Religion
Speaking truth to power-the thunderous messages of the Hebrew prophets-what do they mean today?
Posted: October 31, 2019 at 6:14 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2020 at 7:54 pm
In all of literature there are few parallels to the soaring rhetoric and poetry of the Hebrew prophets. They speak to us clearly today after almost three millennia: Amos in 800 BC crying seeking help for the poor and the disenfranchised (“let justice flow like a river”); Hosea comparing his country to a prostitute; Isaiah […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, Laptop
Is That Really in the Bible?
Posted: June 3, 2019 at 6:45 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2020 at 7:55 pm
Nearly everybody has a favorite event or story from the Bible. Ruth has collected dozens of them for the class, each with a very different spin than may be customary. The lecture will address love stories in Genesis, and great curses in Deuteronomy, the stories of Deborah and Hannah—two great heroines—will be covered. Several stories […]
A/V requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, Laptop
Biblical Villains and Villainesses
Posted: April 13, 2017 at 6:51 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2020 at 7:56 pm
Biblical villains and villainesses: This talk reviews some of the notable bad characters in the Old and New Testaments, including Cain, Jezebel, Athalea, Nebuchadnezzar, King Herod, and many others. Presentation is available remotely/virtually.
A/V requirements: None
Government Policies in Biblical Times
Posted: April 13, 2017 at 6:49 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Government policies in biblical times. Human rights, gender equity, inheritance rights, etc. This talk examines governmental issues in Bible times with respect to topics that are in today’s news, like civil rights, gender equity, limits of governmental authority, and many others. Presentation is available remotely/virtually.
A/V requirements: None
W. H. Auden
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 8:10 pm, Last Updated: September 29, 2014 at 8:11 pm
A brief overview, with sample poems, of one of the sanest and wittiest poets of the 20th century.
A/V requirements: None
Themes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Sermons
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 7:46 pm, Last Updated: April 22, 2020 at 3:54 pm
Most of our knowledge about MLK, Jr. is through his political speeches. This presentation focus on spiritual themes found in 8 of his sermons. While one can see many links to his political life, Dr. King was an ordained minister who started his career as a person who gave sermons. Presentation is available remotely/virtually.
A/V requirements: None
Religious Conflicts and Their Resolution
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 2:43 pm, Last Updated: April 23, 2020 at 8:04 pm
Why do religious conflicts sometimes become lethal? What is causing the current spread of violent religious conflicts worldwide? What can be done to resolve these conflicts? Presentation is available remotely/virtually.
A/V requirements: None
Origins of Philosophy in Ancient Greece
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 9:35 pm, Last Updated: April 22, 2020 at 4:41 pm
In seventh century B.C.E. Greece, an investigation arose that was so unusual that a new word, philosophic, was invented. This talk focuses on how philosophia differed from other ways of thinking, how it was similar, and the importance of its influence. The influences of neighboring civilizations such as Egypt, Persia, and Babylon are explored. Presentation […]
A/V requirements: LCD, Screen
How Do You Listen to Sermons?
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 7:20 pm, Last Updated: April 22, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Provides different approaches to help people focus on the message in a sermon by being aware of good listening skills and how to adapt one’s interest in the topic to the sermon process. Presentation is available remotely/virtually.
A/V requirements: None
Creationism
Posted: September 10, 2014 at 12:13 pm, Last Updated: March 18, 2015 at 5:34 pm
Why do so many people embrace creationism and reject evolution? What are their arguments and how does creationism promote community, address concerns about education and the rearing of good children, and the perceived dangerous consequences of evolutionary thinking?
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen
Communicating Evolution
Posted: September 10, 2014 at 12:07 pm, Last Updated: September 24, 2014 at 7:11 pm
It does no good to argue with people who don’t believe evolution. But since it is the foundation of modern biology and represents constructive critical thought in science, it is useful to know how to teach evolution without confrontation. This is not so much a lecture as a discussion.
A/V requirements: LCD, Screen
Apocalyptic Beliefs
Posted: September 9, 2014 at 8:09 pm, Last Updated: September 24, 2014 at 6:19 pm
Studying other cultures helps to understand the social forces that lead to apocalyptic and related messianic, prophetic, and millenarian religious beliefs. Are these forces present in our society today?
A/V requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen