Events

September 23
7:30 -9:30 PM  EST
$20
Infinite Canaan: Science, Religion, and the new Space Race
An Evening with Dr. Mary-Jane Rubenstein

This lecture seeks to explain the intensifying “NewSpace race” as a mythological project. In particular, it reveals the escalating desire to colonize other planets as a boundless extension of the particularly Christian style of “dominion” that globalized the Earth.

Register here.

September 29
7:00-8:00 PM EST
Enhanced Member Event

Extraordinary Gems of Wisdom: A Conversation with Shirley Paulson

Join Executive Director David Galston in a conversation with Shirley Paulson. We will review and dive into Shirley’s work with extracanonical texts that she describes as gems of wisdom capable of offering shock (in a good way), inspiration, and healing. These texts make the Christian story more complicated – also in a good way. Plus, Shirley is working on a book planned for the new year. We will hold some conversation about the themes the book touches upon.

Please email [email protected] for the Zoom link!

For more information on Enhanced Associate membership, please visit our membership page. Thank you.

October 6
7:30-9:00 PM EST
$20
Matthew in Dialogue with Jewish and Christian Voices: An Evening with Dr. R. Alan Culpepper

Best known for his work on the Gospel of John, Dr. Culpepper’s new research on the Gospel of Matthew is the topic of this Westar webinar.  One of the original members of the Jesus Seminar, Westar is excited to welcome him back!

Register here.

October 13, 2021 (Please note: The original date for this event was 9-1-2021 and has been rescheduled to 10-13-2021.)
7:30-9 PM EST
$20

A Night with Nietzsche: Whatever Happened to our New Humanity?
Friedrich Nietzsche had a vision of a new humanity – an “ubermensch” – a promised humanity that goes beyond its tired customs to a new horizon. There were several amazing attributes to this “new being.” Courage was one. Unbounded love was another. The ability to look meaninglessness in the eye without heading for the hills (or the fortresses) of traditional religion was a third. Nietzsche said that he came too early with his promised good news, but we might ask today if it is too late. Is Nietzsche’s promised future lost to us or is there a way to glimpse it once again.

Register here.

October 20
7:30-9:00 PM
$20
Relation, Transience, and Injustice: Three Themes for Theology with Music with Dr. Dirk von der Horst

Some recent theologians, such as Jeremy Begbie, Philip Stoltzfus, and Ferdia Stone-Davis, use music as a way of thinking about theology in an embodied way. Taking the relational theology of Carter Heyward as a starting point, I will draw out three themes in theology of music – relation (manifest in musical harmony as well as ways in which music creates community), transience (manifest in the way music organizes time), and injustice (manifest in the ways music can serve damaging hierarchies as well as harmonious relations).

Register here.