September 16, 2004.  During the initial Core Group meeting the members described their experiences and backgrounds related to the science/religion dialogue and discussed various organizational matters related to the program.

October 21, 2004.  Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Theology at Fordham University, provided the text of the third lecture she presented at the duBose lecture sponsored by the School of Theology.  In this lecture, entitled “Earth Matters: God in the World and the World in God”, Dr. Johnson discussed how our scientific discoveries about the Universe, and the Earth in particular, have led us to a deeper experience of God’s presence as a Creator Spirit.  A panel comprised of three professors (Systematic Theology, Religion, and Physics) discussed the implications of Dr. Johnson’s ideas.

November 11, 2004.  Dr. Gerald Smith, Professor of Religion at the University, gave a PowerPoint presentation in which he illustrated a wide variety of instances of the despoiling of the environment in the surrounding area and, in particular, on the University Domain.  He challenged the Group to explain how a Christian institution like the University, including its faculty, staff and students, can allow such conditions to occur.

February 10, 2005.  Richard Winslow, the recently appointed Domain Manager of the University, will present his views on the major environmental issues facing the University in its management of the Domain.

March 6-8, 2005.  In conjunction with the ENTREAT Conference the featured speakers, Dr. Larry Rasmussen and Dr. Bruce Conn, will have dinner with the Core Group and discuss in more depth some of the ideas they presented in their lectures.

April 7, 2005.  Robin Gottfried, Professor of Economics at the University, will remind us of our need to view the religious ethics/environmental management interface in a broader perspective by considering economic and political aspects in a wider Appalachian context.