FROM THE ACADEMIC DEAN
Congratulations
to the 13 students at UTC who have achieved the CSU Dean’s Award for
Excellence. Next week’s newsletter will contain a short profile of these
academic achievers, and a picture too! It is a great achievement, and not
common across the university. What should not go unsaid is that our
students acknowledge the huge support they receive from their families and
fellow students, along with that of their teachers. It takes a whole
village to grow these sorts of awards!
On top of
this Elie Elia was awarded a CSU Foundation Trust Scholarship for 2014.
Remember
across the semester you are welcome to join us for Chapel each week; Devotions
during Semester at 9.20am on Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays, the Wednesday
Service of Word and Sacrament during the Semester is at 11.30am.
And don’t
forget that you can join us for Community Lunch at 12.40pm on the Wednesday
during the Semester time.
Gerard
FROM THE FACULTY
Postcolonial engagement:
Politics, Religions, Scriptures
This conference will explore ways of thinking and being postcolonial in colonial surroundings.
What legacies of colonization linger in the decisions, practices and events in and around our societies, faith communities, scriptures and nations? How might we engage the colonialist tendencies and blind-spots that drive the machineries of politics, economics, services, religions and scriptures? How might we live, interact, believe and read post colonially in our colonial and invaded contexts?
Venue:
Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta, NSW 2151
Date: 01-
02 August 2014Call for papers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5es1b28m50p8x8w/postcolonialEngagement.doc
Deadline for proposals: April 30, 2014
Registration Fee: $70 full time, $30 student/pension all meals provided
Inquiries: Charissa Suli - charissasuli@bigpond.com
FROM STUDENT ASSOCIATION
The Student
Association AGM will be held on Tuesday 12th September (Week 5) at 12:30pm,
lunch provided.
At this
meeting, we will be hearing about the goings-on at the college, and voting on
new Executive and other committee members for 2015. All students are warmly
invited to attend.
As well,
nomination sheets are now on the Student Association noticeboard, so nominate
or second away!
You are
warmly encouraged to fill out this questionnaire, to gauge interest regarding
the possible selling of UTC/SA merchandise (perhaps tshirts, hoodies, tote
bags, or other ideas generated by you).
Please
complete this questionnaire by Friday of Week 4 (8th August), so we can collate
the data.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FZ8-UUPyD6ynRlIPoD1-4lEhL4UCMz2ODD-MX1xk2ls/viewform
FROM STUDENT ADMINISTRATION
Census Day- is on August 8th- this is the last
day student can withdraw from their subjects.
FROM THE LIBRARY
Recently, one
of our Archives volunteers, Reinette Black, went on a tour of Turkey led by
Marcus Borg & John Crossan.
This tour was
called “Paul and Empire: Then and Now”. The library is currently displaying
some of Reinette’s photographs and reflections on the tour. Please take the
time to visit the library and see the display.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
The
Biennial Conference in Philosophy, Religion and Culture will take place 4 – 5
October 2014
Theme:
FAITH AND THE POLITICAL
The theme is
to be interpreted broadly and from the disciplines of philosophy, theology,
history, social science, literature and the arts. Topics that might be
investigated include: scandal in/of Christianity; structures of belief and
opinion; secularisation, fundamentalism and inculturation; politics in the
Bible and the Bible in politics; religion in the public forum; Christian ethics
in a liberal democracy; liberation and equality.
The
conference specifically aims to foster interaction between scholars in the
universities and scholars in theological colleges. It also encourages
young scholars.
Keynote
Speaker: Peter Forrest: The Epistemology of Scandal
'How can
you continue to believe in the face of scandals?'. This question is not, I
submit, merely a manifestation of the ad hominem fallacy exemplified by,
"How can you take Frege seriously when he was a bigot?' Nor can it be
dismissed by noting that the reality of sin is a central Christian
doctrine. I argue that 'right reason' requires not merely the rational
assessment of doctrines but a way of deciding which doctrines to assess.
Scandal undermines the appeal to authority when assessing but not the reliance
on traditions when deciding what to assess. As a consequence, scandal tends to
undermine 'simple faith' and mandates the, not necessarily academic,
philosophical reflection on faith.
Proposals
Due: 20 June 2014
Conveners:
Stephen Buckle (ACU), William Emilsen (UTC/CSU), Peter Forrest (UNE), John
McDowell (Newcastle), Shane Mackinlay (CTC/MCD), Andrew Murray (CIS/SCD)
Venue:
Catholic Institute of SydneyContact: Andrew Murray: apmurray@cis.catholic.edu.au
Full details are available on the website:
http://www.cis.catholic.edu.au/news-a-events/biennial-conference
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Our weekly
eNewsletter is also posted on our utcnews blog. To follow or subscribe go to http://utcnews.blogspot.com/
Remember to
visit the NSW ACT Synod Community Connection - http://nsw.uca.org.au/e-news
The
newsletter is from the Faculty & College Assistant - Please direct news
items to carlah@nsw.uca.org.au