AVC to develop "Mending Division Academy" for church groups
Stiefel Freethought Foundation donates $100,000
September 16, 2022 - Families, friends and faith groups have been torn apart by increasing divisiveness and polarization. The American Values Coalition empowers people to mend these divisions and reject the causes. To that end, we're excited to announce the development of a course for small groups, "Mending Division Academy" (MDA), to achieve a better understanding of the sources of our divisions and how to heal the brokenness, in our churches and our communities.
“AVC’s focus is always on making a real difference in people's daily lives,” said AVC Executive Director Napp Nazworth. “In our outreach to those affected by disinformation and radicalization, we have found a hunger for information, resources, and a community to help them fight back. The MDA will be the culmination of much of our work to provide that assistance.”
As divisiveness, anti-democratic rhetoric, and political extremism have heightened, so have efforts from a new center of American politics to renew and strengthen our shared commitments to the values of democracy and pluralism. Americans on the center-left and center-right are joining hands to fight the sources seeking to undermine our commitments to our knowledge-advancing and freedom-protecting institutions, which allow peaceful protest alongside peaceful transfers of power. This new center wants a society where we can disagree agreeably, and where we use our government to find common ground rather than tear each other down.
The $100,000 donation from the Stiefel Freethought Foundation that makes "Mending Division Academy" possible is a reflection of this new center.
“We must defend our democracy by leveraging our common values and learning to debunk misinformation designed to manipulate us,” said Todd Stiefel, president of the Stiefel Freethought Foundation. “I am thrilled to be partnered with the American Values Coalition in the creation of the Mending Division Academy.”
The MDA course will be ready for testing in early 2023 and made available for churches shortly thereafter. Initially, the course will be for Christian groups, and include Bible study alongside important new research on a wide range of relevant topics, such as polarization, social media consumption, journalism, and Christian nationalism. A non-sectarian version may also be developed at a future date.
If you have any questions or would like to set up an interview with AVC or the Stiefel Freethought Foundation, contact napp@americanvalues.org.