Dr. Frank B Raymond: The theme of the 2010 NACSW conference, “Celebrating our Past and Shaping our Future,” challenges us to look back and to look ahead as we examine Christian social work.  Accordingly, this presentation will identify some of the most significant changes that have impacted the field of social work during the past several decades and will examine the implications of these changes for Christian social work education and practice in the present and future.  Recent years have witnessed dramatic social, economic, technological and environmental changes throughout the world, and these changes will provide the background for looking at changes affecting Christian social work.  What are the new roles and tasks of Christian social workers, and what new knowledge and skill sets must they possess in order to carry out these new responsibilities.  At the same time, what has remained unchanged in the practice of Christian social work, and what traditional knowledge, values, beliefs and practice skills should  Christian social workers cling to in order to remain true to their calling and provide effective services in a changing world.

Frank B. Raymond is Dean Emeritus and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina.  He graduated from Wake Forest University, Magna Cum Laude, with a major in religion. He then received the MSW degree from the University of North Carolina, and the Ph.D. degree in social work from Tulane University. From 1959 until 1965, Dr. Raymond served as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist church in Danville, Virginia.  He subsequently began a ministry in the field of social services. During his social work career he has worked in public welfare, at the V.A. Hospital, the Federal Probation Office, the Department of Psychiatry at Tulane Medical School, and the Louisiana Narcotics Rehabilitation Commission. In 1972 he began service as a Professor of social work in the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina, and served as Dean of this college from 1980 until his retirement in 2002. During his career he has chaired or served on numerous boards, committees, and task forces concerned with human services.  He has published five books related to administration, technology and social work education, as well as over 200 book chapters and journal articles in areas such as management, program evaluation, technology, social work education, educational administration, corrections, health care, and child abuse.   

Dr. Raymond has been a member of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work, and the International Consortium for Social Development.  He has held major leadership positions in most of these organizations.                                  

Learning Objectives: By participating in this preconvention institute, participants will gain:

• An understanding of some of the most significant social, economic, technological and environmental changes that have occurred throughout the world during recent decades

• An awareness of how these changes have affected the field of social work practice and social work  education;

• Knowledge of some of the new roles and responsibilities faced by Christian social workers as a result of these larger societal  changes.

• An understanding of the new types of knowledge and skill sets needed by Christian social workers in order to meet these new challenges; and

• An appreciation of the traditional knowledge, beliefs, values and practice skills social workers must maintain in order to continue to serve effectively regardless of the social changes that may occur.

Level of Presentation: Beginning, Intermediate

Target Audience: Students, social work practitioners, counselors, clergy

Number of Continuing Education Contact Hours Offered: 1.0 hours

Dr. Mark Chaves: The Alan Keith-Lucas Lecture featuring, Dr. Mark Chaves, Professor of Sociology, Religion and Divinity at Duke University, speaking on, "Religious Trends in America." This plenary presentation will ask questions about: What is changing in American religion? What is staying the same? In this lecture Dr. Chaves will describe continuity and change in American religion since 1970. He will discuss trends in religious demography as well as religious belief, attitudes, and practices, as well as salient changes within congregations. At the end of his lecture, several NACSW members will respond to Dr. Chaves' presentation with a particular focus on drawing out the implications of Dr. Chaves' findings for social work practice.

Mark Chaves has a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School and a PhD in Sociology from Harvard University. He is Professor of Sociology, Religion, and Divinity at Duke University. Among other projects, he directs the National Congregations Study (NCS), a wide-ranging survey of a nationally representative sample of religious congregations. Results from the 1998 NCS have helped us to better understand many aspects of congregational life in the United States. Professor Chaves is the author of Congregations in America (Harvard, 2004), Ordaining Women: Culture and Conflict in Religious Organizations (Harvard, 1997) and many articles, mainly on the social organization of religion in the United States. He currently is Chair of the General Social Survey’s Board of Overseers and President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Learning Objectives: Following this workshop, participants will be able to:

Level of Presentation: Intermediate, Advanced

Target Audience: Students, social work educators, social work practitioners

Number of Continuing Education Contact Hours Offered: 1.0 hours