Oberlin College
Office of Religious & Spiritual Life news
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A weekly update of opportunities related to spirituality, ethics, culture & social justiceDecember 5, 2011
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New Course: Intro to Muslim Cultures & Civilizations

 

SP 2012, ARBC 110, Tu Tr 1:30-2:45 pm, Room TBA 

Professors Esra Akin-Kivanc, Jafar Mahallati, Ali Yedes

 

This course investigates the philosophical, religious, linguistic, literary and artistic dimensions of Muslim cultures, past and present. Performance arts, written and visual texts, theoretical and artistic, spanning from Southeast Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa, will bring out the distinctive character of Muslim perceptions of these integral and various components of life. We will accompany the students on an intellectual journey through the idiosyncrasies of the 

Muslim world. This journey will lead us through continuity with the past to the dynamics of change.  From Indonesia to Morocco, young Muslims are adopting aggressive initiatives to integrate tradition with modernity. Through a unique collaboration of a Turkish art historian, a Persian ethicist, and a Tunisian literary critic, this course will provide a multidisciplinary and comparative foundation for the various dimensions of Muslim cultures and civilizations. We will introduce Muslim cultures through binaries common to Western and Muslim cultures (e.g., finite/infinite, individual/community, heart/mind, sacred/profane, clan/Other) as mediated through major rubrics of the Muslim cultural imaginary such as cultural transmission (language and memory), ethos (justice and bounty), institutions (authority and order), representation (sign and aniconism)--all in their secular and religious dimensions. 

No prerequisites.

Online Advent Devotional

 

There is an online Advent devotional created by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Episcopal Church. Please visit it here.

Jane Cauffiel Advent Concert Series

 

Wednesdays, 12:15 pm, Meeting House, First Church in Oberlin UCC (106 N Main St.)  

12/7: James Feddeck'05, '06, organ.

12/14: Rising Stars of the Oberlin Conservatory - Organists Nicholas Capozzoli '15, Dexter Kennedy '12, Jacob Street MM/HP '12 and flutist Melanie Williams '12.  Theme: "France in the 1930s."

 
12/21: Travis, Gu, artist Diploma '13, organist of First Church.

 

Feel free to bring a bag lunch to enjoy during the concert. For more information please contact Professor James David Christie.

An Alternative Vision for Public Education

 

Wednesday, 12/7, 6:45-7:45 pm, First Church JFO Room 

Come early and join us for supper at 5:45 pm ($3 for adults, students eat free)

An adult education study exploring serious concerns raised in the Pastoral Letter by the National Council of Churches Governing Board about today's federal public education policy. Session will include viewing short video conversations by Dr. John Jackson and Dr. Diane Ravitch followed by discussion. Co-sponsored by Oberlin Young Educators. For more information please contact Rev. David Hill.

Oberlin Today and Tomorrow

 

Wednesday, 12/7, AJLC Atrium, 7 pm Art & Film Gallery Open, 8 pm Presentation & Discussion

Explore Oberlin's natural history and resilience to current environmental impacts--how will Oberlin survive peak oil? Learn about Oberlin's natural heritage and local natural features and environmental issues with poetry, photography, and student writing. Find out the possibilities of the Oberlin Dashboard, a community wide, real-time feedback project. Consider future scenarios that the Oberlin community will face due to climate change and fossil fuel consumption with entertaining short films. Check out the event preview http://vimeo.com/31909589. Free local food will be served! Presented by the ENVS490 class, Natural History of the Black River Watershed and the Environmental Communication Dashboard class. 

Forum on Religious & Philosophical Stereotypes

 

Thursday, 12/8, 4:30 pm, Wilder Hall 112

Stereotypes of people of different religions and philosophies are one of the pitfalls to building a pluralistic society and world and to interfaith and inter-philosophical collaboration. Come join us for an open forum conversation on how religious and philosophical stereotypes function at Oberlin and how we can challenge them on campus and in the world.

 

Sponsored by Students in the Religious Pluralism and Interfaith Engagement ExCo and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

Klezmer Kleveland Ensemble Concert

 

Sunday, 12/11, 2 pm, Wilder Main

Please bring your instruments!

Sponsored by Jewish Studies, Schusterman Foundation and Hillel at Oberlin. For more information please contact Professors Shulmit Magnus and Ari Ofengenden.

Community Singalong of Handel's Messiah

 

Sunday, 12/11, 7-9 pm, Warner Concert Hall

Featuring vocal soloists and string players from the Oberlin Conservatory. Admission is free; donations will be accepted to benefit MedWish International. 

For more information please contact Prof. Peter Slowik.

Alternative Gift Fair

 

Monday-Friday, 12/12-16, 11:30 am-1:30 pm, Oberlin College Science Center

Saturday, 12/17, 1-4 pm, Oberlin Public Library (65 S. Main St.)
Gifts with a purpose. Help the world be a better place and find great gifts at the same time. Fair trade treats, handcrafted jewelry and textiles, raffle prizes and more! Donate to worthy causes! Support local non-profits! Free gift wrapping with donation of canned or non-perishable items for the Oberlin Community Services Food Pantry. Questions?  Want to volunteer? Contact Karyl 774-4683 or Joanne 935-2048. Sponsored by the Office of the President of Oberlin College.

"HAPPY" Documentary Screening

 

Tuesday, 12/13, 7 pm, West Lecture Hall

HAPPY takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining real life stories of people from around the world and powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research, HAPPY explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion. Check out the website. Free and open to the public. Organized by the Practicum in Joy ExCo and the Oberlin Fun Squad and co-sponsored by ORSL.

Longest Night Celebration

 

Thursday, 12/15, 7:30 pm, First United Methodist Church

A time of community and reflection for those affected by the darkest time of the year, especially in relation to winter holidays. Sponsored by Oberlin Area Cooperating Ministries.

Empty Mugs Holiday Organ & Brass Concert

 

Sunday, 12/16, 8 pm, First Church in Oberlin

Celebration of the Life of Sarah Hammond

 

Friday, 12/30, 11 am, Peace Community Church

All are welcome.

Campus-Community Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

 

Sunday, 1/15, 5-6 pm, Finney Chapel

Sponsored by the Office of the President, the Office of Community and Government Relations, and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

Alliance of Baptists Summer Communities of Service

 

Do you know of (or are one yourself!) young adults (ages 19-30) in your communities, local churches, local seminaries or universities who are starting to think about potential opportunities for Summer 2012?  Tell them about Summer Communities of Service.

 

Projected sites for 2012 include:
Volunteers will have hands-on serving experience at a  social ministry setting, live in intentional spiritual community, and connect with a local Alliance and/or UCC-affiliated church. Participants will receive a $1000 stipend, housing, health insurance, and a food/transportation allotment.  Orientation will be May 30-June 2 in Raleigh, NC and dates of service at host sites will be from June 2 to August 8. Debriefing will take place August 9-10.

 

Priority placement application deadline: January 15, 2012
Final deadline: February 15, 2012

 

For more information or an application please visit:

 

To reach someone for conversation, call 866-745-7609, ext. 204 or email summercommunities@allianceofbaptists.org

 

Ana Karim
Assistant Project Manager
Chair, Alliance of Baptist Partnerships Committee

Do Your Winter Term with ORSL!

 

How do you want to spend your winter term? Would you like to spend time on retreat in a Christian or Buddhist monastery, travel to sacred sites around the world, intern with a religious leader or a faith-based social justice organization, or just take time to read and explore your own spiritual and ethical beliefs? Each year the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life sponsors a number of students undertaking winter term projects in these and other relevant areas. We invite you to consider doing you winter term with us. Please visit our ORSL Winter Term website and for more information please contact Rev. Greg McGonigle.

Support Dance Diaspora

 

During Winter Term of 2011-12, Dance Diaspora, Oberlin's premier semi-professional West African Dance troupe, and Ilu Aiye, Oberlin's West African Drumming and Singing organization members  Nicollette Buckle'13, Brieanna Frye'13, Leanna Frye'13, Vanessa Champagne'13, and Jasmine Nunez '13 intend to travel to the Senegambia (Senegal, Guinea, Gambia) region of West Africa to study West African dances, rhythms, and songs. In the Senegambia, members of Dance Diaspora and Ilu Aiye will have several workshops with professional dancers and master drummers that include: dancing with Jaina Family Dancers of the Mandinka  and Wolofnation and Alasone Somak and Senee Jaima of the SouSou nation in Guinea, and learning drum rhythms and songs from Aboubacar Mbeng. For three weeks, we will train eight hours a day, seven days a week, on the compounds of the dance and drum instructors. 
          Our time in the compounds learning the sacred traditions of these ethnic groups and internalizing what we are taught will help us to bring a part of SeneGambian Culture to Oberlin College. We are writing you to solicit your support with the hope that you would contribute 
a minimum of $100.00 to the cost of this trip. Our goal is to raise enough to cover the  $12,080.00 budgeted cost for the 6 participants by December 10, 2011. We have contacted other student organizations and College departments for financial help. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vanessa Champagne.  We depend largely on fundraising within the Oberlin College community. Any amount you can give to this project is helpful.  

Jewish Thought and Enduring Human Questions

Tikvah Project at Princeton Summer Seminar 2012

 

7/22-8/8, Princeton University

An intensive workshop for undergraduates on Jewish texts, thought, and perspectives on the great questions of human life. Outstanding faculty and senior lecturers from multiple universities will lead the seminar, focusing on the topics of Tradition and Authority, Evil and Suffering, Love and Desire, God and Politics, and the Future of Jews and Judaism. The program will include lectures, discussions, focused text study, and individual mentoring. Dorm accommodations and kosher meals will be provided throughout the program. There is no fee and students will be offered a $1000 stipend. Need-based travel stipends are also available. For more information please click here.

Weekly Gatherings
  • Christ Episcopal Church Student Lunch: Mondays, Noon, The Rectory (158 Elm Street)
  • Hillel Meeting: Tuesdays, 12:15 pm, Wilder 216
  • Queers and Allies of Faith: Tuesdays, 8 pm, Multifaith Center 
  • A Cappella Chapel Service (led by CREDO): Wednesdays, 12:10 pm, Fairchild Chapel
  • First Church in Oberlin (UCC) Wednesdays: Free Student Dinner 5:45 pm, and Adult Education 6:45 pm, First Church
  • Taize Service (led by Ecumenical Christians of Oberlin): Wednesdays, 7 pm, Fairchild Chapel
  • Oberlin Buddhist Fellowship Meetings: Thursdays, 7 pm, Wilder 215
  • Liberated Unitarian Universalist Voices: Thursdays, 8 pm, Multifaith Center
  • ECO Lunch: Fridays, Noon, Wilder DeCafe
  • Muslim Students Association Jumah Prayer: Fridays, 12:45 pm, Wilder 222
  • Campus Shabbat: Fridays, Services 5:30 pm, Dinner 7 pm, Kosher-Halal Co-op (Talcott Hall)
  • Chabad Shabbat: Fridays, Services 6:30 pm, Dinner 7 pm, 111 N. Pleasant
  • Oberlin Orthodox Christian Fellowship Morning Prayer and Divine Liturgy: Sundays, Leaving at 8:20 am, Please contact the OOCF Advisor
  • Oberlin Buddhist Fellowship Meditation: Sundays, 11 am, Warner Dance Studio
  • Oberlin Friends Meeting: Sundays, 11 am, Multifaith Center
  • Voices for Christ: Sundays, 3:30 pm, Bibbins 334
  • Newman Mass: Sundays, 5 pm, Fairchild Chapel
  • ECO Dinner and Discussion: Sundays, 6 pm, Multifaith Center
  • Oberlin Bhakti Yoga Society Kirtan: Sundays, 7 pm, Fairchild Chapel
  • Oberlin Meditators: Sundays-Thursdays, 8 pm and 9 pm, Wilder 325
  • Oberlin Baha'i Club Dinner and Devotions: Third Fridays, 6:30 pm, Please contact OBC Advisor
  • Oberlin Christian Fellowship (InterVarsity) Small and Large Groups: Please see the OCF website
 
Meditation of the Week

 

Behold thee infinite relations; so like, so unlike, many, yet one. I would study, I would know, I would admire forever. --Ralph Waldo Emerson
Rev. Greg McGonigle

Contact Us

Rev. Greg McGonigle
Director | Office of Religious & Spiritual Life
(440) 935-4629

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