EmergentSpirit
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| Speaking Schedule for J. Thomas Buchanan Mr. Buchanan's community speaking schedule is given here for the use of visitors to this web site. He is grateful to the host organizations listed below for the opportunity to teach. However, these organizations are in no way affiliated with EmergentSpirit, and their inclusion here does not necessarily imply endorsement of EmergentSpirit or of the content of its programs. Current and Upcoming Events God and the New Atheists Thursdays - January 17 to March 6, 2008 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell Classes held at Roswell Presbyterian Church Does God exist? A number of articulate and forceful new voices -- like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris -- are saying "No!" What are their reasons? How are theologians and religious scholars responding? Take a new trip into the trenches of one of the world's oldest debates, hear a "fair and balanced" presentation of both sides, and decide where you stand. Book Review: God's Politics by Jim Wallis For the Areopagus Forum Thursday, March 13, 2008 - Time & place TBA A review of the bestselling God's Politics, by Sojourners founder Jim Wallis. Discussion follows. Embracing the Vision of St. Patrick: Gifts from the Irish Spiritual Tradition Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:30 to 2:30pm - Del Mar Gardens of Smyrna Friday, March 21, 2008 - 1:30 to 2:30 pm - Hammond Glen Senior Living Center, Atlanta The Irish People have given us far more than St. Patrick’s Day, shamrocks, and leprechauns … They have bequeathed to us a rich heritage of the Spirit, expressed in innovative mission, a wholistic vision of God and creation, the virtues of tolerance and acceptance, soul-satisfying meditations, and experiential worship. Join us as we open this wonderful gift of the Irish ... the vision of St. Patrick! Awakening: Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life Friday, April 25, 2008 - 1:30 to 2:30 pm Hammond Glen Senior Living Center, Atlanta Do you desire to live a life of greater depth, greater joy, and greater connection to your spirit? Join us as we look at our lives, share our stories, and discover universal spiritual practices and meditations to help cultivate a greater awareness of the Sacred in all of life and in every person. For people of any faith tradition or none at all! ************************************************************************* Past Events Explorations in The Da Vinci Code Mondays - February 11 & 18, 2008 - 1:30 to 2:30 pm Del Mar Gardens of Smyrna A brief study of the principal issues raised by Dan Brown's blockbuster bestseller. Was Jesus married? Who decided what would make it into the New Testament, and on what basis? Who was Constantine and what did he really do as emperor? Join us as we answer these and many other fascinating questions. The Devil's Details: A Historic-Cultural Biography of the Prince of Darkness Thursdays - September 27 to November 15, 2007 -- 10:00 to 11:00 am For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell Classes held at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 535 Rucker Road, Alpharetta A fascinating examination of the figure of the Devil and how he has been portrayed through history, culture, and literature, from the Biblical period to modern times. Special emphasis will be placed on John Milton's Paradise Lost, particularly its rich development of the character of Satan and its profound insights into the nature of evil. Magic in American Pop Spirituality Saturday - September 22, 2007 - 2:00 to 3:00 pm Mensa in Georgia's Peachtreat! 2007 -- W Hotel, 111 Perimeter Center West, Atlanta A look at how magical beliefs, practices, and superstitions permeate popular American spirituality. We will discuss a diversity of examples -- from "name it and claim it" teachings in Pentecostal Christianity, to metaphysical ideas of visualization and "manifestation" popularized recently by The Secret, to the magic rituals, taboos and fetishes of ... major league baseball! For more information on the Peachtreat event, see www.georgia.us.mensa.org Awakening: Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life Tuesdays - September 18 to October 23, 2007 - 10:30 to 11:30 am Sunrise Senior Living Center in Sandy Springs Do you desire to live a life of greater depth, greater joy, and greater connection to your spirit? Join us as we look at our lives, share our stories, and discover universal spiritual practices and meditations to help cultivate a greater awareness of the Sacred in all of life and in every person. For people of any faith tradition or none at all! Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Three Paths, One God Tuesdays - July 31 to August 28, 2007 - 10:30-11:30 am Sunrise Senior Living Center in Sandy Springs A brief survey of the history, beliefs, and practices of the three great monotheistic religions, with attention to the challenge of interfaith dialogue. The Magical Mystical Tour: Mystics and Mysticisms of the World Thursdays - July 5 to August 9, 2007 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell -- Classes held at Roswell First Baptist Church A look at the greatest mystics and mysticisms of the world's varied spiritual traditions, including foundational ones like Jesus, Paul, and early Christian mysticism; Jewish Kabbalah; the Buddha; Mohammed and the rise of Sufism; and the Upanishadic sages of India. We will also go further with figures of tremendous importance in the search for a workable spirituality today: Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Rumi, and several others. With emphasis on their most important ideas and on their present-day relevance, we will see just how similar the world's religions are when you study their mystics! Follow the Yellow Brick Road: The Spiritual Journey as Self-Discovery in The Wizard of Oz and Other Hollywood Classics Thursdays - April 19 to June 7, 2007 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell, Georgia -- Classes held at Roswell United Methodist Church, 814 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell -- AND -- Tuesdays - June 12 to July 17, 2007 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm Sunrise Senior Living Center in Sandy Springs An examination of the universal spiritual journey through the lens of "The Wizard of Oz" and other selected Hollywood classics. Visions of the Apocalypse: How the World’s Religions Understand the “End of the World” Thursdays - January 11 to March 1, 2007 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell -- Classes held at Roswell Presbyterian Church A look at the different ways the world's religions understand the concept of the end of the world, and the ways in which such beliefs function in the lives and cultures of those who hold them. Is There No Balm in Gilead? God and the Problem of Suffering Tuesdays - September 26 to November 14, 2006 - 10 to 11 am For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell, Georgia; class to be held in the Roswell United Methodist Youth Building -- An examination of the classic "problem of evil" using theological, philosophical, Biblical, and literary resources. Comparative Eschatology: End-Times Beliefs in Different Religious Traditions Saturday - September 16, 2006 - 9:00 to 10:00 am Mensa in Georgia's Peachtreat! 2006 -- A brief look at the different ways the world's religions understand the concept of the end of the world, and the ways in which such beliefs function in the lives and cultures of those who hold them. Jesus and the Art of Zen: A Buddhist-Christian Conversation Thursdays - July 6 to August 10, 2006 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell -- A comparative study of the teachings of Jesus and Buddha, seeking to show how their paths complement each other, and ultimately, converge. Darwinism & Christianity: The Possibility of Peace Thursdays - April 20 to June 8, 2006 [Except May 25] - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell -- An examination of the often strained relationship between religious belief and evolutionary theory, arguing that they not only can co-exist, but that each are necessary in the search for truth. Paths to the Divine Beloved: A Sufi-Christian Conversation Wednesdays - March 8 to March 29, 2006 - 7:30 to 9:00 pm Classes held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Alpharetta -- With special guests Dr. Alan Godlas, professor of religion at the University of Georgia, his wife Betty Godlas, and guests from the Istanbul Center in Norcross. A study of the remarkable parallels between Sufism and the contemplative Christian tradition. The Problem of God & Evil Tuesdays - February 28 to April 11, 2006 - 7:30 to 9:30 pm Taught with Dr. Jefrey Breshears, with classes held at Cumberland Community Church in Smyrna -- An examination of the classic "problem of evil" using theological, philosophical, Biblical, and literary resources. The Life & Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Living, Dying, and Being Damned Tuesdays - January 17 to February 21, 2006 - 7:15 to 9:15 pm Classes held at Cumberland Community Church in Smyrna -- A study of the remarkable life, thought, and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, with special attention to his understanding of radical discipleship and "religionless Christianity." The Gospel of Thomas: Then & Now Thursdays - January 12 to March 2, 2006 - 11:15 am to 12:15 pm For Seniors Enriched Living Center in Roswell -- A study of this fascinating alternative gospel with special attention to the nature of its relationship to 1st century Jewish mysticism and later Gnosticism. |
