Religion
Pope Leo XIV’s Pontificate Focuses on AI Ethics and Regulation (Speaker: Sean Spence)
Posted: June 24, 2025 at 8:16 pm, Last Updated: June 24, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected American pontiff, has declared artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on human dignity, justice, and labor as a signature issue of his papacy. Drawing inspiration from his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, who advocated for workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution, Pope Leo XIV aims to address the challenges posed […]
Fintechs: A New Paradigm of Growth (Speaker: Sean Spence)
Posted: June 24, 2025 at 8:12 pm, Last Updated: June 24, 2025 at 8:14 pm
Over the past decade, technological progress and innovation have catapulted the fintech sector from the fringes to the forefront of financial services. And the growth has been fast and furious, buoyed by the robust growth of the banking sector, rapid digitization, changing customer preferences, and increasing support of investors and regulators. During this decade, fintechs […]
Biblical Heroes and Villains (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: January 6, 2025 at 7:34 pm
This topic reviews dozens of powerful characters in the Old and New Testaments. Research has uncovered many fascinating insights. For example, King David probably had a very unhappy childhood, as described in one of his psalms. Even though the Persians occupied Israel for over 200 years, King Cyrus was extolled in Isaiah and also by […]
Meeting the Bible Musically: Broadway Shows, Folk songs, Operas, Oratorios, Symphonies, and More (Speaker: Steve Ruth)e
Posted: January 6, 2025 at 7:32 pm
When you hear “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, it may not be obvious that it’s a famous Bible story—Elijah entering heaven. George Handel also wrote many stirring oratorios centered on famous Bible heroes and heroines. In this course, we will encounter dozens of wonderful melodies from operas, symphonies, Broadway shows, popular music, and more. They are […]
A New Look at Famous Biblical Curses and Blessings: Do They Apply Today? (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: May 24, 2024 at 3:25 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:36 pm
The current political climate seems to be filled with threats and sometimes near-apocalyptic warnings. Stephen Ruth finds them very similar to some of the biblical writings. The Bible’s major and minor prophets feature curses, threats, and fierce complaints against Israel’s enemies, as well as stern commentaries aimed at the people of Israel themselves. The Torah […]
A/V requirements: None
Looking for Public Policy Solutions? Some Lessons from the Bible (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: May 24, 2024 at 3:23 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:36 pm
Are there useful lessons from the Bible to help economists manage inflation? How about political insights? Can we learn from the ancient kings and prophets, matriarchs and patriarchs about how to govern properly? What about the countless issues that are on page one every day such as: artificial intelligence, revenge porn, misinformation, political intrigue, agriculture […]
A/V requirements: None
Mission and Money: Using Corporate Strategy to Strengthen Your Small Church or Non-Profit (Speaker: Sean Spence)
Posted: May 6, 2024 at 5:06 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:31 pm
Discover how strategic planning and financial tools typically used by businesses can enhance the reach and impact of your faith-based organization or non-profit. Learn how to optimize resources, attract funding, and achieve sustainable growth while staying true to your mission.
A/V requirements: Internet, Screen, White Board and Markers
Civil Rights in Biblical Times: What Was It Like Then and Does Anything from That Era Apply Today? (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:58 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:38 pm
Many of us look to the Bible to justify our views on the rights of women, minorities, immigrants, persons with disabilities, etc., as well as finding models for good and bad management of cities, towns, and countries, plus tax policy, land management, and many more issues. This talk spans two millennia of biblical themes from […]
Familiar Apocalyptic Themes: Modern Speculations about Famous Biblical Threats and Curses (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:56 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:44 pm
The Bible is filled with apocalyptic material. The writings of the major and minor prophets feature curses, threats, and fierce complaints against Israel’s enemies, as well as stern commentaries aimed at the people of Israel themselves. The Torah has examples of horrific threats against those who do not obey God’s commands. Similarly, the New Testament […]
Prayer in America— an important part of our history, or a distraction? (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:55 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:45 pm
James P. Moore’s book, “One Nation Under God,” is an amazing source of insight and understanding into the role of prayer starting at the very beginning of the American experience. A summary of Moore’s book states that it “brings together the country’s hymns, patriotic anthems, arts, and literature as a framework for telling the story […]
Seeing Bible Stories Through a Theatrical Lens (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:54 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Some may remember the famous movie portrayals of Samson by Victor Mature and Moses by Charlton Heston; thrilling stories from the Bible transferred to the silver screen. This course will cover dozens of stories that didn’t quite make it for full Hollywood treatment yet are so thrilling and poignant that they deserve box office status. […]
Powerful Bible Women — Models for Today? (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: September 20, 2023 at 6:52 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Today, when women’s rights are at the forefront of public policy debates, it may be surprising to learn that some very powerful role models from thousands of years ago can be found in the Bible. The daughters of Zelophehad talked back to Moses about inheritance rights (and won). Achsah successfully demanded that her husband and […]
Religion and Conflict in the USA (Speaker: Charles Davidson)
Posted: October 29, 2021 at 2:48 pm, Last Updated: May 31, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Religious conflict in the United States is partially the result of the perceived loss of the “culture wars” by the religious right. Rooted in the fundamentalist/modernist split, this conflict is especially catalyzed by the perceived necessity of the religious right to preserve their identity. What has transpired is a new blend of religion and politics […]
A/V requirements: None
Speaking Truth to Power: The Thunderous Messages of the Hebrew Prophets and What They Mean Today (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: October 31, 2019 at 6:14 pm, Last Updated: June 3, 2024 at 5:39 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? (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: June 3, 2019 at 6:45 pm, Last Updated: June 3, 2024 at 7:28 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 (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: April 13, 2017 at 6:51 pm, Last Updated: June 3, 2024 at 8:07 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.
A/V requirements: None
Government Policies in Biblical Times (Speaker: Steve Ruth)
Posted: April 13, 2017 at 6:49 pm, Last Updated: June 3, 2024 at 8:07 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.
A/V requirements: None
Themes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Sermons (Speaker: Don Boileau)
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 7:46 pm, Last Updated: June 4, 2024 at 5:46 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.
A/V requirements: None
Religious Conflicts and Their Resolution (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein)
Posted: September 29, 2014 at 2:43 pm, Last Updated: June 4, 2024 at 6:20 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?
A/V requirements: None
Origins of Philosophy in Ancient Greece (Speaker: Rose Cherubin)
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 9:35 pm, Last Updated: June 4, 2024 at 5:48 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.
A/V requirements: : LCD, Screen ns of Philosophy in Ancient Greece (or equivalent other ways of projecting PowerPoint slides and other images) for in-person meetings; Zoom or equivalent platform for virtual meetings.
How Do You Listen to Sermons? (Speaker: Don Boileau)
Posted: September 26, 2014 at 7:20 pm, Last Updated: June 5, 2024 at 3:21 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.
A/V requirements: PowerPoint
Creationism (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon)
Posted: September 10, 2014 at 12:13 pm, Last Updated: June 5, 2024 at 3:27 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 (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon)
Posted: September 10, 2014 at 12:07 pm, Last Updated: June 5, 2024 at 3:29 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 (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon)
Posted: September 9, 2014 at 8:09 pm, Last Updated: June 5, 2024 at 3:33 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