Boardman Lectureship in Christian Ethics
Founded in 1899, the Boardman Lectureship in Christian Ethics is a series of lectures organized by the Religious Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania
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Publication The Culture of Disbelief(1994-03-21) Carter, Stephen L.Stephen L. Carter, author of The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion, speaks about some of the same topics covered in his book: whether American leaders and intellectuals take religion seriously, and whether these same leaders take a stand on the importance of religion and how religion functions in the lives of the many Americans who are believers. His approach in this lecture is that of religious affiliation and belief in the Supreme Court confirmation process.Publication The Impossible Dream(1988-01-18) Fauntroy, Walter E.The congressman called for a commitment to change. Drawing on memories of his close association with King, he noted that to many in his time, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a dreamer of impossible dreams. Nevertheless, King turned several "impossible dreams" into living realities. The fact that King managed to have public facilities desegregated, in the face of strong opposition, serves as a good example. From this the congressman found encouragement that, although injustice continues to plague society, if we pledge ourselves to the kind of ideals that inspired King, we will find it possible to create a more equitable order. In response to the lecture, Dr. Mary Frances Berry, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought, recalled that, beyond racism, King opposed the Vietnam war. She urged the audience to work toward the kind of society of which he dreamed.Publication Some Skeptical Thoughts About Active Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide(1994-03-23) May, William F.William May argues for a middle course regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide, rejecting absolutist positions and makes the point that neither life at any cost nor killing to cure a disease serves society or individuals very well. Elsa Ramsden, David Hufford, Neville Strumpf, Albert Stunkard, all participate in a panel discussion after the formal lecture.Publication Religion and Diplomacy(1995-11-16) Runcie, Robert A. K.Archbishop Runcie's presentation represents well his interest in and experience of the complex intersection between religion and world events. Both his consideration of the difficult history of the Christian Church, and his call to greater understanding of other religions reflect his long work with and commitment to these issues. His refusal to simplify the problems tied to religion is characteristic both of his efforts to find real solutions to world problems and his intellectual rigor.Publication Public Theology, Civil Religion, and American Catholicism(1986-10-29) O'Brien, David J.David J. O'Brien takes up some of the problems of Chatolicism and American public life. A panel of Dr. David DeLaura, Avalon Foundation Professor and Chair of the Department of English, University of Pennsylvania, Rev. Dr. J. Bryan Hehir, Scertary, Dept. of Social Develpment nad World Peace of the Untied States Catholic Conference, and Dr. Rodger Van Allen, Professor of Religious Studies, Villanova University gave remarks after the lecture.Publication "A" for Ethics: an Alphabet of Action(1988-09-14) Bowker, John W.The twenty-eighth Boardman Lecture in Christian Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania comprised a series of four lectures delivered over the course of several days by John W. Bowker, who at the time of lectures was Dean of Chapel and Director of Studies at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. Bowker argues for accountability among human beings as moral agents in a world that requires our willingness to accept the challenges of such accountability and such agency.Publication Capturing Gods: The God of Love and the Love of God in Christian and Hindu Tradition(1998-03-31) Lipner, JuliusDr. Lipner’s comparative discussion of Christian and Hindu thought draws upon his own scholarly explorations of these traditions, while at the same time considering the nature of cross-cultural dialogue. How do religious ideas resonate within their own contexts? Which aspects of these concepts are most likely to invite associations in a new milieu? Responding to such questions, Lipner advocates a focus on “love,” agape and bakhti in Christian and Hindu traditions. His analysis carefully enters each tradition before considering shared ground.Publication Religion and Politics in America: The Prospects for Civility(1984-10-29) Cox, HarveyHarvey Cox examines ways in which the categories of religious and moral reflection be brought to bear in political life in a pluralistic democracy in such a way that an American polity can be restored to democratic vigor.Publication Christian Feminist Theology in Global Context(1991-10-02) Ruether, Rosemary RadfordRosemary Radford Ruether's lecture calls white Christian feminists to be mindful of their "single-issue western... critique is false and dangerous." The rich diversities of women's experience demand a diversity of issues, priorities and tactics. It is, as Professor Ruether reminds us, in the dialogue of western Christian women with "third world" Christian women, that "white western feminism becomes clearly one feminism among others, rather than...'feminism as such.'"Publication Christianity and Violence(2002-03-01) Volf, MiroslavProfessor Volf counters the claim that religion fosters violence and that the “resurgence of religiously legitimized violence” is a direct consequence of a “contemporary resurgence of religion.” Limiting himself to a case-study of Christianity, he argues that the cure to social violence “is not less religion, but, in a carefully qualified sense, more religion.” Professor Volf identifies and criticizes a number of influential arguments found in the work of several authors, including Mark Juergensmeyer, Maurice Bloch, Regina Schwartz and Jacques Derrida, which he believes erroneously link Christianity and violence. These arguments are organized around four general themes: religion, monotheism, creation, and new creation. At the heart of his thesis lies the distinction between ‘thin’ and thick’ religion. According to Professor Volf, ‘thick’ religion entails a stronger, more conscious commitment to a faith rooted in a concrete tradition, while ‘thin’ religion entails nothing more than a vague sense of religiosity “whose content is shaped by factors other than faith (such as national or economical interests).” Throughout the lecture, Professor Volf contends that although ‘thin’ Christian faith may potentially lead to violence, ‘thick’ Christian faith actually serves to create and sustain a culture of peace. In the conclusion of his Lecture, he offers some reflections on “why misconceptions about the violent character of Christian faith abound” in contemporary society.