Science & Religion: Renewal of Reverence Series at Sewanee
Each
month Joyce Wilding, co-chair of Sewanee’s ENTREAT Local Society
Initiative (LSI) hosts and leads a science and religion program for the public. Joyce is the Episcopal Ecological
Network liaison to the Episcopal Science, Technology and Faith Network. She uses resources developed for
her national and regional programs in this series. Guest speakers from the ENTREAT Core Associate Group
co-lead many of these programs.
February 8 , 2007 Program
Joyce Wilding, ENTREAT Co-Chair, hosts a public showing of the Video "Water: Sacred and Profaned" at 4:30 p.m. in the Hearth Room of the Bishop's Common. She has been active in several SouthEast Watershed programs and gave a presentation at International Rivers Conference in June:Ê Protecting and Healing Rivers One Watershed at a Time: Secular & Religious Collaborative Programs.Ê Her work experiences in nine southern states will be shape the discussion about how this video inspires folk to become active in watershed programs and projects.
Explore the sacred nature of this precious gift along with six people who share their experiences and insights about water, the most abundant and fundamental element of earth: Chickasaw native American author Linda Hogan, Poet Laureate Robert Hass, author and naturalist Susan Swinger, author adventurer Colin Fletcher, scientist Jennifer Greene and poet David Whyte. Throughout the video are compelling images of water in all forms-clouds, snow, rain, ice, rivers, lakes and oceans--culminating in four-minute montage of beauty set to the inspiring music of David Foster. This visual program confirms the words of Loren Eisley: ÒIf there is magic on the planet, it is contained in the water.ÓÊ
This show provides many positive ways for celebrating the beauty of water and modes for lamenting about the how fresh water has been profaned. It inspires the viewers to find more ways to protect, heal and clean up the waters of our earth.
September 14-15, 2006 Program
ENTREAT sponsors a visit to Sewanee by Laurie Fowler,an alumna of the College and an environmental attorney. She has a joint appointment to the Institute of Ecology and the School of Law at the University of Georgia. She is the Director for Policy of the River Basin Science Center and heads the Public Service and Outreach faculty at the Institute of Ecology. A main feature of his visit is a public presentation at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 14 in the Large Lounge of the Bishop's Common entitled "Aquatic Habitat Conservation: Cutting-Edge Science Combines With Reverence For Life". Laurie will describe the development of a habitat conservation plan to protect imperilled fish species while allowing development to continue in this fast-growing, politically-conservative region of Georgia.
February 9-10, 2006 Program
ENTREAT sponsors a visit to Sewanee by Dr. Ron Carroll, a Professor in the Institute of Ecology at The University of Georgia and Co-Director of the River Basin Science Center. The theme of Dr. Carroll's visit is "How Ecology and Sustainable Practices Renew Reverence For All Life". Dr. Carroll is a coauthor of the popular textbook "Principles of Conservation Biology", which is used at Sewanee. His research interests include the relationships between managed and natural ecosystems, plant-animal interactions as they influence forest regeneration, and invasive species. A main feature of his visit is a public presentation at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9 in the Large Lounge of the Bishop's Common entitled "Communities With Long-Lasting Environmental Stewardship". Informal meetings with students, teachers and other persons from the local Sewanee Community as well as environmental-ethics leaders from the Southeast are also scheduled.
Care for All Creation and Celebration of St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Ecology -Ê at Christ Church Cathedral First Friday service at 6 p.m.ÊThisÊliturgy is grounded in Ancient Ritual, Artistic Expression, Spiritual Renewal. andÊthe Book of Common Prayer.ÊÊMusical leadership is provided by the Gallery Musicians and isÊenhanced by the Epiphany Dancers. SeeÊhttp://www.christcathedral.org/firstfriday1.htmlÊto learn more about First Friday and for directions to the Cathedral at 900 Broadway in Nashville or call 615 255-7729.
Joyce Wilding, co-chair of Sewanee's ENTREAT Local Society Initiative (LSI) will host this public science and religion program. Her February guest is Jeff Ross Bain, who will discuss "What Makes a Building Sacred and Sustainable"? Formerly with the Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, Jeff is presently with Smith Dalia Architects, where he specializes in environmentally-sustainable design of churches and schools. He is also a green building consultant for several projects of the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED program. Active in the Episcopal Church, Jeff is the Diocese of Atlanta Environmental Ministry leader.
Joyce Wilding, co-chair of Sewanee's ENTREAT Local Society Initiative (LSI) will host this public science and religion program. Her February guest is Dr. John Gatta, Brown Foundation Fellow in the English Department at Sewanee. Dr. Gatta previously served for some years as a Professor and Department Chair of the English Department at the University of Connecticut. During this ENTREAT program he will talk about how environmental imagination renews reverence.
Dr.Gatta is the author of three books and around fifty other publications, most of them concerned with the interplay between religious faith and literary imagination in America. His first book won the 1989 Academic Book-of-the-Year Award from the Conference on Christianity and Literature; his second, from Oxford Univ. Press, was named an Òoutstanding academic bookÓ for 1998 by editors of Choice .
His newly-released third book, also from Oxford Univ. Press, is titled Making Nature Sacred: Literature, Religion, and Environment in America from the Puritans to the Present . Here Dr. Gatta explores how the quest for Ònatural revelationÓ and encounter with an unseen, transcendental Presence has been pursued through successive phases of our literary and cultural history. He argues that the religious character of this environmental literature has yet to be fully recognized since American writers, whatever their theology, have perennially construed the nonhuman world to be a source, in Rachel Carson's words, of Òsomething that takes us out of ourselves.Ó The book concludes with an assessment of the Òspiritual renaissanceÓ underway in current environmental writing, as represented by five noteworthy poets and by prose writers such as Wendell Berry, Annie Dillard, Marilynne Robinson, Bill McKibben, Peter Matthiessen, and Barry Lopez.
December 7
7:00 to 8:30 PM in the Hearth Room of The Bishop’s Common
Joyce Wilding, co-chair of SewaneeÕs ENTREAT Local Society Initiative (LSI) will host this public science and religion program. Her December guest is Dr. David L. Feldman - Political Science Chair, University of TN, Knoxville and former senior research scientist at University of TennesseeÕs Energy, Environment, and Resources Center in Knoxville. He teaches political science and environmental policy, is the author of several books and articles on water and environmental policy, convened the Southeast Water Supply Symposium and Roundtable and he conducted extensive research on behalf of TennesseeÕs new Inter-basin Water Transfer Act, signed into law in the spring of 2000.
Dr. Feldman will present highlights about the faith-based environmental reform efforts to advance a framework for policy change based on the view that peoplesÕ values, attitudes, and behaviors toward the environment are inextricably connected to the content and commitment of their religious faith. This will include an examination of how this framework is advanced among faith-based organizations in Appalachia Ð a region with a legacy of serious environmental problems and a strong Christian religious tradition. Most faith-based groups advocate a stewardship approach to environmental change that, like the use of the term sustainability among secular activists, is often vague and poorly defined. While implying that humans, as GodÕs creations, have a moral responsibility to protect nature, few groups rigorously consider how to advance this attitude through specific policies.
December 8
8:50-10:30 A.M. ; School of Theology Room 234
The Rev. Dr. Susanna Metz's Contextual Education Class
3:00 to 4:30 PM in the Hearth Room of The Bishop’s Common
Joyce Wilding, co-chair of Sewanee’s ENTREAT Local Society Initiative (LSI) hosts this public science and religion program. Her November guest speaker is Dr Chris Farrell, Biochemistry professor from Trevecca College in Nashville, TN. Farrell is the Director of the Medical Technology Program and Associate Professor of Biology. He teaches a General Education course (Life Science) which informs non-science majors about Science, Biology, Saving the Planet and the ways in which Science and Religion can make an integrated life (as opposed to setting up conflict).
During the November program, Dr. Farrell gives a general overview about the problems with the newly released God Gene research, key issues surrounding GMO, (genetic modified organisms with special attention to food) and how he finds religion and science dialogue beneficial in his personal and professional work. Farrell says: I want to move Science and Religion to a place called "Things that compliment and help humanity", like the complementary base pairing on DNA; how reverence breeds both excellence in scholarship and communal worship, and how we hope the "Greening of the Church" will breed both a heightened interest in worship and a more sustainable society.
Weather permitting Joyce Wilding leads a 15 minute meditative walk, which follows guidelines from Thich Nhat Hahn’s A Guide to Walking Meditation.
3:00 to 4:30 PM in the Hearth Room of The Bishop’s Common
The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos: Humanity and The New Story
Brian Swimme * a mathematical cosmologist provides a journey of depth and power in The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos. Speaking from a contemporary understanding of the dynamics of the universe and the Earth, Swimme takes us on an exploration into the wisdom of science and its lessons integral to our well being. His book and video provide insights into modern physics that help us to understand the glory of the universe and how we can experience it in own lives. Heeding Swimme’s messages offers a chance to reassess our values, and pass along a legacy of expanded appreciation for life.
Joyce Wilding leads a discussion after viewing this video and talks about her work with Dr. Swimme as well as Dr. M.E. Tucker, founder of Harvard’s (FORE) Forum on Religion and Ecology. She makes connections and references to key ideas from Elizabeth Johnson’s writings and presentations at Sewanee’s October DuBose Series.
Dr. Eleanor McKenzie DelBene, who has private practice in spiritual direction in Diocese of Alabama led the group in Cosmic Walk - a prayerful meditation representing the proportionate story of the 14 billion year unfolding Universe.
*Dr. Brian Swimme is a mathematical cosmologist on graduate faculty of the California Institute of Integral Studies. His primary research is the nature of the evolutionary dynamics of the universe. His central concern is the role of the human within the Earth community. Dr. Swimme’s ideas have been featured by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The World Bank, UNESCO and the International Montessori Association.