a different kind of community—one where truth is spoken in love, wounds are acknowledged, and no one’s humanity is sacrificed for the sake of winning.

As UniteBoston prepares to launch its Fall Beloved Community Lab Online Cohort, I want to share a bit of my story and what this year-long journey of deep discipleship has meant for my heart, my faith, and my daily leadership.

My Background: Seeking Unity in the Academy and the Church

In my daily work, I serve on the faculty and as a Resident Minister at Boston College, alongside my active participation in the Boston Focolare Community—a global movement within the Catholic Church dedicated to building unity, dialogue, and universal brotherhood across religious and cultural divides. I also serve on the executive leadership team with UniteBoston, working ecumenically to foster bridges of trust across Greater Boston’s diverse Christian traditions.

Mike is the President of UniteBoston’s Board of Directors
Mike and his wife Julie also participated in UniteBoston’s Neighborhood dinners in the early years of UB

Because my life’s work sits at the intersection of spiritual formation, higher education, and ecumenical community life, I came to the Beloved Community Lab with a deep hunger for sustained, heart-level reflection. The Lab turned out to be much more than a series of thoughtful sessions. It offered a sustained invitation to examine my own heart, to become more attentive to God’s presence in people whose experiences and convictions differ from mine, and to consider more honestly whether my leadership helps create the conditions for reconciliation, belonging, and shalom.

“I Am Beloved. You Are Beloved. We Are Beloved.”

The truth I most want to hold onto from this year is beautifully simple and endlessly demanding: “I am beloved. You are beloved. We are beloved.”

Our sessions introduced a framework called the “Stool of Belovedness“—the dynamic balance of loving God, loving neighbor, and receiving one’s own belovedness. I have long believed this conceptually, but I do not always live it with equal consistency. Love of God, love of neighbor, and a healthy reception of my own belovedness are inseparable. When any one of those relationships is neglected, my capacity to participate in beloved community is diminished.

The Lab deepened my conviction that the belovedness of another person is not something I confer upon them because they agree with me, behave as I would prefer, or belong to my community. It is a reality that precedes my judgment. The truest thing about the person before me—even someone who thinks, lives, votes, worships, or interprets the world very differently—is that this person is a beloved child of God.

This does not mean that every action is acceptable, every conviction is equally true, or every disagreement can be easily reconciled. But it means that disagreement must never become permission for dehumanization.

Holding Conviction and Compassion Together

Another crucial lessons I carried away was the distinction between compassion and conviction. The Lab challenged the false assumption that fidelity to Christ requires choosing one over the other.

Christian maturity means learning to speak truth in love—holding our convictions sincerely while refusing to use them as weapons. Compassion without truth can become evasive, but conviction without compassion can become cruel, self-righteous, and spiritually violent. Jesus calls us to a much more demanding integration of grace and truth.

Our sessions on “righteous hubris” and “enemy love” were particularly searching for me. They invited me to ask an unsettling question: Where might my own convictions, however sincerely held, have caused unintended harm? I learned that bringing grief, anger, or bodily reactions honestly before God isn’t an obstacle to spiritual discernment —it can become a doorway through which the Holy Spirit reveals wounds, attachments, fears, and invitations to repentance.

How Difference Enriched My Catholic Identity

One of the greatest gifts of the Lab was developing genuine friendships with leaders whose ecclesial traditions, theological language, cultural experiences, and ministry settings differ from my own.

One friendship in particular taught me that I don’t need to translate difference immediately into either agreement or disagreement—I can first receive another person’s story as a gift. Through our conversations, I became more attentive to the communities that nurtured them, the wounds they carry, the Scriptures that sustain them, and the hopes that animate their ministry. I was reminded that another Christian tradition is not simply a collection of doctrinal propositions; it is a living community of prayer, memory, suffering, faithfulness, and encounter with God.

That experience actually made my own Catholic identity more—not less—meaningful. I was invited to articulate my tradition with greater humility and gratitude, while receiving the wisdom of another without feeling that difference threatened my fidelity. Dialogue does not require us to become less fully ourselves; it enables us to encounter one another more fully as human beings and as fellow disciples.

Bringing the “Lab” into My Daily Leadership

The Lab is showing up directly in my leadership at Boston College and beyond through a more intentional commitment to pause before responding.

I find myself asking more frequently: Am I entering this conversation primarily to persuade, defend, or resolve—or am I genuinely prepared to understand and connect? I am practicing the movement from judgment to wonder: What am I missing? What experience lies behind this conviction? What does this person most need me to understand?

In a recent leadership conversation where I felt the familiar impulse to explain my position quickly because I believed I had been misunderstood, I forced myself to pause. I allowed the other person to finish, asked a clarifying question, and reflected back the concern and value beneath their words. I eventually stated my own perspective and maintained an important boundary, but I did so without dismissing the other person or treating the disagreement as a contest. The relationship remained intact, and the conversation became far more honest.

I am discovering that beloved community doesn’t mean the absence of boundaries; a boundary can be stated firmly without contempt, and accountability can be pursued without humiliation. Conflict can be approached with care for everyone’s dignity.

An Invitation to Join the Journey

I leave this year with immense gratitude, hope, and a renewed sense of responsibility. The Beloved Community Lab reminded me that reconciliation is not an optional side interest alongside the Church’s mission—it is at the very heart of God’s mission. The credibility of our Christian witness depends upon the quality of our relationships, the manner in which we disagree, and our willingness to recognize Christ in one another.

I pray that I will continue to become a leader who is less anxious about controlling outcomes, less quick to defend, more willing to listen, and more courageous in speaking truth with compassion.

If you are a pastor, ministry leader, or non-profit director longing for a space to be formed as a peacemaker, I warmly encourage you to apply for UniteBoston’s upcoming Fall Online Beloved Community Lab Cohort. You will find a rich, challenging, and safe container to integrate your head, heart, and hands for the work of shalom.

Closing reflection and commissioning service at Larz Anderson Hill Park

God of reconciliation,
You have knit us together in Christ
And called us to the hard and holy work of mending divides in your Church and in the world.
Send us now with your Spirit
To live with integrity,
To stand in solidarity,
To speak truth in love,
And to build bridges where others have built walls.
Make us living signs of your Beloved Community.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Looking Forward: Expanding the Movement

As this pilot year came to a close, we began to hear of leaders in other contexts who share a longing to bring the journey of mending divides to their own contexts. We believe this instinct and dream for deep unity is something the Holy Spirit is birthing in our day and age.

In response to this growing movement, UniteBoston is thrilled to announce the next chapter of our story:

  • Beloved Community Consulting Opportunities & Workshops: We are extending customized training, interactive workshops, and coaching to help local congregations and community organizations put these concepts into practice in their own staffs and leadership teams.
  • Online Beloved Community Lab Cohort (Launching Fall 2026): We are officially opening up our 12-session interactive curriculum to pastors and ministry leaders nationwide who have interest in bringing this to their contexts and cities through a digital cohort space and in-person closing retreat.

The Beloved Community Lab is far more than a leadership program—it is an active experiment in Christian unity that meets this cultural moment with grace, truth, and hope. You can read a few testimonies and fruit that is emerging from the pilot cohort here! As we look to the future, we invite you to join us in living out this mission, leaning into difference without fear, and embodying the reconciling love of Christ across lines that seek to divide us.

Interested in bringing the Beloved Community Lab to your church or joining our Fall Online Cohort? Contact our team at info@uniteboston.com – we’d love to hear from you!

Mending Divides: How 16 Boston Christian Leaders Pressed into Deep Difference as Beloved Community

In a culture fractured by hostility, what if the path to Christian unity runs directly through our differences rather than around them? The Beloved Community Lab was created to move beyond shallow tolerance and instead cultivate a daily discipleship of peacemaking and reconciliation.

Read below about the fruit that is emerging from our pilot cohort, and learn how you can join the movement this fall!

By Rev. Kelly Fassett

There we were at the Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington, sitting in a circle and reflecting on the year. As we went around the room sharing what this year had meant to us, two pastors spoke back-to-back. The contrast between them was striking—one hailing from a conservative-leaning theological tradition, the other a progressive clergy member in a mainline denomination.

Yet, the unity in the room was palpable. They spoke not of theological compromise, but of a quiet, uncanny kinship—a mutual affection that genuinely willed the good of the other. One described the year as a personal “journey from tentativeness to greater dimensions of security and affection,” describing their friendship as God-ordained. The other reflected: “In my tradition, I thought I knew a lot about tolerance and radical welcome. But being in close contact with Christians who profess quite different, often deeply (and personally) challenging theological views was something I was little prepared for. The point, of course, was not to change one another’s minds. Instead, it was to find ways to love each other. And I can say that this really did happen, slowly but genuinely… This alone feels like a miracle, and I am deeply, deeply grateful for it.”

Standing at the intersection of such profound difference and profound love raises a core question for the Church today: What is at the heart of the unity we seek as followers of Jesus, and how do we actually get there?

Moving Beyond Papered-Over Peace

Historically, efforts towards Christian unity have often centered high-level doctrinal negotiations—ecumenical councils of bishops and theologians ironing out statements of belief. While doctrine is vital—at UniteBoston, we hold steadfast to the foundational truths of the Nicene Creed—we are convinced that statements alone cannot heal a fractured Church.

Perhaps the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17 is less about structural consensus and more of an invitation into the dynamic, relational dance of the Trinity itself. After all, Jesus did not leave us a checklist; He offered Himself, saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” If our shared relationship with Jesus is the most fundamental reality of our identity and purpose, then we believe Christ is the anchor capable of holding us together across deep divides.

However, I’ve seen the Church too often settling for a shallow, ‘kumbaya’ togetherness that papers over difference with polite tolerance. I’ve become dismayed by how this plays out in events I attend: at ‘unity’ gatherings, I often notice that the room is predominantly white, while ‘justice’ events are led by BIPOC individuals and those on the margins. There is a tendency to treat unity and justice as competing priorities, but this is a false dichotomy because we know that God is about both unity AND justice.

Here at UniteBoston, we are beginning to cultivate a framework for Deep Unity—believing that the path to Christian oneness runs directly through our differences, not around them. Our aim is unity in reconciled diversity—a oneness cultivated and sustained not by watering down our differences or focusing on the least common denominator, but through diverse friendships in beloved community. 

Deep Unity is a daily lifestyle and discipleship practice that:

  • Refuses to pretend differences don’t matter, choosing instead to honor the unique cultures and perspectives that enrich the body of Christ.
  • Cultivates the courage to stay at the table when conversations become difficult or uncomfortable, rather than retreating into ideological silos.
  • Approaches others with humility, curiosity, and generosity, remembering that we all “know in part” (1 Cor 13:9) and need one another to see God clearly.
  • Pursues justice for the vulnerable through cruciform solidarity—sacrificing power, privilege, and resources for the well-being of our neighbor towards holistic flourishing.
  • Listens deeply and tends to places of historical wounds, seeking the active redemption and restoration of broken relationships toward God’s vision of shalom.

The Birth of the Beloved Community Lab

Three years ago, a diverse group of Boston Christian leaders gathered around a burning question: What kind of discipleship actually forms leaders who can embody this kind of deep unity in a fractured world? We knew the answer had to move beyond mere debates, books, sermons, and conferences. What we needed was an intentional experience of holistic spiritual formation—a space that cultivated healthy engagement across Christians of differing backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. Out of that prayerful inquiry, the Beloved Community Lab (BCL) was born.

We call it a “lab” because it is both theological and practical—a courageous space to reflect, experiment, and practice with fellow Christians in a variety of leadership contexts. The 12-session curriculum centers on five foundational pillars: Belovedness, Diversity, Reconciliation, Justice, and Shalom. We operated on a simple truth: reconciliation is the Gospel, and true healing requires us to press into areas of deep disagreement so the love of Christ can mend what is broken.

The 2025–2026 Pilot Cohort: A Mosaic of Faith

From September 2025 through June 2026, we had the honor of piloting this curriculum with a cohort of sixteen courageous Boston-based pastors and ministry leaders. Representing a vast theological and denominational mosaic—including Reformed Baptist, Pentecostal, Evangelical Covenant, African Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, Episcopal, Nazarene, Assemblies of God, and United Church of Christ—this group gathered monthly to do the heavy, sacred work of bridge-building. 

Bridge-building is demanding, holy work, and our year together was no exception. We navigated hard conversations and conflict involving tension across perspectives and life experiences. This is the hard work of beloved community: coming together across profound differences will inevitably stretch and cost everyone something. Reconciliation is cruciform—it is shaped like the cross and is, by its very nature, uncomfortable.

The unity Jesus prays for is not found by ignoring our convictions, but by cultivating the courage to stay at the table when tension arises. In fact, these places of tension and discomfort become the very soil where we become formed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Gina Tillotson-Cordy, Pastor of Lynn First Church of the Nazarene, reflects on how the frameworks, conversations, and collaborative spaces within the lab shifted her perspective, equipping her to practice radical hospitality and see others more deeply as “beloved.”

For Rev. Rocklyn E. Clarke, Pastor of Life Church Boston, staying at the table provided a clearer mirror for his own ministry. He shared that the cohort gave him “a better understanding of the perspectives with which I differ and a better understanding of how to express my own perspectives. It has equipped me to better love my brothers and sisters in Christ and my neighbors who are not yet followers of Jesus.”

Similarly, Rev. Dr. Daniel Montañez, Executive Director of the Center for Public Theology & Migration, found that the space expanded his vision for the Church’s public witness: “I was challenged to reimagine what true unity within the body of Christ can look like and why it matters today. The experience has inspired me to envision the body of Christ as a model of reconciliation, justice, and abundant life for a hurting world.”

Additionally, Jeff Bass, Vice Chair of Stewards at New Roots AME and former Executive Director of the Emmanuel Gospel Center, reflected on how invaluable it was to press into the hard concepts of Christian unity alongside a broad cross-section of the Church, forging relationships that will bear fruit for years to come.

Ultimately, as Rev. Jihyon (Sophia) Kim, Youth Pastor at First Korean Church of Cambridge, summarized: “More than anything, this experience reminded me that reconciliation is not simply another ministry strategy—it is part of the Gospel itself.”

Highlights from the Closing Retreat: Mending and Commissioning

To close the inaugural Beloved Community Lab Cohort, we had a closing retreat at Bethany House of Prayer in Arlington. We took time to debrief our journey together and prayerfully discern tangible next steps toward that vision, committing to carry the work of reconciliation into our own communities and leadership contexts.

One of the most moving—and comedic—moments of the retreat was a physical parable of our year together: creating our Beloved Community Mending Blanket. Each person brought a piece of fabric representing their community or context, and together we began weaving them into what will become an ever-growing tapestry of unity in diversity.

Like visible mending, the goal isn’t to hide the seams or erase our differences. The imperfections are the point. Christ holds together our diverse stories, cultures, and experiences, allowing us to see God more fully. It stands as a visible reminder that our distinct, fragmented stories are far stronger when mended together… even with memories of beginner’s mistakes, like accidentally attaching the tablecloth to the blanket!

We concluded the retreat by commissioning each participant as an Ambassador of Reconciliation, where participants named their next steps to implement this into their contexts, and we prayed over each person to extend this work in the places God has called them to live, work, and play. We will continue to meet regularly to continue learning, practicing, and reflecting together as a Beloved Community Lab cohort family.

When Relationships Become Collaboration

The retreat may have ended, but the work of mending divides is just beginning. One of the greatest joys of the Beloved Community Lab is watching trust transform into concrete partnerships. In our closing session, when asked what they wanted to do with their Beloved Community Lab journey next, many participants shared a deep desire to collaborate across denominational and cultural lines.

This vision is already bearing fruit in real-time. Just this past Sunday, Rev. Cristina Rathbone, Executive Director of Common Cathedral and Rev. Devlin Scott, Pastor of NewCity Church came together in worship and service on the Boston Common. For the second year in a row, NewCity Church had the privilege of serving lunch before worship and joining the Common Cathedral community in celebrating God’s presence among neighbors who are unhoused and housed alike. Additionally, Life Church and Neighborhood Church of Dorchester both co-sponsored a gospel night with the Boston Project Ministries in the streets of Dorchester.

These are beautiful, living expressions of the Gospel and a reminder that the Church is at its best when we cross boundaries to love, serve, and worship together. This is what we hope the Beloved Community Lab will cultivate: relationships that grow into partnerships, partnerships that become shared ministry, and shared ministry that bears witness to the reconciling love of Christ: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:35). May this be said of us, today.

Looking Forward: Expanding the Movement

As this pilot year came to a close, we began to hear of leaders in other contexts who share a longing to bring the journey of mending divides to their own contexts. We believe this instinct and dream for deep unity is something the Holy Spirit is birthing in our day and age.

In response to this growing movement, UniteBoston is thrilled to announce the next chapter of our story:

  • Beloved Community Consulting Opportunities & Workshops: We are extending customized training, interactive workshops, and coaching to help local congregations and community organizations put these concepts into practice in their own staffs and leadership teams.
  • Online Beloved Community Lab Cohort (Launching Fall 2026): We are officially opening up our 12-session interactive curriculum to pastors and ministry leaders nationwide who have interest in bringing this to their contexts and cities through a digital cohort space and in-person closing retreat.

The Beloved Community Lab is far more than a leadership program—it is an active experiment in Christian unity that meets this cultural moment with grace, truth, and hope. As we look to the future, we invite you to join us in living out this mission, leaning into difference without fear, and embodying the reconciling love of Christ across every line that seeks to divide us.

Interested in bringing the Beloved Community Lab to your church or joining our Fall Online Cohort? Contact our team at info@uniteboston.com – we’d love to hear from you!

I Love the Pope’s New Encyclical: Here’s Why 

What if our reliance on artificial intelligence is quietly eroding our desire for real community? 

Writing from her perspective as a Catholic theologian, UB Cohort Alum, and pastoral associate at Sacred Hearts Parish, Dr. Elizabeth Woodard dives into Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, to examine the hidden biases of technology and its impact on human dignity. Read her  reflection below to see why she loves the new encyclical, how it promotes Christian unity, and how leaning into our human limitations can actually lead us closer to God and one another.

By Dr. Elizabeth Woodard

How does the encyclical impact me as a Catholic?

As a Catholic, I am not surprised to find myself loving Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), promulgated by Pope Leo XIV in May 2026. The pope articulates what I can only call the “creepiness factor” regarding AI. Although he acknowledges that it is a valuable tool, he clearly expresses the dangers of outsourcing our very thinking to non-humans, warning that “humanity can become a victim of its own achievements” (94).  There are many ways this can take a downward turn, but two of them are the perspectives built into AI under the surface, which we often don’t see or consider; and the “simulation of human communication” (100) over real connection.

The sheer speed at which AI can generate answers can draw us into excessive reliance on it, overlooking the fact that the instant response “reflect[s] the cultural assumptions of those who designed and trained [the algorithm]” (100). And while people recognize they are not communicating with another person, the pope recognizes a danger that they may gradually lose the very desire to form genuine human connections” (100) as we become so accustomed to “talking” with the algorithm. 

I consider the way I long for a doom scroll session at the end of a long day. Then I wonder how I ever got along without this daily dopamine hit. Oh yeah, I had relationships, hobbies, aspirations… A screen has much more addictive dopamine than any of these.

So, is it AI (specifically) or screens (in general) the Pope cautions about?

I see them as inseparable. As a mother, I am increasingly aware and afraid of children addicted to artificial simulations of the world, unable to exist in the actual world, like with this simulation of human connection. Just read Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation for more on this. It absolutely blew my mind. This quote means a lot to me in this regard: “Without careful attention, an educational system lacking in a love for truth may emerge…As knowledge becomes increasingly fragmented, it becomes difficult to grasp reality as a whole, to ask profound questions about meaning, or to develop authentic, critical and creative thought. Many educators already report signs of dehumanization, where people may ‘know many things’ but struggle to find direction in their lives.” (146)

Is the Pope saying anything radically new?

Both yes and no. In many ways, he draws on the wisdom of many previous popes, especially in basing everything he says on the Catholic social doctrine of universal human dignity (that is, we all deserve fair and dignified treatment as image-bearers of God.)

However, while previous popes have focused on universal access to things like food, water, and shelter, Pope Leo focuses on access to truth itself. I hadn’t been able to name this aspect of the “creepiness factor” about AI because I really hadn’t thought too deeply about where all these ready-made answers come from. But here we are: an algorithm decides what I see when I’m doom scrolling, it gives me advice when I need it, it summarizes the webpages it decides are important. But AI only gives the “impression of objectivity” (100). But it is an algorithm designed by humans.

The pope goes so far as to say, the more we outsource our thinking and decision making to AI, “important and sensitive decisions…risk being fully delegated to automated systems that do not know compassion, mercy, forgiveness.” Therefore, it can “give rise to new forms of exclusion.” (102) This has profound implications for the possible dangers to human dignity: “Entrusting an algorithm in practice with the power to select who is worthy or not…is to hand over the task of redefining the boundaries of human possibilities…The exclusion of the vulnerable becomes cloaked in a veneer of neutrality and objectivity, against which it becomes difficult to raise objections.” (103) 

I hadn’t thought of this. Exclusion, especially exclusion disguised as fairness, is really a key component of Christian unity. Humans cannot enter genuine Christian relationship with each other if it is not on a level of mutual respect for the dignity of the other. AI is not a bad tool in and of itself, but it can be used for the evil of disguised bias if only a select few are in charge of what constitutes “truth.”

How does this impact me as a theologian?

During my time as a doctoral student at the Catholic University of America, I became accustomed to hearing phrases such as “the good, the true, and the beautiful” or “wisdom over knowledge” or “faith seeking understanding,” as the basis for how the Christian intellectual tradition aims to follow Christ. Christ: the Logos itself, our “source and our summit.” (Lumen Gentium, 11)

As we each are unrepeatable and irreplaceable pieces of God’s body, we are given the gifts of this world to ultimately direct us to our telos beyond this world. (I might thank St. Augustine for his influence here). But our modern world more commonly treats  “everything that appears as a ‘limit’ — incapacity, illness, old age, suffering, vulnerability…primarily as a defect to be corrected, rather than as a reality through which our humanity matures and opens itself to relationship.” (118) The Christian faith and Pope Leo emphasize that it is actually in the throes of these painful limits “that we can discover a new wisdom, tangibly experience the closeness of others, and encounter the presence of the Lord.” (119) 

This is not new—Christian theology always rests in the belief in grace and divine sanctification through Christ—but AI has given us a new and instantaneous way to try to solve our limitations, uncertainties, and unanswerable questions. It is a true idolatry, in the original sense of the word, to rely more on machines than on God to navigate life’s uncertainties. The Christian theological tradition invites us to look beyond the problems of this life to our ultimate destiny in Christ eternally. And it invites us to look beyond those problems to God as our comfort and sanctifier through those problems. If we are to navigate beyond the problems of this life, what is the source of wisdom we would use to do so? The pope beautifully says, to this, “The Christian faith answers that question by pointing to a fulfillment that does not arise from a technological divinization, but through God’s grace received in Christ.” (126)

How and why is all of this a matter of unity among Christians? 


I see two important considerations:

1.  For the first time, a pope officially apologized for taking so long to condemn slavery. He states: “It was only in the nineteenth century that a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated, notably under Pope Leo XIII…It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord. For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.” (176) 

To model such contrition and to name the importance of racial justice in the name of Christ whose face is borne by all, especially the most oppressed, is at the heart of Christian mission. It’s also at the heart of Christian unity. 

2: Simply put, we’re all in this together. The work of building God’s kingdom on earth, a kingdom marked by truth, connection, and love of God and neighbor—this is work for all Christians. The Gospel compels us to care for each human person, each magnificent human, as precious image-bearers. We don’t make it unless we all make it. 

Why I Keep Coming Back to the Global Leadership Summit

Today, Pastor Stephen Nyakairu from Grace Chapel Watertown reflects on leadership lessons he’s gained over years in ministry through his attendance at the Global Leadership Summit (GLS). He reminds us that the slow work of the Kingdom of God begins with ourselves: a posture of humility, a willingness to learn, and the discernment that comes with time and community.

Building off of the GLS theme of this year, “what you repeat becomes what you produce,” read below to hear Pastor Stephen’s challenge to approach leadership growth with a commitment to the long, deep work that often happens in hidden places before bearing its best fruit.

By Pastor Stephen Nyakairu, Grace Chapel Watertown

The world is facing significant challenges on multiple fronts—division, loneliness, uncertainty, polarization, and complex social needs that affect every community. Meeting these challenges will require leaders who are growing in wisdom, humility, courage, and effectiveness.

No single church, organization, or leader can address these realities alone. The future will require greater collaboration, deeper learning, and stronger partnerships across communities, sectors, and the Body of Christ.

That is one of the reasons I keep coming back to the Global Leadership Summit.

For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of serving as a pastor in Greater Boston. I spent 11 years serving a church in Shirley, Massachusetts, and today I serve at Grace Chapel. Through every season of ministry, one conviction has remained constant: I want to keep growing as a leader.

My first experience with the Global Leadership Summit came at a pivotal time in my ministry in 2006. I had just begun serving as the pastor of a church that had been established for more than 100 years. While it had a rich history, it had stopped growing, and we knew we needed to transition toward becoming a church that intentionally reached our neighbors, friends, and family members.

I had just graduated from Gordon Conwell Theological seminary. I had theological and biblical training, but I quickly realized that leading change was a different challenge altogether. I knew I needed help, so I attended the Global Leadership Summit.

There, I was introduced to John Maxwell’s teaching that “leadership is influence.” That simple definition reshaped the way I thought about leadership and ministry. He then taught the Five Levels of Leadership, and I began to see where I was in my own journey.

I realized that I had been leading from position. People followed me because I was the pastor. But I learned that positional leadership is only the beginning. I needed to earn permission by building trust and healthy relationships. 

Then I learned I needed to move into production—helping the church accomplish meaningful goals so people could see the fruit of our work together. As our ministry grew, I discovered the importance of developing people, not just producing results. Leadership became less about what I could accomplish and more about raising up other leaders who could multiply the mission.

Today, as I reflect on that journey, I realize that much of my passion is centered on people development. I love helping others discover their gifts, grow in their leadership, and become leaders who develop even more leaders. 

Maxwell’s final level, personhood, reminds me that the greatest influence comes not from a title but from a life marked by character, integrity, and consistent service. That vision continues to shape the kind of leader I want to become.

Another lesson from the Global Leadership Summit that has stayed with me came from Andy Stanley. He challenged leaders to choose to be students rather than critics. 

That idea has profoundly influenced how I lead teams. When someone brings a new idea, my first response shouldn’t be, “How are we going to do that?” Instead, it should be, “What an incredible idea.” This is much easier said than done. When someone brings us an idea, our first response is never to say, “WOW!” Our instincts should be to ask, “HOW!” 

I’ve realized that too often, dreams and creativity die because we ask “how” before we embrace the possibility. Great leaders cultivate curiosity before they evaluate feasibility.

I also learned that leadership begins with listening and learning before leading. Many of us instinctively want to lead first and listen later, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. The most effective leaders listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, invite feedback, and remain teachable. 

Even criticism can become a gift because it provides information we can use to grow.

These principles have shaped not only my ministry but also my family. When my wife, Rebekah, and I married 13 years ago, we made a commitment to be students, not critics—to remain lifelong learners who listen well so we can lead well together. 

Now, four kids later, we’re seeking to instill that same love of lifelong learning in our children, encouraging them to keep growing as they take their own steps to follow Jesus.

That is one reason this year’s GLS theme resonates so deeply with me:

“What you repeat becomes what you produce.”


That is one of the reasons I continue to attend the Global Leadership Summit every year. I see it as an investment in my own growth. Every time I attend, I leave with fresh ideas, renewed vision, and practical tools that help me become a better leader for my church, my family, and my community.

The Summit has been one of the most significant leadership investments of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the impact it has had on my journey. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give ourselves—and the people we lead—is the willingness to keep learning. That is why I keep coming back to the Global Leadership Summit, and why I want to personally invite Christian leaders in Boston to join me. Not because I have everything figured out, but because I do not.

We need one another. I’m convinced we need spaces that challenge our assumptions, expand our perspective, and equip us for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Every year I am reminded that leadership growth is never finished, and every year I leave grateful for the opportunity to learn, reflect, and take another step forward. I hope you will join us.

Pastor Stephen has eloquently shared the impact of the Global Leadership Summit – We encourage Christian leaders in Boston to join in! It will take place on August 6-7 at Watertown, Wilmington and Lexington. You can sign up www.grace.org/gls


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