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Recent Public Events
Meditation: The Art of Awakening Awareness, Lovingkindness, and Compassion
Presentation by Edwin Kelley at SJU on March 26, 2012
Edwin Kelley, co-director of Tergar International, a world-wide network of meditation centers, explained how, through meditation, our minds become more calm and peaceful and our hearts more joyful and open, enabling us to grow in awareness, lovingkindness, compassion, and wisdom. This program was sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center in collaboration with the CSB/SJU Buddhist Meditation Club.
God and Politics: A Spiritual State of the Union
Presentation by Rabbi Sharon Brous at SJU on March 12, 2012
Responding to the resurfacing of racial tension, religious intolerance, and political divisiveness in American life, Rabbi Sharon Brous, founding rabbi of IKAR, a Jewish spiritual community in Los Angeles known for its soulful prayer services and energetic social justice work, reflected on how different views of God serve to foster different types of public discourse, action, and culture. This presentation was part of the Jay Phillips Center's Rabbis-in-Residence program supported by a grant from the Brenden-Mann Foundation.
God and Religious Diversity: A Contemporary Muslim Perspective
Presentation by Amir Hussain at SJU on February 13, 2012
Amir Hussain, professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, discussed how Muslims understand their relationship to God given the fact of religious diversity and how they might think of religious diversity in relation to God's will.
Under the Olive Tree
Concert for Unity by The Yuval Ron Ensemble
at Trinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater, on January 22, 2012
The Yuval Ron Ensemble, led by Oscar winning Israeli composer Yuval Ron (music for "West Bank Story"), includes Jewish, Christian, and Muslim musicians who endeavor to overcome national, racial, religious, and cultural divides by uniting the music and dance of the diverse peoples of the Middle East into a unique and inspiring mystical musical celebration. Accompanied by dancer Judith Brin Ingber, vocalist David Jordan Harris and singers from Jewish choirs of the Twin Cities, and several choirs of Trinity Lutheran Church, the ensemble gave an inspiring concert expressive of its mission to create musical bridges between people of various faiths and ethnic groups. This event was jointly sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning, Trinity Lutheran Church, Faith Inkubators Foundation, and the Sufi Center Minnesota.
Religious Identity and the Buddhist Doctrine of No Self
Christian and Jewish Perspectives by John P. Keenan and Harold Kasimow at SJU on Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Advancing different perspectives on the Buddhist doctrine of No Self in relation to Western philosophical views of religious identity, John P. Keenan, professor emeritus of religion at Middlebury College, and Harold Kasimow, professor emeritus of religious studies at Grinnell College, both suggested how Christians and Jews may be enriched through the study of Buddhism. This program was jointly sponsored by the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research and the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning.
Why Interfaith Matters
Student panel at SJU on November 15, 2011
Representing diverse traditions and perspectives, Elizabeth Gleich, Tucker Mithuen, TaReema Sabir, and Tiffany Vang reflected on why interfaith engagement is important to them. The panel was facilitated by Brenna Horn.
Waging Peace in the Context of Violent Conflict
Presentation by Rabbi Melissa Weintraub at SJU on October 31, 2011
Drawing on sixteen years of experience in Middle East face-to-face encounters, Rabbi Melissa Weintraub explored how such encounters build a culture of civil discourse and create human connections across lines of enmity. The cofounder and executive director emerita of Encounter, an organization dedicated to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Rabbi Weintraub focused on how face-to-face encounters in the context of violent conflict may promote reconciliation and peace. This presentation was part of the Jay Phillips Center's Rabbis-in-Residence program supported by a generous contribution from the Blythe Brenden Fund of the Ted and Dr. Roberta Mann Foundation.
Responding to Contradictory Critiques of Contemporary Religion
Presentation by Rabbi David Wirtschafter at SJU on September 26, 2011
Responding to attacks on progressive approaches to religion from both staunch traditionalists and anti-religious secularists who stress the incompatibility of science and religion, Rabbi David Wirtschafter, rabbi of the Ames Jewish Congregation in Iowa, defended the view that religious teachings need to evolve and that religion and science can be complementary influences rather than competing ideologies.This presentation was part of the Jay Phillips Center's Rabbis-in-Residence program supported by a generous contribution from the Blythe Brenden Fund of the Ted and Dr. Roberta Mann Foundation.
CSB/SJU Interfaith Days, April 13-16, 2011
The Jay Phillips Center in cooperation with the CSB/SJU Cultural Affairs Board held four days of interfaith events, including the presentation by Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay (see description below). Other events were a viewing and discussion of the film "Beyond Our Differences," a traditional Hmong dinner accompanied by presentations and conversation about Hmong cultural and religious practices, and a trip to the Hindu Temple in Maple Grove where participants had a tour of the temple, witnessed a religious festival, and enjoyed an Indian meal cooked by members of the temple.