tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31936779534267457122024-03-13T13:17:04.702-07:00The Charlemont ForumAppassionato di Musicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00480027051202730066noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3193677953426745712.post-86672102353415590062011-05-10T13:36:00.000-07:002011-05-17T11:38:23.039-07:00Recommended Readings<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"></span></span></span><br />
<pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal;">For those of you champing at the bit for something pertinent to read, may we offer what was earlier suggested by David Little for the Forum committee's research:</span></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thomas Franck, </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heart of America</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Chapters 3, 6, 9, 10, and 11 all concern religion, but the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">whole book could be read to appreciate the force of the general argument</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(very relevant to what we are currently experiencing in this country).</span></span></span></pre><pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Jim Wallis, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">God's Politics</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> (especially chapter 9, "Dangerous Religion: The</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Theology of Empire").</span></span><ol></ol></pre>Appassionato di Musicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00480027051202730066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3193677953426745712.post-88070570559193548792011-05-09T05:52:00.000-07:002011-05-10T10:47:12.742-07:00Behold!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Throughout the West County this spring and summer, you'll be seeing this poster, a reminder of the monthly lectures presented by the Charlemont Forum in this inaugural series. Save the poster image to your own computer files to be sure not to miss these thought-provoking discussions.</span></span></span><o:p></o:p></div><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI9CR8Wfb7NL-fR5yxzLAUmQ2iiLdpwtp7ClbUaG2nk_luhEMYen8k82ihlbgymLnBErvzLbT88Zjm4GOfbgWOSxl4nS5nppdoObJmTBWLRI4UwNxppeeoSJMzuHh7Xb82d5ud-feVV2w/s1600/Charlemont+Forum+-+final+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvI9CR8Wfb7NL-fR5yxzLAUmQ2iiLdpwtp7ClbUaG2nk_luhEMYen8k82ihlbgymLnBErvzLbT88Zjm4GOfbgWOSxl4nS5nppdoObJmTBWLRI4UwNxppeeoSJMzuHh7Xb82d5ud-feVV2w/s400/Charlemont+Forum+-+final+poster.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Click to enlarge. For reference, save this poster</i><br />
<i>to your computer files and please forward to friends</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Appassionato di Musicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00480027051202730066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3193677953426745712.post-87223939574107932532011-04-28T12:18:00.000-07:002011-05-10T10:23:06.679-07:00How it began: the Project Description<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">THE CHARLEMONT FORUM</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">SUMMER 2011</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Use and Misuse of Religion in American Political Life<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">PROJECT DESCRIPTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In the interest of creating an informed citizenry, we intend in three forums to examine the causes of and possible solutions for one aspect of the current divisions in American political culture.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">That aspect is the use and misuse of religion in political life. Committed as we are to inquiry not advocacy, we will engage humanities scholars from various fields, including religious studies, American history, literature, and media studies.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Addressing the use and misuse of religion in political life presupposes that standards exist for drawing the distinction. Part of our inquiry is aimed at deciding what these standards are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Although current religiously-colored political divisions are not unprecedented in American society, they are, by all accounts, particularly intense at present.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Arguably, they are fast approaching a crisis point that gives rise to conflicting forms of collective action, to recall the special focus of the Massachusetts Humanities Grant Guidelines.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Any assessment of such collective action must,</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">as the guidelines indicate, “be informed by an understanding of the root cause of the crisis and its possible solutions”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">While the divisions in American culture have many facets, religion is important both historically and currently.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">From the colonial period on, Americans have been in conflict over the scope and status of religion in the political order.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Intense controversies over establishment of religion have continued from the 1630s right up to the recent national election.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Likewise, opinions have differed sharply concerning how religiously inclusive our society is or should be. President Obama has stated, “We are no longer just a Christian nation. We are a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of unbelievers.” In contrast, the late political scientist, Samuel P. Huntington, asserted that “America is predominantly a Christian nation. Non-Christians may legitimately see themselves as strangers because they or their ancestors moved to this ‘strange land’ founded and peopled by Christians.” These opposing claims, often fueled by the media, illustrate one of the deep tensions that characterize current political life in this country.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Among other things, these differences over the religious character of the United States have inspired contemporary political action groups, such as the Tea Party movement and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">One Tea Party candidate in the recent election challenged the constitutionality of the separation of church and state, while anti-religious groups “are trying to marshal secularists at a time when the religious right and politicians say America is a ‘Christian nation” (New York Times, Nov. 10, 2010).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We project: The Contemporary Situation, the Historical Background, and The Role of the Media for a three-part series of forums during the summer months of June, July and August of 2011. In all three of the programs, the humanities scholars represent different disciplines and approach their topics with unique perspectives that are especially relevant to the Massachusetts Foundation’s theme: Crisis, Community, and Civic Culture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. The Relation of Religion to Contemporary Political Divisions: </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We will address questions such as these:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What are the standards for evaluating political discourse and what is religion’s appropriate role?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Given legal restraints in this country on political advocacy by religious bodies, how much room is there for political discussion? How ought religious bodies, in preaching, public statements, and other forms of expression, address subjects of political importance?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">President Obama noted: “Scrub language of all religious content and we forfeit the imagery and terminology through which millions of Americans understand both their personal morality and social justice. Imagine Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address without references to ‘the judgments of the Lord,’ or King’s ‘I have a Dream” speech without reference to “all God’s children” (Audacity of Hope, 214) Is he right and what are the implications for political discourse?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Is there a uniform fundamentalist or evangelical perspective? If not, what differences are there, and what are the implications of the differences for political life in this country?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The speakers who will address these questions are Stephen Prothero, Professor of Religion, Boston University and Kathryn Lofton, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Assistant Professor of American Studies and Religious Studies, Yale University. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Prothero has written a recent book, </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">God is Not One: The Study of Eight</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Religions</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and been the host for the PBS documentary, </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">God in America.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Lofton’s </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">first book, </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, uses the work of Oprah Winfrey to explore the formation of religion in modern America.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">II. </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Role of Religion and the Historical Background </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">of our</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">country’s political divisions. Some of the questions to be addressed are:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Have there been certain periods of history similar to our contemporary period? If so which have they been? Why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Are there precedents in American history for some of the religious controversies/debates and division of opinion present in contemporary discourse? If so, what are they?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Have there been periods of American history where religion has provided constructive contributions to political discourse, as for example, in the Civil Rights movement? If so, what accounted for that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">·</span></span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What impact do non-Protestant and non-Western religions have on American political life</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The humanities scholar who will explore the historical role of religion is Professor David Wills, Winthrop Smith Professor of American History at Amherst College.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">His current course offerings “American Religious Thought: From Edwards to Emerson” and “From Martin Luther King Jr. to Barack Obama” will give a unique and important perspective about our religious heritage. He will help us understand the past as it influences our present day discourse in politics. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">III. </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Role of the Media</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> in understanding religion in political life.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Some of the questions to be addressed will be:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">How do we define what is good or bad religion in the media?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Does contemporary American religion, as it is expressed in the media, encourage civil communication? If so how? If not, why not?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Do the media overdramatize the extreme religious points of view? If so, how can the middle view be represented?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Does the prominence of the media in contemporary American society exacerbate religious and political differences? </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Or does it clarify?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Does it make a difference to our subject which form of media we are discussing, e.g. print, TV, radio, internet blogs, etc.?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For this third program we will draw upon the expertise of Professor Gustav Niebuhr, Professor of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Religion and Media, Syracuse University, NY.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He has, for a long period, been the religion editor for the</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> New York Times</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and was also on the staff of the </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Washington Post</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and the </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Wall Street Journal. </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Niebuhr name is well known in the hill towns because Niebuhr’s granduncle, Reinhold Niebuhr, and his grandfather, H. Richard, summered in the towns of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Heath and Rowe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"></span><br />
<pre style="line-height: 17px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In this program we have engaged local journalist Richie Davis, Senior Writer of <i>The Recorder</i>, to respond to Mr. Niebuhr's talk.</span></span></span></span></pre><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0in; mso-para-margin-right: 0in; mso-para-margin-top: .01gd;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div>Appassionato di Musicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00480027051202730066noreply@blogger.com0