ROM 2025 Asks the Question: Adapt or Resist?

Registration is open for the Renewing Our Minds (ROM) Summer Gathering, 

taking place August 3-15, 2025 in Tuk, Croatia.

This year, the Renewing Our Minds summer gathering will maintain its focus on reconciliation and leadership development, while also featuring a special theme: Adapt or Resist. The past year has been a year of protest in the Balkans, the rest of Europe, and around the world. Our societies are split along religious, generational, and political lines on issues from immigration to economic challenges to family values and more.

We will be discussing the challenging question of how to respond to these divisions, widespread protests and boycotts, and, in some cases, the rise of more oppressive or authoritarian movements.

Sometimes to adapt is to appease and thereby empower those with ill intentions, while at other times to adapt is to build bridges and de-escalate tensions.

Sometimes to resist is to speak truth to power and stand up for what is right, and sometimes to resist is to refuse to be flexible and understand other perspectives.

When we look at Jesus' example, we see that he embodied both behaviors: he told us to turn the other cheek and love our enemies, yet he turned over the tables in the temple, he told his disciples to 'give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" and he publicly debated religious and political leaders and challenged their teachings.

If you are interested in hearing from experienced speakers on these topics, engage in vigorous and respectful discussion of practical examples, and become part of a community that can provide support through difficult decisions, your place is at the ROM 2025 summer gathering!

The summer gathering is intended for students and young professionals, ages 18-35, with a strong command of the English language, interested in building bridges in their community and nation, and gaining skills to adapt or resist, as the situation dictates, to increasingly challenging times. You can find more practical information on our event page here.