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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 Creation and the Theory of Evolution(1997-04-24) Ayala, Francisco J; Pannenberg, WolfhartThe Boardman Lecture, in cooperation with the Center For Theology and The Natural Sciences and The John Templeton Foundation, funded a conference on Creation and Theory of Evolution. The conference explored religion and science by offering two different approaches to the question of human origins. Geneticist Francisco Ayala explains the present state of our understanding of evolution and argues that such human phenomena as morality and religion are by-products of the evolutionary process that cannot be explained by natural selection. His lecture appears as "The Evolutionary Transcendence of Humankind." Dr. Pannenberg stressed that the God of religious faith must be the Creator of the same nature that is studied by scientists. He explores aspects of the Genesis creation story that are compatible with the theory of evolution. His lecture is "Human Life: Creation Versus Evolution?"Publication Electric Lights Cast Long Shadows: Seeking the Greater Good in a World of Competing Clarities(2005-04-14) Staudenmaier, John M.John Staudenmaier, S.J. is the author of Technology's Story Tellers: Reweaving the Human Fabric (MIT Press 1985) and editor of the half-century old journal Technology and Culture, the International Quarterly of the Society for the History of Technology. His lecture, which is divided into two parts, begins with a brief interrogation of the technology of electric lighting systems, which he views as both the expression and the "technological fulfillment" of modern western society's "deep seated longing to escape" the uncertainties of night. The second part of his lecture, Staudenmaier turns to the 16th century manual of mystical power, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, as a resource for reviving this lost capacity of listening to the "holy dark."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 Naming God She: The Theological Implications(2000-10-19) Johnson, ElizabethElizabeth Johnson probes the theological implications of God symbolism, as well as the effect that symbolism has on conceptions of women's dignity and humanity. In the Boardman lecture, she argues that "how a group names its God has critical consequences, for the symbol of the divine organizes every other aspect of a religious system." Professor Johnson engages the work of other Christian and Jewish scholars who have addressed this issue to illustrate how far we have come, and perhaps, how far we still have to go. She is careful to acknowledge the dangers of naming God "She." One such danger is the possibility of losing the Christian heritage of the Trinity, which is based on the image of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all of whom have been imagined as male. However, Professor Johnson argues that the Trinity is not a "literal formula," and that the gendered terms were never intended to be the only permissible images of God for Christians. She concluded that only when the full mystery of the living God who is so complex and powerful as to be beyond gender is understood, can we move past the "idolatrous fixation on one image of God" that has dominated Christian thinking.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 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.Publication God's Unilateralism: Towards a Theology of Peace(1985-10-10) Sölle, DorotheeThe difference between "Pax Christi" and "Pax Romana" is discussed. Sölle suggests that Christians cannot have the peace of Christ in their hearts while the Pax Romana guarantees the continuation of the world order. The following people responded to her lecture: Fred Block, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania; Laura Lyn Inglis, Assistant Professor of Religion, Stockton State College; Joan Martin, Chaplain, Temple University; William Werpehowski, Associate Professor of Religion, Villanova University.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.