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T H E G O D DA R D C H A P E L N E W S L E T T E R T u f t s U n i v e r s i t y
Volume5,Issue1
Spring,2007
andradicalapproachestoCa tholicism.Sheiscommittedto reimaginingtraditionalwaysof InOctober2006,Lynn beingreligiousandhasbeen CooperjoinedtheChaplaincy spendinghertimeatTuftswork Interntriowiththehopeofin ingwithactiviststudentstoex creasingcommunicationbetween pandthevisionofsocialjustice thechaplaincyandstudentactiv onTuftscampus. istsoncampus.Lynngraduated In20032004,Lynn fromTuftsin2002(Comparative servedasayouthdirectorata Religion,English)andiscur churchinLynn,MA.Shespent rentlyinherthirdyearatHarvard hertimethereworkingtoestab DivinitySchool.Overthepast lishasafeanddependablecom fewyears,Lynnspersonaland munityspaceformiddleschool academicstudieshavesteered andhighschoolstudents.Want moretowardsradicaltheology ingtoworkwitholderstudents, CHAPLAINCYINTERN LYNNCOOPER
Lynntookaleaveofabsence fromdivinityschooltovolunteer forMassachusettsCampusCom pact,anonprofitdedicatedto establishingandmaintaining healthyrelationshipsbetween colleges/universitiesandthe communitiesinwhichtheylive. Lynnspenthertimeasaresearch assistantcompilingsocialjustice materials.InNovember2006, MACCreleasedthiscollectionof resources,communityservice,
UpcomingChapelEvents
ReligiousFreedom&Civility
EnvironmentalEthics
4,5
NewStudentReligiousOrgani 5 zations
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March1,SarahPeck,SeminariansforChoice, ChoosingFaith:WhyIamPrayerfullyPro February21 Choice HarryHutson,Ph.D.,OrganizationalConsult ant&ExecutiveCoach,PuttingHopeto March8,SalihYucel,ImamoftheBoston Work:FivePrinciplestoActivateYourOr DialogueFoundationinRevere,ThePrac ganizationsMostPowerfulResource ticesofSufism March28 Prof.MaxStackhouse,Prof.ofChristian April12,IreneNyavor,HarvardDivinity Ethics,ReformedTheology&PublicLife, School,WhentheRoseColoredGlassesFall HarvardUniversity,2007RussellLecturer Off... FaithandGlobalization April19,DavidArond,DepartmentofPublic April25 HealthandFamilyMedicinePersonalJour LauraNash,SeniorResearchFellow, neyfromRabbiHilleltoZenMasterThich HarvardBusinessSchool NhatHanh OfTwoMinds:TheLove/HateRelationship March29,TOBEANNOUNCED betweenReligionandMoney April26,LynnCooper,ChaplaincyIntern, TheGospelofCircumstances:RadicalCon sciousnessandReligiousImagination
Volume5,Issue1
ANEWYEARFORRELIGIOUS FREEDOM&CIVILITY ReverendDavidM.OLeary,S.T.L.,D.Phil. UniversityChaplain&Professor,TuftsUniver sity Thestartofanewyearisagoodtime torememberonesroots.TheTuftsUniversity familygotitsstartin1852.Itwasfoundedtobe alightonWalnutHillontheSomerville/ Medfordborder.Historycanteachusmany lessonsifwearewillingtolearn.ThetwoIwant toreflectonareReligiousLibertyandCivility. TheUniversalDeclarationofHuman RightsadoptedbytheUnitedNationsin1948 statesthefollowinginArticle#18: Everyonehastherighttofreedomof thought,conscienceandreligionthisrightin cludesfreedomtochangeonesreligionorbe lief,andfreedomeitheraloneorincommunity withothersandinpublicorprivate,tomanifest onesreligioninteaching,practice,worshipand observance. Article#26(3)states: Parentshavearighttochoosethe kindofeducationthatshallbegiventotheir children.Andeducationshallpromoteunder standing,tolerance,andfriendshipamongall nations,racialorreligiousgroups. In1981theUnitedNationspromul gatedaDeclarationontheEliminationofAll FormsofIntoleranceandofDiscrimination BasedonReligionorBelief. Toleranceisaveryhotwordtoday. Itsrootmeaningistheactionorpracticeoftoler ating.Toleranceisthecommittedactionand dispositiontobepatientwithorindulgenttothe opinionsandpracticesofothers,havingacatho licityofspirit.Toleranceisnoteasy.Itdoesnot meanbeingadoormatsoeveryonecanwalkon you.Toleranceislikepatience,itisbestprac ticedandlived,notattained. Civilityisanotherveryimportant wordthatcomesintoplayundertheheadingof ReligiousFreedom.Allfaithtraditionsorspiri tualpathsspeakoftheinherentdignityandre spectwithwhichallpeopleareborn.Itisnot oneszipcode,vehicletype,clothesorincome thatwarrantscivilitybutthatlifeitself.Some faithtraditionsevensaythehumanpersonis createdintheimageandlikenessoftheCreator. Ifthisistrue,thenmanypeoplearecalledtobe civilandlivecivilitytowardsallpeople.Being civilandpracticingactsofcivilityrequireshow ingrespecttoanothersculture,ethnicback ground,religion/faithtradition,gender,race, sexualorientationandsexualidentity. Whenitcomestofaithtraditions andspiritualpaths,oneshouldtrytousethe toolsofhermeneuticsortheprinciplesfor interpretinganysacredtext.Therearemany waystoreadanysacredtextandthereisno rightanswer.Anysacredtextcamefroma believingcommunityfirst.Thenoverthe courseoftimethatcommunitywouldpick andchoosehowitwouldliveoutthesacred textbasedonreasonandexperienceoftheir livedhistory.So,sacredtext,sacredtradi tion,reasonandexperienceareallneededto understandanysacredtext. TheworldrenownedethicistRev erendJohnCourtneyMurray,S.J.wrotehis bookWeHoldTheseTruthsin1960.He wasspeakingoftheneedofcivilityinsoci ety.Hestates:argumentsceasetobecivil whenitisdominatedbypassionandpreju dicewhenitsvocabularybecomessolipsist, premisedonthetheorythatmyinsightis minealoneandcannotbesharedwhendia loguegiveswaytoaseriesofmonologues whenthepartiestotheconversationceaseto listentooneanother,orhearonlywhatthey wanttohear,orseetheothersargumentonly throughthescreenoftheirowncategories. Whenthingslikethishappen,peoplecannot belockedtogetherinargument.Conversa tionbecomesmerelyquarrelsomeorqueru lous.Civilitydieswiththedeathofdia logue. Religiousfreedomandcivilitydie withthedeathofdialogueandrespect. Maybe2007willbetheyearweall trytoliveuptotheteachingsofourfaith traditions/spiritualpaths.Maybewecantry todisagreewithanothersideaorposition withoutattackingpersonhoodanddignity. Itismyprayerthatinthenewyear of2007,wetrytoliveuptothevisionof religiouslibertyandcivility.Hatedebases loveembraces. PaxetLux 2007RUSSELLLECTURER MAXL.STACKHOUSE
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MaxL.Stackhouse,theRimmerand RuthdeVriesProfessorofReformedTheol ogyandPublicLife,hasbeenteachingfor morethanthirtyyears. Dr.Stackhousestudiesandwrites extensivelyontherelationshipoftheological ethicstosociety. HeisdirectoroftheSeminarys KuyperCenterforPublicTheology,president oftheboardoftheBerkshireInstituteforThe ologyandtheArts,andpastpresidentofthe SocietyofChristianEthics.Inaddition,he servesontheeditorialboardsofTheChristian Century,TheJournalofPoliticalTheology, andtheJournalofReligiousEthics.Heisan activememberofAmnestyInternational/USA. AordainedministerintheUnitedChurchof Christ,Dr.Stackhouseisamemberofthe AmericanTheologicalSociety,theAmerican AcademyofReligion,TheAmericanSociety forPoliticalandLegalPhilosophy,the SociEtEEuropEennedeCulture,theAssocia tionfortheStudyofReligioninSouthIndia, andtheAssociationforPublicJustice.
CHAPLAINCYINTERN LYNNCOOPER ContinuedfromPage1 Civicengagement,andservicelearningwith thetitleEducatingforSocialJustice:A GuidetoResources. Lynniscurrentlywritinghermasters thesisatHDS.Entitled TheGospelofCircum stances:VoltairinedeCleyre,RadicalCon sciousnessandReligiousImagination, the projectconsidersthewritingsandspeechesof ContinuedonPage4
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CHAPLAINCYINTERN LYNNCOOPER ContinuedfromPage3 VoltairinedeCleyre,ananarchistfeminist fromtheturnofthetwentiethcentury.In herprovocative,antiauthoritarianideology, deCleyreattacksconventionalunderstand ingsofgender,politics,andjustice.Lynnis mostinterestedinhowVoltairinedeCleyre usesthelanguageandsymbolofCatholic Massinherantiinstitutional,anarchist writings.InherdiscussionofdeCleyres rhetoric,Lynnreflectsonhowherown experienceofradical,religiousambivalence informsbothherreadingofdeCleyreand hergrowingappreciationforeachindivid ualsstruggletolocateasincerereligious identityamidstcompetingculturalandper sonalsentiment. Lynnisexcitedfortheupcoming semester.ShehasbeenplanningtheChap lainsTablelectureseriesforthistermand encouragesallmembersoftheTuftscom munitytojoinourThursdayeveningdiscus sionsonMystics,Prophets,andActivists inReligion.Sheisverygratefultorecon nectwiththepeopleandlandscapeofTufts andhopestocontinuethisconversation aboutnontraditionalwaysofbeingreli gious. theimageofGodHecreatedthemmale andfemale.AndGodblessedthem,and Godsaidtothem,Befruitfulandmultiply andfilltheearthandsubdueitanddominate thefishoftheseaandthebirdsoftheskies andeveryanimalthatcreepsontheearth. AndGodsaid,Here,Ihaveplacedallthe vegetationthatproducesseedthatisonthe faceofalltheearthforyouandeverytree, whichhasinitthefruitofatreeproducing seed.Itwillbeforyouandforallthewild animalsoftheearthandforallthebirdsof theskiesandforallthecreepingthingson theearth,everythinginwhichthereisa livingbeingeveryplantofvegetation,for food.Anditwasso. Moderndayreligiousscholarsand theologianswouldhighlighttheconceptof stewardship.Thehumanpersonismeantto beacocreatorwithGodinart,culture, scienceandinregardstotheearth.Humans areentrustedwiththeearth.Alltheearths goodsareforall,allthetime.Theprophets oftheJewishsacredtextsteachaboutfaith andjustice.Thequalityofonespersonal faithisdependentuponthequalityofjus tice.WhereonestandswithonesCreator isdependentuponwhereonestandswith thoseonthefringesofsociety,i.e.,thepoor, thewidows,thealiens,thosewithillnesses. Thedignityofthehumanpersonistoal waysbeupheld,sincethehumanpersonis createdinGodsimageandlikeness.The samestatusforhumandignityandsteward shipisnowbeingappliedtotheenviron ment. Environmentalethicsnowlinks theconceptofthedignityofthepersonto thedignityofcreation.Someethicists claimthatoneprotectshumandignityby rightsandduties,andrightsareamoral claimtoagoodwhichisessentialtohuman dignity.Therefore,theenvironmentisalso anessentialtohumandignity.Tocontinue thisstringofthought,sincethehumanper sonissacredandsocial,oneneedstobein community.Therearemanylevelsofcom munityfamily,civilsociety,regionorna tion,butthemostbasicwouldbethecom munityoftheearth.Thisconnectionallows thelinkingofstewardshipwiththepurpose ofhumanity.Onedoesnothavetofully accepttheideaofanthropocentricorhu mancenteredphilosophies. Traditionally,westernornorthern hemispherebasedphilosophiesassigneda
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significantlygreateramountofintrinsicvalue tohumanbeingsthantoanynonhumanthing suchthattheprotectionorpromotionofhu maninterestsorwellbeingattheexpenseof nonhumanthingsturnsouttobealwaysjusti fied. Theideaofstewardshipnowstates thatcreationandnonhumanthingsarenotthe propertyofthehumanperson,butthehuman personistocareforandprotectwhatwas LOANEDtothehumanfamilybytheCrea tor.Stewardshipwouldmeanoneneedsto givebacktotheCreatoranaccountingofhow oneusedthegoodsandmaterialoftheearth. Theearly1970sstartedthefirst celebrationofEarthDayandtheacknowl edgementofenvironmentalethicsasasepa ratefieldofstudyinphilosophyandethics. Manycametoadopttheideathatlandasa communityisthebasicconceptofecology. Thelandistobelovedandrespectedasan extensionofethics.Anonhumanthingis rightwhenittendstopreservetheintegrity, stability,andbeautyofthebioticcommunity. Itiswrongwhenittendsotherwise. Thisnewfieldemergedalmost simultaneouslyinthreecountries,Australia, theUnitedStates,andNorway.Inthefirst twoofthesecountries,directionandinspira tioncamelargelyfromtheearliertwentieth centuryliteratureoftheenvironment.The Scottishemigrant,JohnMuir,(founderofthe SierraClubandthefatherofAmericancon servation)andsubsequentlytheforester, AldoLeopold,hadadvocatedanappreciation andconservationofthingsnatural,wild,and free.Thereisnowalinkingofenvironmental ethicswiththeanimalrightsmovement. Environmentalethicshasabrief history,butitisaneverexpandingfieldof study.Ifonetakestoheartthestewardship model,thenonewilltreattheenvironment withrespectanddignityatalltimes.Thereby leavingtheworldabetterplaceforthenext generation.
Alltheworldsreligions,faith traditionsandspiritualitiespayproperre specttotheconceptofenvironmentalethics. Somewouldsayitisanewfieldcomingto lifeinthe1970s.Iwouldarguethatthe ideahasbeenintheJewishandChristian sacredscripturesfromtheverybeginning. ThebookofGenesisintheJewish sacredtexts,whichallChristiansalsoac cept,isthestartingpoint.Chapter1verses 2630states: AndGodsaid,letusmakeahuman,inour image,accordingtoourlikeness,andlet themdominatethefishoftheseaandthe birdsoftheskiesandthedomesticanimals andalltheearthandallthecreepingthings thatcreepontheearth.AndGodcreated thehumaninHisimage.Hecreateditin
Volume5,Issue1
EnvironmentalEthics ContinuedfromPage4 EnvironmentalismRevisitedinWitoszek andBrennan(eds) Nash,R(ed)1990.American Environmentalism:ReadingsinConservation History. Varner,G.1998.InNaturesIn terest?InterestsAnimalRightsandEinviron mentalEthics tionofextremesofwealthandpoverty,the needforuniversaleducation,andtherecogni tionofthefundamentalharmonybetween scienceandreligion.Lawsdirectedatper sonalconductupholdthenecessityofchas tity,monogamy,dailyobligatoryprayerand anannualperiodoffasting.TheBahaiFaith hasnoclergyorritualism,rathertheadmini strationoftheBahaicommunityiscarried outbyelectedbodiesatlocal,regional,na tional,andinternationallevels.Bahaisare enjoinedtoachieveabetterunderstandingof theWordofGodthroughaprocessofindi vidualinvestigation,study,dailyprayerand meditation. Theissuesofraceandgender equalityplayacriticalroleinthevisionof theBahaiFaithforAmerica.Bahaisbe lievethattheraceissueinAmericaisitsmost criticalimpedimenttoprogress,itsmost VitalandChallengingissue.Furthermore, Bahaisbelievethatalastingpeacecannotbe realizeduntilwomenachieveequalstatus withmeninallarenasofhumanendeavor anddecisionmaking. Oneofthefastestgrowingofthe worldreligions,theBahaiFaithhas,during its163yearhistory,grownfromanobscure movementintheMiddleEasttobecomethe worldsmostgeographicallywidespread religionafterChristianity.ToBahaisthis signifiesthetrulyworldembracingmessages ofBahaullahandtheapplicabilityofBahai principlestothecurrentglobalsituation.The worldgoverningbodyoftheBahaiFaithand manyofitsholysitesareinandaround Haifa,Israel.Todaythereareover5million Bahaisinover130,000localitiesworldwide. Morethan155,000Bahaisresideinthe UnitedStates.Andmorethan155,000be lieversofthisreligioncurrentlyliveand serveinthegreatermetropolitanChicago area. TheChurchofJesusChristofLatterDay Saints... ThefoundationaltenetofThe ChurchofJesusChristofLatterdaySaintsis thatGod,theFather,sentHisSon,Jesus ChristtobetheSavioroftheworld:through theatonementofJesusChrist,allmankind maybesavedbyobediencetothelawsand ordinancesofthegospel. TheChurchofJesusChristofLat terdaySaintswasfoundedin1830when GodtheFatherandJesusChristappearedtoa youngmannamedJosephSmith,Jr.inNew
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YorkState.LikeAbraham,Moses,and Isaiahofold,JosephwascalledbyGod andJesusChristasaprophet,through whomrevelation,priesthoodauthority, andlivingscripturewouldbecomeavail abletoallmankind.AmongJosephs earliestpropheticeffortswasthetransla tionofthesacredhistoryofsomeancient Americanpeoples,nowpublishedasthe BookofMormonAnotherTestamentof JesusChrist.ItisregardedbyLatterday SaintsascompanionscripturetotheBi ble. TheChurchoperateswithalay ministryreligiousactivitiesthroughout theworldareledbymaleandfemale volunteersfromamongthelocalchurch membership.Asinancienttimes,a prophetandtwelveapostlespresideover theChurch. FaithfulLatterdaySaintslive bycovenantthus,childrenarenotbap tizedpriortotheageofeightyears,the ageofaccountabilitytobacco,alcoholic beverages,caffeinatedhotdrinksand illegaldrugsarenotusedchastityis practicedoutsideofmarriageandfidelity withinmembersgiveonetenth(thebib licaltithe)oftheirincomeforthesupport ofChurchfunctionsworldwide. Amongthemostsacredof covenantsmadebyLatterdaySaintsis thatofmarriagebetweenamananda womaninoneoftheChurchs123world widetemples(distinctfrommeeting houses,ofwhichthereareseveralthou sand).LatterdaySaintsbelievethatthe familyiscentraltoGodsplanforhis childrenandthatsacredordinancesavail ableinthesetemplesmakeitpossiblefor individualstoreturntothepresenceof Godasfamilies. Since1830,theChurchhas growntoacurrentmembershipof12.5 millionpeopleinover162countries. MembershipintheUnitedStatesismore than5,600,000.(InMetropolitanChi cagoitisapproximately32,000.)
NEWSTUDENTRELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
TheOfficeofUniversityChaplain isthecoordinatingbodyforallstudentreli giousorganizationsoncampus.Allgroups followsimilarguidelines.Alleventsand meetingsareopentoallpeopleatalltimes, withoutpressuretojoin,beapartof,orac ceptthebeliefsofthegroup.Mostmeetings areheldinGoddardChapel.Alltherulesof studentgovernmentarefollowedregarding nondiscrimination. Thispastsemestermanyneworre constitutedreligiousgroupsappliedforrec ognition:TheChurchofLatterDaySaints, TheFriendsSociety(Quakers),theOrthodox Christiangroup,UnitarianUniversalists,a newHindugroup,twoBuddhistgroups,and anewBahaigroup. Hereisabriefoverviewofsomeof thesenewergroups. TheBahaiFaith... TheBahaiFaithisanindependent worldreligion,foundedbyBahaullah (18171892)inmid19thcenturyPersia (present dayIran).Theonenessofhuman ityisthepivotroundwhichrevolveallthe teachingsoftheBahaiFaith.Bahaullah teachesthatGodhasrevealedHimselfto humanitythroughouthistory,inaccordance withhumanityslevelofspiritualmaturity viasuccessivedivinelyinspiredMessengers. ThesehaveincludedAbraham,Buddha,Je sus,Krishna,Moses,Muhammad,Zoroaster, TheBab,andBahaullahHimself,allof whombroughttheWordoftheonetrueGod andareBearersoftheloveandknowledgeof oneGod. CentralteachingsoftheBahai FaithincludetheonenessofGod,theunityof religions,andtheinherentqualityoftheraces andsexes.Sociallawscallfortheelimina
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Phone:(617)6273427 Fax:(617)6272447 RENEWYOURMARRIAGE VOWS! EVERY1STSATURDAYOFTHE MONTH9A.M. 12NOON (EXCEPTMAY,WHICHWILL BEMAY19TH) CALLGODDARDCHAPELTO MAKEARRANGEMENTS (617)6273427 ChaplaincyStaff LindaKarpowich,ChaplaincyCoordinator EdithStead,Secretary
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