UTC eNewsletter Wednesday 9 July

FROM THE ACADEMIC DEAN

 

Dear readers

Welcome back to UTC for our second semester of studies at Charles Sturt University.  I hope that your break was productive.  We have run an intensive here during the week before classes with Rev Dr Steve Taylor from the UCA college in South Australia: there seems to be an endless number of things to learn and practice about mission!  Thanks Steve for coming across: and in return Ben Myers has been teaching in SA as an exchange.

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.

One significant upcoming event is the Service of Ordination Seungjae Young:

19^th July 2014 at 4pm Hurstville City Uniting Church 18 The Avenue, Hurstville

Gerard

FROM THE FACULTY

Out and About

William preached at Northbridge Uniting Church for the 37 Anniversary Service of the Uniting Church.

Publications

Congratulation to Jione for two publications:

Jione Havea (ed.), Indigenous Australia and the Unfinished Business of Theology: Cross-cultural Engagement (New York: Palgrave, 2014).

Jione Havea (co-editor with David Neville and Elaine Wainwright), Bible, Borders, Belonging(s): Engaging Readings from Oceania (Atlanta: SBL, 2014).

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 2014
Call 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

Macquarie Ancient Languages School

MALS is running its Winter Schools Programme from 7 to 11 July 2014. 
Click on this link for details and application form

FROM STUDENT ADMINISTRATION

Reminder!
Classes resume on Monday 14^th July.
Census Day is on August 8^th- this is the last day student can withdraw from their subjects.
Please note that the Student Admin has moved office.


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.

‘The Gospel according to John illuminated’ by Fiona Pfennigwerth

We have taken delivery of 10 copies of the special publication and they will be available for sale at Camden Theological Library for $30 each. This will save purchasers having to pay the $10 shipping cost.

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 Sydney

Contact: 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

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The newsletter is from the Faculty & College Assistant

Please direct news items to carlah@nsw.uca.org.au