A Joint Initiative of
NATI-RETI 2026 is a fully immersive residential theological learning program designed as a pilgrimage across borders — bringing together emerging Christian leaders from the United States and Canada for deep theological reflection and spiritual fellowship.
Drawing inspiration from the World Council of Churches’ Global Ecumenical Theological Institutes (GETI) — which have gathered emerging theologians in Busan, Arusha, Karlsruhe, Abuja, and Wadi El Natrun — NATI-RETI adapts this proven model of immersion and dialogue to the specific context of North America-Turtle Island.
This initiative marks a significant renewed chapter in cross-border collaboration, creating a shared platform to engage the deep intersections of faith and public life, and to nurture the visible unity of the church.
This question serves as the common thread weaving through every plenary, study group, study visit, and intercultural contextual immersion. It challenges North American churches to move beyond abstract affirmations and confront the tangible requirements of the Gospel in their specific contexts.
Whether discussing climate, race, politics, economics, or solidarity with indigenous communities, the question of justice—and the church’s role in embodying it—will intersect with all theological and ecumenical reflections.
Three companion publications shape NATI-RETI 2026 — a curriculum for the study of the mind, a prayer book for the heart, and a reader gathering the voices that guide both.
The pedagogical framework for our gathering in Detroit and Toronto — the six thematic pillars, a three-tiered methodology, and the academic credit pathway.
Explore the Curriculum
Morning prayer for each day of the residential phase, framed by the Opening and Closing Celebrations — scripture, song, and prayer from the traditions of Turtle Island.
Explore the Prayer Book
“Where Now for Visible Justice?” — the companion anthology to the curriculum, gathering foundational readings for each of the six pillars from scholarly, ecclesial, and Indigenous voices.
Read the ReaderThe two-week immersion is structured into two distinct geographical and thematic phases, allowing for a comparative and holistic exploration of the North American–Turtle Island context.
Guided by the central theme of visible justice, the curriculum addresses six critical dimensions grounded in the lived realities of North American–Turtle Island communities.
Theological and practical responses to the ecological crisis, integrating care for creation with the church’s commitment to justice for all peoples.
Navigating faith and public witness in increasingly secularized societies, and discerning the church’s voice and role in the public square.
Addressing systemic injustice and the church’s responsibility in dismantling white supremacy and building communities of genuine equity and belonging.
Building meaningful bridges with neighbours of living faiths in our pluralistic societies, and discerning the ecumenical calling to peaceful coexistence.
Understanding and exploring the legacy of colonialism and the church’s path toward genuine reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island.
Analyzing economic inequality and inequity within two of the world’s wealthiest nations through the lens of prophetic theology and Gospel witness.
Adapted from the GETI 2025 Curriculum, all NATI-RETI modules employ a three-tiered methodological approach ensuring learning is simultaneously intellectually rigorous, spiritually grounded, and contextually relevant.
Engaging with theological texts, historical documents, and contextual analyses relevant to North American–Turtle Island realities. Critical examination of dominant narratives and their relationship to the Gospel call for justice.
Grounding intellectual engagement in prayer, lament, worship, and theological reflection. Incorporating diverse spiritual traditions represented in the ecumenical community, including Indigenous, Black, and settler church expressions.
Connecting learning to specific communities and contexts in Detroit and Toronto as living classrooms. Exploring the lived realities of Indigenous, racialized, migrant, and marginalized communities through site visits and community encounters.
For participants who wish to integrate this pilgrimage into their formal theological education, NATI-RETI 2026 offers the opportunity to earn academic credit at the Toronto School of Theology.
This optional accreditation formally recognizes the rigorous contextual and ecumenical engagement required during the two-week institute.
Read Complete Academic GuidelinesEarn formal academic credit equivalent in ecumenical theology, which may be applied toward your ongoing degree programs.
Credit evaluation is seamlessly woven into the methodology, based on active immersion, collaborative presentations, and a final theological paper.
Whether pursuing academic credit or attending for personal leadership development, all participants who complete the full program receive an official NATI-RETI Certificate of Completion.
NATI-RETI 2026 gathers a carefully selected, diverse cohort of emerging Christian scholars and leaders committed to the visible unity and justice of the Church.
Experienced facilitators will guide small groups and serve as mentors throughout both phases of the journey, ensuring deep theological engagement and personal formation.
Facilitation Team & Program Staff · NATI-RETI 2026
The Rev. Dr. Loida I. Martell is Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean Emerita, and Professor of Constructive Theology Emerita of Lexington Theological Seminary. Dr. Martell served as the 18th VPAA/Dean of Lexington Theological Seminary and joined its faculty in August of 2017, and retired in August of 2025. She is a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine and ordained in the American Baptist Churches/USA. Dr. Martell is co-editor of Teología en Conjunto: A Collaborative Hispanic Protestant Theology (WJK), and co-author of Latina Evangélicas: A Theological Survey from the Margins (Cascade Books). She is a co-convener for the National Council of Churches Table of Theological Dialogue and Matters of Faith and Order. Dr. Martell was the Distinguished Fellow for the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable for 2024. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion (of AAR/SBL) in 2022. The American Baptist Home Missions Societies awarded Dr. Martell the 2015 Richard Hoiland Christian Education Award, its highest recognition for “faithful and effective leadership in Christian education,” for her long-standing work in nurturing culturally and racially diverse classrooms and for exceptional leadership.
Soren M. Hessler is Assistant Professor in the Practice of Leadership and Administration, Director of the Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership Program, and Co-Director of the Atlanta Rabbinic Leadership Lab at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Hessler earned his Ph.D. in practical theology at Boston University. His research emerges at the intersections of higher education administration, ecumenical and interreligious studies, and leadership theory. He serves as treasurer of the Association for Interreligious/Interfaith Studies and as treasurer for Interreligious Studies Media, the parent organization of the Journal of Interreligious Studies. He is also co-general editor of Methodist Review. Hessler is an elder in full connection in the West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and serves as co-convenor of the Christian Education, Faith Formation, and Leadership Development Convening Table of the National Council of Churches of the Churches in Christ in the USA.
Rubén David is a Ph.D. candidate at Emmanuel College of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. He is a Visiting Professor at Lexington Theological Seminary and the Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico, a Seasonal Lecturer at Emmanuel College, and the Chief Editor of the Baptist Peacemaker, the church journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. He has also worked as a Research Fellow, collaborating on archival research related to the processes of colonization and conquest in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Rooted in his Puerto Rican identity and history, Rubén David’s scholarship explores the intersections of colonial processes in Latin America and the Caribbean. His research interests include decolonial thinking and theology, Latin American liberation theology, studies on imagination and dreams, identity theories, and gender and sexuality studies, with a special emphasis on masculinities. His doctoral research investigates the colonial influences on contemporary understandings of what it means to “be a man” in Latin America and the Caribbean. Rubén David publishes peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and book reviews, and serves as a translator for academic articles and conferences in Anglo-North America. He was awarded the Forum for Theological Exploration Doctoral Fellowship in both 2024 and 2025, as well as the 2024 Honorary Dissertation Fellowship from the Louisville Institute. He lives in Toronto with his wife Leslie and their two daughters, Beatriz and Julieta.
Rev. Jennifer Susanne Leath, Ph.D. is the Queen’s National Scholar and Associate Professor in Black Religions at Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario, Canada); she is also the pastor of Tanner-Price AME Church (Windsor, Ontario, Canada). Prior to Queen’s, Dr. leath served on the faculty of Iliff School of Theology (Denver, CO) as the Assistant Professor of Religion and Social Justice and Director of the Master of Arts in Social Justice and Ethics degree program after completing her A.B. at Harvard University, her M.Div. at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, and her Ph.D. at Yale University. Dr. leath also helped establish the Center on African American Religion, Sexual Politics, and Social Justice (CARSS) at Columbia University, serving as its first Director of Research. Dr. leath was a fellow in the Women’s Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School (2014-2015).
Rev. leath is an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and, prior to Tanner-Price, she pastored Campbell AME Church (Media, PA), Allen AME Church (White Plains, NY), Campbell Chapel AME Church (Denver, CO). Pastor leath expresses her love for all people through her passion for justice and dismantling all forms of oppression. She especially demonstrates her unequivocal commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion, and indigeneity through her sexual justice work within the AME Church and Black religious traditions more broadly as well as through her research and writing. Beyond her numerous articles, Dr. leath’s first monograph, Black, Quare, and Then to Where: Theories of Justice and Black Sexual Ethics, was published in Fall 2023 (Duke University Press). Through this book, leath introduces and develops “quare” possibilities for flourishing Black futures. Also passionate about the ways diverse Christian traditions can pursue and promote justice together through ecumenical engagement, Dr. leath serves as a Co-Moderator of the Joint Consultative Group between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Pentecostal Churches and a member of the Central Committee of the WCC.
Deivit is a passionate advocate for intercultural leadership, a path he’s walked personally and professionally. Currently serving as Associate Secretary for Intercultural Leadership at the Council, he brings three years of experience as Teaching, Research, and Program Coordinator from the Forum for Intercultural Leadership and Learning (FILL). Deivit is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto, where his research explores the profound intersections between economics, theology, decolonial thinking, and ethics. This academic pursuit complements his diverse practical background, which includes roles as an Educational Consultant for the World Council of Churches’ Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) and as the Latin American Program Director for the NGO Globethics. These experiences have solidified Deivit’s conviction that intercultural understanding is a catalyst for transformative change. He envisions interculturality as a bridge, connecting faith with social action to create a more just and equitable world for all.
Keith Swartzendruber is Senior Administrator at the National Council of Churches. He received his MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC. Keith is a member of Hyattsville (MD) Mennonite Church, a congregation of Mennonite Church USA.
Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland is a faith leader, public theologian, consultant, strategist, writer and justice advocate. She is currently the Senior Associate General Secretary and Advocacy Director for the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and serves as an associate minister at Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.
In 2022, Dr. Copeland-Tune was named as “22 Faith Leaders to Watch” by the Center for American Progress, a think tank in Washington, D.C. She is the Chair of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment and serves on the board of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. She has recently been appointed to serve on the board for Interfaith Works in Montgomery County, Md.
Dr. Copeland-Tune is the author of 24/7 Embodying Christ-like Leadership, published by Judson Press, and is the proud mom of two justice-minded young adults.
Amanda Dowd is a media and communications professional who currently serves as Communications Officer with the National Council of Churches USA. With a background in teaching humanities and film studies, she earned both a BA in Humanities and an MLA in Humanities and Film Studies from the University of South Florida. She is passionate about cultural theory and enjoys exploring the connections between film, media, and society. Inspired by a love of creative storytelling, she recently completed an MA in Film and Media Production at American University, graduating in May 2025.
Her experience includes producing, editing, directing, graphic design, and illustration. While enrolled in the Film and Media Production program, Dowd produced short films for the National Park Service and the 48-Hour Film Project in Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA. Growing up in the ecologically and culturally unique state of Florida, she’s passionate about crafting compelling and meaningful stories that explore the intersection of advocacy, wildlife conservation and the diverse stories of individuals.
Matthew Markay was the Project Coordinator for the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C., and the Production Coordinator for the MOSAIC Storytelling Initiative. He is passionate about bringing people of faith together to engage in advocacy and civic action, amplifying their voices on issues of justice.
A summa cum laude graduate of American University, Matthew is active in Christian student leadership and loves cooking, spending time with loved ones, and exploring the outdoors. Matthew is attending Princeton Theological Seminary in the fall.
Rachel Keys graduated with a BFA in Kinetic Imaging from Virginia Commonwealth University. She worked for three years as a Project Manager for a small media production company based outside of Richmond and now serves as Assistant Project Coordinator for the National Council of Churches of the USA.
Thea lives on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories as a white settler. Thea grew up in the United Church of Canada, where she has worked as a coordinator and mentor for various youth and social justice programs. She is also a member of the General Council executive, and is the President-Elect for the Pacific Mountain Regional Council. Thea recently completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia where she majored in Political Science and minored in First Nations and Indigenous Studies. She is passionate about community and justice, which is encompassed in her work for decolonization, harm reduction, and intercultural learning. She is also on the board of the Pivot Legal Society and chair of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy. Thea is excited to be working for the Forum for Intercultural Leadership and Learning for the Canadian Council of Churches and the opportunities for learning that come with it.
The Canadian Council of Churches (CCC) is a broad and inclusive ecumenical body, now representing 26-member churches, including Anglican, Eastern and Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Free Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, and Historic Protestant traditions. Together, these member churches comprise 85% of the Christians in Canada. The Canadian Council of Churches was founded in 1944.
The fellowship of churches that seeks unity, a common witness, and service in the name of Jesus Christ. NATI-RETI is inspired by the WCC’s Global Ecumenical Theological Institute model.
The leading voice of witness to the living Christ in the public square since 1950, bringing together 37 member communions representing over 35 million Christians.
through the Scholarship of St. Basil the Great
NATI-RETI 2026 represents a vital investment in the future of the ecumenical movement in North America–Turtle Island. By gathering in Detroit and Toronto, we commit to a theology that is not only learned but lived—in solidarity with those who are marginalized and in prayerful hope for the unity of the Church.
For inquiries and information: contact@nati-reti.org
